And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned;
for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me:
now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
-- Numbers 22 verse 34 (Kings James Bible)
for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me:
now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
-- Numbers 22 verse 34 (Kings James Bible)
- Going against the Will of God for any reason is injurious
and painful to oneself and to others. Balaam sought for
and knew God’s Will was against the request people
were making of him and despite God’s instructions went
forth anyway. What he did not know, was as he went on
his way the Angel of the Lord stood in the way as an
adversary against him. It was only after God opened his
eyes that Balaam saw for himself what great peril he was
in and immediately sought to remedy it.
- Choosing the right way is not always so simple when
others and things are involved. Choosing obedience to
God however is far less painful than the alternative.
- -- Sharon Johnson
Word of the Day ... In the Way
For further study and inspiration:
- Numbers 22 verses 1-34
- Note: A request is made with offer of a reward.
- 1. And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains
of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
2. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the
Amorites.
3. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were
many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this
company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up
the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the
Moabites at that time.
5. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor
to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his
people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out
from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they
abide over against me:
6. Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for
they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we
may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I
wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou
cursest is cursed.
7. And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with
the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto
Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
- Note: Balaam seeks God’s Will concerning this matter.
- 8. And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring
you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me: and the
princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
9. And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these
with thee?
10. And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of
Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
11. Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth
the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I
shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them;
thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
- Note: Balaam confirms God‘s Will is against it and sends them
away.
- 13. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the
princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the Lord refuseth to
give me leave to go with you.
14. And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak,
and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
- Note: They come back with a higher offer.
- 15. And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more
honourable than they.
16. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak
the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from
coming unto me:
17. For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do
whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee,
curse me this people.
- Note: Balaam seeks God a second time.
- 18. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If
Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go
beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.
19. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I
may know what the Lord will say unto me more.
20. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If
the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the
word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
- Note: Balaam disregards God's exact instructions to his own
hurt.
- 21. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass,
and went with the princes of Moab.
22. And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the
angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him.
Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with
him.
23. And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way,
and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of
the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to
turn her into the way.
24. But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a
wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust
herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall:
and he smote her again.
26. And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow
place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the
left.
27. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down
under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote
the ass with a staff.
28. And 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?
29. And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked
me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill
thee.
30. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon
which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I
ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
- Note: Balaams's eyes are opened.
- 31. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the
angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his
hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou
smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to
withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
33. And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times:
unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee,
and saved her alive.
34. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned;
for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now
therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Inspired Reading:
- Notes #6 - Directions in Life
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