Looking at the whole story of Balaam (Num.22-25) is a bizarre experience.  For some, the existence of narratives such as this – with a talking donkey - simply affirms that the Bible belongs in the realm of myth and fairy tales, albeit fairy tales with a moral.  But even within the Bible's account there is the awareness that this is a unique moment, an exception to the way the world is.  As a rule, animals don't talk.  So why is the rule broken?

A prophet-for-hire has been employed to curse the Church.  It gives us insight into the nature of God who deigns to speak through him in spite of all the ambiguities, and into the nature of inspiration.  The Lord's desire to bless His people is abundantly clear throughout.  In the end it is only their sin that brings curse (in line with the Mosaic pronouncements of Deut.28).  But the Lord's desire is to bless an obedient people.

We are shown the dynamics of inspiration - which remain as important in today's Church as in the Church of Moses' day.  Can we trust those who speak by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?  Are their words exclusively the result of the Spirit's work, or are they a mixture of divine and human origins?  Can a prophet get things wrong while speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit?  Or could a prophet's human motivation somehow undermine what they say?  All such questions are answered through the account of Balaam.  As Balaam himself puts it repeatedly: 'Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?' (Num.23:12, see II Pet.1:19-21, and I Cor.2:10-14). 

So why the talking donkey?  Well...  when you see Balaam's greed and his betrayal of the people of God (Num.31:8 & 15-16) perhaps the analogy comes into focus.  The stubborn mule who cannot utter a word on its own takes on the role of Balaam himself, and Balaam's struggle to simply get the beast to do what he wants gives us insight into the LORD's own frustration at the recalcitrance of a wayward prophet determined to go their own way.  As Balaam would have killed the donkey with his sword, so the Angel of the Lord is waiting to slay Balaam (Num.22:29-33).  Balaam gets to see his behaviour from the Lord's perspective (see Ps.32:8-9).  Unfortunately, even such revelation does not halt his descent into spiritual treachery.  Balaam knows that the only way God will come against His own people is if they capitulate to sin.  His counsel to Balak then is to have the Moabite women to seduce the Israelites, both sexually and spiritually (Num.25:1-2).  The God who desires to bless His obedient people now stands against them in their unfaithfulness and disobedience, '...and those who died in the plague numbered 24,000' (Num.25:9).

Balaam thus earned his wages.  Unfortunately, in spite of the short term monetary gain, the wages of sin remain what it has always been: death (Num.31:8, Rom.6:23).

Questions:

Is this how you understand the idea of the Inspiration of the Bible?  How does what we believe about the Bible shape our attitude to it?  What would you say someone believed if their engagement with Scripture amounted to only a few minutes each day?

Why do you think preaching is so undervalued in the Church today? 

How has this series in Numbers challenged you? ...inspired you?  ...changed your thinking about God, or the Church?  What is different for you going forward?

Do you think MIE has learned the lessons God would want to teach the Church in the Book of Numbers? 

Have another look at I Peter 1:10-12.  How do Balaam’s prophecies speak of the grace that was to come to [us]? How do they predict the suffering and glories of Christ?  How do they serve [us]?

What does it teach us that after everything that has happened, it still pleases the LORD to bless Israel (Num.24:1)? 

What can we learn about the experience of being inspired by the Holy Spirit from what Balaam says (24:3-4 & 12-16)?

To what extent do you think the prophecy in 24:17-19 is about Jesus?  What parts encourage you?  What parts do you struggle with?  Why?