Donkeys, Dreams, and Divine Detours – Unlikely tools of God's leading

You know, there are times in our lives when we think we’ve got everything figured out, right? We’ve planned our route, set our course, and we feel sure we know exactly where we’re headed. But then, out of nowhere, something happens. Maybe it’s a detour, a sudden stop, or even a small, seemingly insignificant thing—a donkey, for example—that causes us to reconsider our direction. That’s exactly what happened to a man named Balaam in the Bible. And while Balaam is often remembered for his encounter with a talking donkey, there’s so much more to this story that shows us how God works in the most surprising and unexpected ways.

Balaam was a prophet, someone who had the ability to bless or curse people with his words. And in Numbers 22, we find that King Balak of Moab was afraid. Israel, under the leadership of Moses, had just crossed the Red Sea and was gaining victory over the lands around them. Now, Moab was next in line, and Balak was worried. He knew that the Israelites would eventually make their way into his territory, and he wanted to stop them before they could conquer his land. So, Balak came up with a plan: He would hire Balaam, a prophet known for his power to bless or curse, to curse Israel.

Balak sent messengers with promises of great rewards—riches, honor, even a high position if Balaam would just come and curse Israel for him. It sounds like an easy enough offer, right? But when Balaam received the message, God spoke to him and said, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” Now, Balaam was a man of God, but he was also human, and the promise of riches tempted him. He wanted to honor God, but at the same time, he wanted to get the reward offered by the king. So Balaam didn’t take no for an answer. He asked God again if he could go with the messengers, and God, seeing his desire for the reward, gave him permission—but with a strict warning: He could only say what God told him to say.

So Balaam got on his donkey, thinking he was doing what God allowed him to do. But that’s when things got strange. The donkey saw the angel of the Lord blocking the road ahead, but Balaam couldn’t see the angel. The donkey tried to turn aside three times, but Balaam, frustrated, kept striking the donkey. Finally, the donkey spoke, asking why Balaam had beaten her. Balaam, totally unfazed, answered the donkey, and in that moment, God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel standing in the way, ready to oppose him. The angel said to Balaam, “I have come to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. If your donkey had not turned away, I would have killed you.” God used this bizarre moment to get Balaam’s attention, to warn him that the path he was on was dangerous.

Balaam, realizing he had been in the wrong, repented and acknowledged that he could only speak the words that God gave him. And so, Balaam went with the messengers, but instead of cursing Israel, he ended up blessing them three times. Every time Balaam opened his mouth to curse Israel, God turned his words into powerful blessings. It was clear that God’s plan was unstoppable, and Balaam’s attempts to oppose God’s will were futile.

Now, here’s the twist you may not have expected: What happened to King Balak? After seeing that Balaam could not curse Israel, Balak was furious. He had brought Balaam in hopes of weakening Israel, but instead, Balaam’s words of blessing strengthened them. Balak tried to pressure Balaam again, offering him more rewards, but Balaam remained firm in his obedience to God. In the end, instead of cursing Israel, Balaam blessed them and declared that no one could stop the plans God had for them.

But here’s the thing we often forget: King Balak didn’t get the message. Despite seeing that Balaam was powerless against God’s plan, Balak didn’t turn to God. He still tried to find another way to undermine Israel. In Numbers 25, we read that Balak and Balaam came up with a different plan, one that was even more insidious. Balak, frustrated with his failure to defeat Israel through Balaam’s curses, tried a different strategy. He encouraged the Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men and lead them into idolatry and immorality. This led to a massive sin in Israel, where many Israelites fell into idolatry and pagan worship.

But even that didn’t stop God. Judgment came, and many of those who followed Balak’s scheme were punished. Balaam himself, despite his brief obedience, is remembered as one who ultimately led others into sin. In the end, both Balaam and Balak faced the consequences of their choices. Balaam’s desire for personal gain and his willingness to entertain sin brought about his downfall, while Balak’s scheming didn’t bring him the victory he desired.

The story of Balaam, the donkey, and King Balak is a powerful reminder that God’s plans cannot be thwarted. No matter how hard we try to go against Him, no matter what obstacles or schemes are thrown in the way, God’s will always prevails. Balaam’s donkey might have seemed like an absurd way for God to get Balaam’s attention, but sometimes God uses the most unlikely things to steer us in the right direction. And just as God used Balaam’s words to bless Israel, He can use the most unexpected means to fulfill His promises in our lives.

Balak, on the other hand, thought that if he could manipulate the situation or pressure Balaam, he could control the outcome. But in the end, he learned the hard way that you can’t outsmart God. His plans didn’t succeed, and his attempt to curse what God had already blessed only led to disaster for him and his people.

When we hit those frustrating moments, face detours, or feel like everything is standing in our way, we need to pause and think about Balaam, his donkey, and the king who tried to curse Israel. Sometimes, the things that seem the most out of place—those roadblocks, delays, or unexpected stops—are actually God’s way of pointing us in the right direction. It doesn’t always make sense in the moment, but that’s where faith comes in. If we just trust God, even when it feels like the world’s throwing us off course, we can rest easy knowing that His plan is bigger than anything we face. No matter what, no one—not even a king—can mess up what God has set in motion for His people. His will wins every time.

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