Today’s devotion comes from Numbers 22:15-22.
“15 Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and more distinguished than the former. 16 They came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing, I beg you, hinder you from coming to me; 17 for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Please come then, curse this people for me.’” 18 Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God. 19 Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me.” 20 God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.”
21 So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.
22 But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.” Numbers 22:15-22.
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Today’s Scripture seems puzzling to me (hopefully not to you, the reader). Normally, I remove the numbers dividing the verses in the Scripture to emphasize the central point of the Scripture. But, today, I include the dividing numbers, because they help me jump back and forth within today’s Scripture.
In the immediately preceding Scripture, “God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” Numbers 22:12.
Moreover, in today’s Scripture, “Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.” Verse 18.
Then why did Balaam add: “Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will speak to me.”? Verse 19. Balaam had already received the command of God to not go with them.
At best, Balaam could have relied on the prior command of God, and immediately after his confession in verse 18, Balaam could have stated that he would not go.
Verse 20 is also puzzling. “God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you shall you do.” Verse 20.
Why did God apparently change his command to Balaam from Numbers 22:12 (“Do not go with them”) to Verse 20 (“rise up and go with them”)?
And, Balaam could have least pressed God for clarification of the apparent change of commands after verse 20.
But, apparently Balaam received the command that he wanted, and we read: “So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.” Verse 21.
“But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. …” Verse 22.
And then, why was God angry at Balaam considering that Balaam was obeying His second command in verse 20?
This is a long story that requires more Scripture and more meditation.
We do know that we read much later in Scripture about a rebuke of Balaam and others who: “forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.” 2 Peter 2:15-16.
That may be the main point of today’s Scripture, namely that Balaam did not tell the servants of Balak that he would not go, but rather, he asked them to stay, hoping that God would tell him something that he could use to go with them and perhaps get some of the riches offered by Balak, thus showing that he “loved the wages of unrighteousness” more than obeying God.
This provides a lesson and warning for us. “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:8-10.
And, there is more Scripture in this long story in the rest of Numbers chapters 22, and in the following chapters of Numbers chapter 23 and Numbers chapter 24.
“Great are the works of the LORD;
They are studied by all who delight in them.” Psalm 111:2.
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 