When God Gives you a Sign

If God is in control, then there are not real coincidences. From a christian standpoint, things don’t just happen, there’s a reason.

[Joke about the Rabbi in the flood]

Today, we’re going to back to Balaam to learn this lesson.

We pick up the story after God has OK’ed Balaam going to Balak, but only to speak the words God has given him.

So the next morning, Balaam saddles up his donkey and hits the road.

Numbers 22:22 NKJV

Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

Wait, didn’t God just OK Balaam going to Balak?

Why was his anger aroused because he went?

We’ll see later, it appears Balaam hadn’t really gotten the message about only speaking what God had told him to.

So Balaam is riding his donkey on his way to see Balak, when something strange happened.

Numbers 22:23 NKJV

Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

I’ve never ridden a donkey, but I have ridden a horse.

And these creatures do have a mind of their own.

[Cantering Genna]

I was not happy with the horse,

But I did not beat her for going off the road.

But did anyone else notice?

The donkey saw the Angel, but not Balaam.

This goes along with God being angry.

Balaam doesn’t seem to be seeing what God is doing.

The Angel standing in the road didn’t get Balaam’s attention,

It must be time to try something else.

Numbers 22:24–25 NKJV

Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again.

I have had horses try to pin me against a wall, hit me with a low branch, or otherwise do things that made me unhappy.

And I have given them a few whacks with a riding crop.

So I understand a little of what Balaam was feeling.

But I’ve never had a horse go off the road and try to pin me against a wall on the same trip.

I think I would have thought something was odd at that point.

Then again, I had passed both the cat and horse test.

[Pamela’s cat & later her horse]

Since Balaam still hadn’t gotten the messages, it was time for the Angel to step things up another notch.

Numbers 22:26–27 NKJV

Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

OK, once or twice might be considered a coincidence, but three times should be a sign that something is not right here.

Yes, I’ve had difficult animals, but as we are about to find out,

This is not how Balaam’s donkey normally acted.

So while Balaam’s response is to once again strike his donkey,

What happens next should really have gotten Balaam’s attention.

Numbers 22:28 NKJV

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

There are things in Scripture that you and I would think would generate a greater reaction.

Moses and the burning bush, for example.

But if your donkey starts talking go you,

Unless their name is Mr. Ed, I would think that an attention grabber.

What question does the donkey ask?

Why have you beaten me these three times?

Fair question. What is Balaam’s answer?

Numbers 22:29 NKJV

And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

In Balaam’s mind, this stupid animal had abused him.

He walked off the road,

Crushed his foot,

Then laid down under him.

Except for the foot, Balaam suffered no injury,

So why does he said the donkey abused him?

Could his anger be getting the best of him?

This donkey, apparently more intelligent than most, made an interesting point.

Numbers 22:30 NKJV

So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”

Have I ever acted this way in all the time you have owned me?

No.

Then maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason for my unusual behavior.

By that I mean other than talking to you.

Then Balaam got an education.

Numbers 22:31 NKJV

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

Have you ever not seen something that was right in front of you?

Your glasses that were on top of your head,

Or your keys that were in your hand?

Those were minor, trivial issues.

The Angel of the Lord, with a drawn sword,

That is NOT trivial.

Numbers 22:32 NKJV

And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.

Even God is asking why Balaam struck his donkey.

God had come out to stand against Balaam,

And only the donkey was aware enough to see that.

Why was God standing against Balaam?

Because his way was perverse!

But things get worse.

Numbers 22:33 NKJV

The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

Dude, you owe your LIFE to that donkey.

That “dumb” animal is smarter than you are.

I would say, by this time, Balaam is shaking in his sandles.

Numbers 22:34 NKJV

And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”

How had Balaam sinned?

He did not see the Angel of God standing right in front of him,

And to make things worse, he beat his donkey for saving his life.

Pretty ungrateful.

But that is not Balaam’s only sin,

In fact, I would say it was secondary to his other sin.

Yes, he offered to turn back,

But that was not what he had been instructed to do.

Numbers 22:35 NKJV

Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

God told Balaam to go,

But He also told him to only speak the words God had given him.

Since God knows everything, including what’s in our hearts,

It’s safe to assume that Balaam did not have God’s Word as his primary role in this endeavor.

That is why God had come out against him.

That was Balaam’s primary sin.

Beating his donkey was secondary to violating his office of prophet.

Conclusion

What “signs” has God been giving you?

It’s one thing to sit around waiting for a sign like Gideon.

Or to try to make up a sign like King Saul.

But is God giving you a sign that you are ignoring?

Even worse, are you actively fighting what God has put in front of you?

The first time I was laid off, I thought it was a horrible thing.

Yet it turned out to be the change I needed to advance my career.

The last time I was laid off, it turned out to be a chance to follow a calling.

What if I had, metaphorically, beaten my donkey after those signs?