BALAK KING OF MOAB ALONG WITH THE ELDERS OF MIDIAN SEEK BALAAM TO CURSE ISRAEL The ways of God’s enemy

King Balak

Balak is very afraid and distressed

a) Because of israel’s size

b) Israel will destroy what the have

c) Israel is too mighty

2) Balak wants to hire Balaam to CURSE Israel (why?)

a) To defeat them in battle

b) To drive them out of the land

3) Balaam’s first meeting with the messengers

a) Balaam is offered money to CURSE Isreal

b) He cannot curse them because they are blessed by God

c) God will not let Balaam go with the messengers

4) Balaam’s second meeting with the messengers

a) More messengers are sent this time

b) More honorable (higher in rank) messengers are sent this time - IMPRESS

c) Balak offers to promote Balaam to great honor or rank – PRIDE

d) Whatever Balaam says, king Balak will do – POWER

e) Balaam is commanded by God not to go - CONSTRAINT

f) Yet he asks the messengers to stay the night

g) He wants to more of what God has to say

h) If he goes with the messengers, Balaam can only speak blessings to Israel

5) Balaam, his donkey and the angel of the LORD

a) Balaam travels to Moab

i) God is anger was kindled because he went

ii) The angel of the LORD stood in Balaam’s path to oppose him

b) The donkey sees the angel of the LORD with drawn sword

i) The donkey moves out of the way into a field

(1) Balaam strikes the donkey

c) The donkey sees the angel of the LORD in a walled-in narrow path

i) The donkey is walled in and throws herself in the wall – crushes Balaam’s foot

(1) Balaam strikes the donkey again

d) The donkey sees the angel of the LORD with nowhere to turn turn

i) The donkey falls down

(1) Balaam angerly strike the donkey a third time with his staff

6) The LORD opens the mouth of the donkey to speak

a) She says to Balaam “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”