THREE TIMES Balaam smote the ass in his anger, and then a wonderful thing happened. “The Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?”
This most unheard of circumstance was in reality a solemn warning to the covetous prophet that he was flying in the face of God but his love for “the wages of unrighteousness” had blinded his eyes and his conscience was unreached even at the sound of the voice of his ass speaking. Surely he ought to have been humbled at the rebuke of a dumb creature, yet he answered her, “Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.”
The ass spoke again: Am I not your ass, upon which you have ridden ever since I was yours to this day; did I ever do this to you bore? And he answered, No.
The Lord then opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel standing in the way with his drawn sword; and Balaam fell flat on his face bore him. Then he heard from the angel why he had encountered these obstacles in his path, that the poor ass had more wisdom than he for if she had not turned back he would have killed the prophet and saved her alive.
How wonderful that God should Himself stand in the way of a guilty sinner pursuing his own will and rushing headlong to destruction, and seek to turn him aside from such an end. “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.... Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.” Job 33:14,24.
Alas, how often are God’s gracious offers lost on sinners; their hearts unchanged, they go their way bent on doing their own will. So it was with the wretched Balaam. He said to the angel, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me.” But it was fear that brought forth this confession, not repentance toward God, for repentance comes when we see what God thinks of our sins. One who has sinned might be sorry for being found out, but a truly repentant soul would be sorry even if he were not found out, because it was a sin against God.
Had Balaam’s confession been real he would have found mercy, for God has declared: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Prov. 28:13. But not being real he was allowed to pursue his own will, the willing servant of Satan.
Balaam said, “If it displease thee, I will get me back again,” but the angel told him to go with the men, and he did go with them. God allowed him to fill up the measure of his wickedness, but at the same time He used him to accomplish His will, to declare those marvelous counsels of grace and glory, all centering in Christ and embracing His beloved people.
ML-04/21/1974