Again the third time the angel of the Lord stood in Balaam's lath, but this time in such a narrow space that there was no way to turn, and so when the ass saw the angel it just sat down and would not go any further. This made Balaam so angry that he hit the ass again, and said he would have killed the poor animal if he had had a sword to do it.
The Lord then made something very wonderful happen. The ass began to talk and asked Balaam why he had hit her, seeing she had always done what Balaam wished before this. After this the Lord opened Balaam's eyes to see the angel of the Lord standing in the way with a drawn sword in his hand, and Balaam bowed down ins head and fell upon his face.
The angel of the Lord rebuked Balaam for having hit his poor animal. He told him that if it had not been for the ass turning aside and finally sitting down when the angel of the Lord stood in the way those three times, he would have killed Balaarn and saved the ass alive, He then told Balaam that he was not pleased with his stubborn ways, so Balaarn owned his sin and said he would go back if the Lord was displeased, We might say here, however, that it was only fear that led Balaam to say this, and not a really sincere desire to please the Lord. This often happens for when boys and girls, or older people, see the results of their sin they are very sorry, but this is not real repentance toward God at, all—it is only remorse. True repentance comes when we see what God thinks of our sins. Anyone would be sorry if he were found out in a lie, but a truly repentant sinner would be sorry even if he were never found out, just because it was a sin against God. There was nothing of this "repentance toward God" with Balaam, and he started on his way again as soon as the Lord said, he could go.
When he came to king Balak, the king reminded him of all he could (k, for him and of tile honors he would give him. Balaam, however, with the remembrance of what had taken place on the way, said he could only speak what God told him. He consented, how„ ever, to go up into the high places nf Baal, but even there God overruled and would not allow him to use any enchantment against the children of Israel. Let us always remember that Satan, though he has great power, cannot go any farther than God allows him, for God is all-powerful.
Balak and Balaam then offered their sacrifices, and Balaam went to see if the Lord would meet him in this "high place." And God did meet him., putting a word into his mouth. How different the word was to what Balak wanted or expected! How marvelous the grace of God displayed here! God had rebuked and chastened His people many times, but He would not allow the enemy to do it. They might be murmuring in their tents, but they were still the people of God and :Balaam must bless them. Moreover they were not only blessed, but the most marvelous prophecies were spoken about them. Balaam's first prophecy was, "The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." We can see the truth of this all around us, -for, after being scattered among the nations for centuries, the Jews still kept -their identity as a separate people, and are n o w going back to their land again. How accurate is the Word of God! How unchangeable His truth!
Messages of the Love of God 1/6/1952