HDWN? "I'm a donkey on the edge!"

Wait a second? Who are you? Why are you here? WHAT ARE YOU DOIN’ IN MY SWAMP?

Kidding, kidding. Of course, you’re welcome here at “HDWN?”! This week is practically our grand reopening, considering our last blog was posted in May. You can start expecting not monthly, not bi-weekly, but WEEKLY blogs again! Praise God!

If you’re a clever fan of Dreamworks, you may have already noticed a couple of lines from everyone’s favorite movie… SHREK! Shrek is especially relevant this week as we dive into a story about non-other than a talking donkey.

So buckle up as we explore a story that has as many layers as an onion… or ogre.

Let’s take it back to the Old Testament, all the way back to the times of Moses. The tribes of Israel are still wandering around the wilderness, although their time in this season is drawing to a close. As Israel is wandering, they come face-to-face with countless kings, kingdoms, and armies. Hot off the press is a report that Israel, backed by Yahweh (aka God), has defeated not only the kingdom of the Canaanites, but the kingdom of the Amorites and the kingdom of Bashan as well (Numbers 21). 

After these defeats, the tribes of Israel decide to set up camp in Moab. Upon hearing news of the tribes’ back-to-back victories, the king of Moab starts to get a little nervy. What are all these Israelites doing in his swamp? After all, the book of Numbers got its name from the two censuses conducted throughout the book in Numbers 1-4 and Numbers 26… The king of Moab is looking at approximately 601,730 men camped in his swamp (or plains, rather). Once we start counting women and children, he’s looking at approximately 2 million people in his backyard… game OVER.

The king of Moab voices his concerns to the elders of Midian (another neighboring country). The elders of Midian tell the king of Moab that he’ll get chewed up… literally: “This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field” (Numbers 22:4).

King Balak of Moab is understandably freaked out, knowing that his kingdom could be next on the Israelite’s chopping block. Then, the most astute, brilliant idea hits him. “Let’s fight fire with fire… what if I use Israel’s own God against them?” King Balak sends out messengers from Moab and Midian to find Balaam, a prophet of God. Balak’s plan is to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites and ensure the safety of his outnumbered kingdom. In Numbers 22:6, Balak specifically tells Balaam, “I know when you pronounce a blessing, people are blessed, and when you pronounce a curse, they are placed under a curse.” Of course, the king sends his message with a hefty sum of money in order to get the job done.

Ever the host, when the messengers from Moab and Midian arrive at Balaam’s place, the prophet invites them to stay the night (cue the intro to MTV Cribs). Balaam and the Lord have a bedtime chat, where God asks Balaam who all is having a sleepover tonight. When Balaam let’s God know who the messengers are and what they're are asking, God let's Balaam in on some key information, “Actually, you can’t place a curse on a people I have blessed… duh. The math ain’t mathing.” Balaam sends all the messengers back to Balak, informing them that the Lord just wasn’t having it.

Balak, like a kid on a 14 hour roadtrip, keeps asking and asking Balaam to come curse the Israelites. The king sends more prestigious messengers and diplomats, hoping to persuade Balaam: “Balak says to let nothing hinder you, Balaam. He’s got your back! He’ll do you such great honor and will do whatever you say to get the job done.” Uh… excuse me? The God of the universe said no. That’s spelled N-O. See yourself out. 

Yet again, Balaam lives out his MTV dream by letting the messengers spend another night at his crib. He tells the messengers, “Alright guys, chill. I’ll talk to God about it, but just know that you could offer me houses so full of gold and silver that they’re busting at the seams, and it still wouldn’t make me disobey God’s commands.” This time, however, God comes to Balaam for their bedtime chat and says, “Alright Balaam, saddle up and go. BUT don’t do anything without my say-so.”

Even though God has given Balaam permission to go, He’s not the slightest bit happy about it. As you read Numbers 22:20-22, you may experience whiplash: What do you mean in one sentence God is telling Balaam to go with these guys and in the next He’s angry about it? While it may seem like God is being moody, there’s actually a reason behind the upset. Who brought up money? God didn’t say, “Balaam, do what I tell you when I tell you, AND tell them you can’t be bought.” It was Balaam who slipped the notion of an increased sum on the table. While it may look like this is Balaam putting his foot down, this is really Balaam saying, “Guys… we’re not talking until those coins you brought turn into castles, okay?” 

Balaam saddles his donkey and begins to ride… only for his stubborn donkey to up and stop in the middle of the road. The reason this donkey won’t move? God had sent an angel, with a sword, to stand in the middle of the road… That only Balaam’s donkey could see. The poor donkey sees this angel and thinks, “Mmmm nope.” She shifts course, and heads over to a field beside the road. Balaam strikes the donkey, and turns her back toward the road. Yet, the angel is still in the road - come on guys, God isn’t going away that quickly. As Balaam is riding through a narrow, walled path through some vineyards, his donkey sees the angel in the path yet again. With nowhere to go, she crushes Balaam’s foot into one of the walls. Balaam urges her forward, but the donkey will not cross the angel. So what does she do? She can’t go left, she can't go right, she can’t go forward, or backward, so she just… lays down. 

