Obedience or Disobedience and the Consequences.
Numbers 22.
Balaam and the Donkey.
There is so much to unpack in this chapter. It’s very challenging.
Balak sends for Balaam to come and to curse Israel. Balak sends his elders to Balak with the deviners fee.
They arrive at Balaam’s place and speak the words of Balak to Balaam.
Balaam tells them to lodge there the night while he seeks the Lord for guidence.
In verse 12, God spoke to Balaam saying not to go with them, he shall not curse the people (Israel) for they are Blessed.
God shut the door. That should have been the end of it. But as we continue to read through the chapter. It wasn’t.
At first, Balaam did the right thing and didn’t go with them. He stayed home.
Balak again then sends princes more numerous and honourable this time. They plead with Balaam to come with them and curse the people , that Balaam will be honoured greatly.
Did Balaam tell them No, he could not defy God and go with them, and was not to curse the people as the Lord told him?
No he didn’t. Instead, Balaam said ” Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, he could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do more or less. ( verse 18).
Balaam then asks them to lodge the night so that he may know what more the Lord will say. ( verse 19)
Clearly Balaam wanted to go and was determined to go. His heart wasn’t good or in the right place. He wanted the riches etc.
Verse 32 says Balaam’s ways were perverse.
God seeing and knowing Balaam’s heart, handed him over to it and said go. But told Balaam to speak only the words the Lord wanted Balaam to say.
Balaam disobeyed the Lord and went anyway.
Verse 22 says ” The Lords anger was aroused because Balaam went. The Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against Balaam.
This is the consequences of Balaam’s disobedience.
But the Donkey protected Balaam 3 times. In yet Balaam struck the donkey until he saw the Angel of the Lord. In verse 32, The Angel of the Lord told Balaam his ways were perverse before the Lord.
Verse 34 Balaam acknowledges his sin. However, only part of his sin. He only mentioned the part of not knowing the Angel of the Lord was there. Balaam didn’t humble himself and acknowledge his greed and disobedience to the Lord by going.
Challenging Food for thought.
(Just between you and Jesus)
When we reflect this onto our own lives. What times did we disobey God because we really wanted it? What has the consequences been?
Have there been times when we simply made assumptions it was God’s will for you because it seemed the right thing to do and because everyone else was doing it.? What were the consequences?
My encouragement to you is to humble ourselves before the Lord and acknowledge our sins if we haven’t done it in the past already. We don’t want to carry this anymore. Let Jesus cleanse us and make us whole. It frees us.
We are so close to the finishing line now, let us finish the race in doing God’s will ( dependent) and not our own ( Independent ). Lets finish the race well.
We need Jesus, we depend upon Jesus. Cheering you on.
God Bless. ❤️
![](https://gloryaustralia.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/fb_img_1642824151102.jpg?w=600)