Read chapter 22
“When pigs fly” is a common saying that one uses to show the unlikelihood of something happening. I like to trick people and say, “when donkeys talk” when I know something will happen, but it’s unsure to them, all because this chapter has a talking donkey so proves yes to my little saying. Well this chapter is one of my favorite stories in scripture. And it’s more than just a story, it really happened. No we don't hear talking animals today for this was a Divine miracle that God made happen this one time (we don't have anywhere else in scripture of animals talking unless you think Satan was a snake in Genesis 3 talking to the woman). Balaam doesn't even seemed shocked when his donkey talks because he’s so mad that he doesn't even realize that he’s holding a conversation, arguing really, with an animal. The donkey tries to help Balaam by not going onward because the Angel of the Lord is in the way, she even crushes Balaam's foot to not let him go down the path he wants. Do you have someone in your life like the donkey that's willing to crush you for a moment so that you don't make a choice that is against the Lord?
Balaam’s character can be a bit confusing to us. Is he good or bad? Is he a prophet of the Lord or a diviner of dark arts? Balaam wasn’t an Israelite although his ancestors were probably similar to Israel having learned some elements of the Almighty God. Balaam is referenced in scripture in eight different books of the Bible, three of which are in the New Testament, seems to show that we should know about him, his words and his ways.
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