Balaam has a bit of a temper tantrum and begins to beat the donkey with his staff. PETA would not be happy… and God wasn’t too happy either. God blesses this beaten donkey, so that she can tell Balaam what’s really on her mind, “Dude, what did I do to you? Can you not SEE? Hello? I’ve given you rides all my life, and now you want to act this way?” This is a donkey on the edge. Balaam is so fed up at this point that he shouts, “If I had a sword right now, I’d kill you. You’re making me look like an idiot!”

The Lord then reveals the angel to Balaam, who immediately falls to the ground in worship (as he should). The angel tells Balaam he’s come to bar his journey, because he shouldn’t be making it at all. The angel snaps back at Balaam, “Your donkey can see an angel, but you can’t? Really dude? Had she not turned away those three times, I would have killed you and let her live.” Balaam tells the angel that he’s sorry and that he’ll go home, but the angel allows him to continue his trip with the Moabites… on the condition that Balaam doesn’t say anything the Lord does not give him to say.

Fast forward to Numbers 23, and Balaam and Balak are standing face to face. Balak starts up his order - “Hi, I’d like one curse on the people of Israel, please and thank you.” Balaam flat out tells Balak, “Listen, man… I can only say what God allows me to say. It’s been a long ride.” Balak takes Balaam up to a tall mountain, so that they can both see a portion of the people of Israel residing in the plains. Balaam tells Balak to build seven altars. Together, they sacrifice a bull and ram on each. Balaam asks God what he would like him to say, and he receives a word from the Lord… he then prophesies over Israel, blessing them. 

Of course, Balak is furious and wants a repeat. Balak drags Balaam to another mountain, overlooking yet another portion of the people. Another seven altars are built and seven bulls and seven rams are sacrificed. After Balaam asks God again what he should say, Balaam utters another prophecy, speaking an even greater blessing over the people of Israel the second time around.

I’m sure at this point Balak is ready to leave a horrible Yelp review for Balaam: “Paid for him to curse my enemies… he BLESSES them. 0 out of 5 stars. Don’t waste your money.” Regardless, Balak is still desperate and fearful, and he figures that surely the third time will be the charm. Balak takes Balaam to yet another mountain still, where Balaam builds another seven altars and they slaughter another seven bulls and seven rams.

Balak has taken Balaam so high into the mountains that Balaam can see the Israelites camped tribe by tribe. This time, Balaam doesn’t have to ask God what he should say. He’s finally caught the drift that God wants to pronounce blessings over Israel. In Numbers 24, the spirit of God takes over him and he utters this third prophecy to Balak:

Finally, King Balak has had enough. Fists clenched, he screams “Go home! And don’t expect payment for your services! I gave you three chances! I said I would honor you, but the Lord has held you from that honor.” At this, Balaam utters a few final prophecies not only pronouncing destruction of the Amalekites and the Kenites, but pointing to a king, “like a bright star,” that will arise out of the nation of Israel (AKA Jesus). And with that, Balaam goes home unpaid.

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I told you at the beginning of this post that this story has layers… Let’s peel a few back. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways from this story:

1. Sometimes, we ask God for things, even though we know He’s already told us an answer. Balaam knew from the start that all God would pronounce over the camping Israelites were blessings. Yet, not only did he hear out the messengers twice, but he followed Balak up three mountains to sacrifice forty-two animals to oblige the king. It’s important to note that even though Balaam went down a squirrelly path even following the king in the first place, God did not let that derail His divine plans. Are there things you keep asking and praying over that God has already given you an answer about?

2. It’s important to treat even the “least” or “lowly” with kindness. In the modern context, donkeys are usually seen as the “butt” of the joke, with their constant hee-haws and buck teeth. I mean, have you watched the Shrek movies? Yet, in Balaam’s circumstance, this lowly, humble creature was the only thing keeping him from death. Think about this - the donkey saw the angel before the prophet. If that doesn’t scream Luke 9:48 (“...For the least among you is the one that is great.”), I don’t know what will! Are there any areas of your life that you find yourself lashing out without taking the time to fully understand/see the situation at hand?

3. Just because you believe in the power of God, doesn’t mean you're submitted to it. Balak knew exactly who to go to. He knew that because Balaam was a prophet of Yahweh, that his blessings and his curses would stick. But, just because Balak understood and believed that God had power, didn’t mean he submitted to it. Actually, he did the exact opposite, trying to control it. You can see how well that worked out for him… Are there times when you fully believe in God and His power, yet keep yourself from submitting to Him?

What were your takeaways? As you go through the week, consider how this story could apply to your daily life… and consider watching the Shrek movies again. (Except for Shrek 4… we pretend that one doesn’t exist. Just watch the 2nd one twice… it’s the best.)