Balaam’s Donkey. Numbers 22:18-22

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JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,432
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#41
When God speaks to anyone and gives that person something from Him to say, that person is a prophet of God, right?
 

Scrobulous

Active member
Sep 17, 2018
290
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#42
You will find after Balaam gave his prophecies from God that Israel had one of her backsliding moments and delved into idolatry. (Num. 25:1-3). This involved sexual sins also. (25:5-8) (25:18)

We find later in (Num. 31:16) that this was caused by Balaam's counsel. And in (Josh. 13:21-22) Balaam is killed by Israel during the conquest of the land and he is with the enemies of God.

And the scary thing here is that within the Church you can still have such prophets who teach idolatry and fornication to the people of God as Balaam did. (Rev. 2:14) They too will be heirling prophets with reward on their mind. (Jude 11)

This is why I said it is hard to imagine Balaam as a prophet of God for the things he did. But it is hard to say he was not a prophet as God used him and spoke to him.

My opinion is that he was a prophet, but one who erred greatly. He sought reward always. I think he always had this conflict with himself. This later led him to receive the reward of the enemies of God and teach them how to cause Israel to sin. It is one thing to sin. It is another to provide teaching that causes the people of God to sin.

Thus his terrible end to be killed by God's people dwelling with God's enemies.

Quantrill
Thanks for your post.
Very sobering!
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
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#43
One of the most ludicrous arguments that I have ever heard (in regards to Balaam's donkey) in a desperate effort to "get around" the fact that these Gentiles in Acts 10:43-47 had received the gift of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues (spiritual gift which is only for the body of Christ - 1 Corinthians 12) and were saved BEFORE water baptism is that Balaam's donkey also spoke in tongues, but that does not prove the donkey was saved either. :eek:


In the first place, the Lord simply opened the mouth of the donkey to speak in order to rebuke Balaam. The donkey did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit or the spiritual gift of tongues, which is for believers only. This same ludicrous arguments concludes that these Gentiles in Acts 10:43-47 merely received the gift of tongues, but not the gift of the Holy Spirit. :rolleyes:

Tongues is a sign that points to the rebellious who believes not (no faith, not little, none). Prophecy God's word as it is written for those who do believe (have the faith of Christ ) which alone comes from hearings God

I see that event as a parable as an actual event (historically true) to help us understand in the end of the matter..."God is not served by human hands as a will." He can move a unbeliever typified by the ass just as easily as who does believe typified by a lamb . It also serves us to understand without parables the Holy Spirit spoke not concealing the spiritual understanding from the lost revealing it to the believer who does mix faith (believe God not seen) in what they do hear coming from God and therefore does not harden their hearts (Hebrew 4).

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; Acts 17:24-25

The ceremonial laws that preached the gospel beforehand in respect to the suffering of Christ used animals to help us understand the things not seen the eternal . Lambs represented the believers while a Ass represented one who believed not (no faith).

He used a Ass to represent one who believes not (no faith) in order to stop the madness of the false prophet, Balaam .

Exodus 13:12-14
That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord's. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

That does not mean Moses was considered a ass (a unbeliever) but again it does mean God is not served by human hands as a will. But rather by strength of hand or will the Lord brought us out from Egypt (typified by this world ) from the house of bondage :From Satan the god of this world( typified by Pharaoh) in that historically true parable
 

Zmouth

Senior Member
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
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#44
Well, if one looks at the passage in Gen 22 they might see a correlation between that passages and Numbers 22

  • And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
  • And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 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. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 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.
then don't feel like the lone ranger cause I don't either but ...
D13.jpg
then again, say what you will but faith still comes by hearing

And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand:
Numbers 22:23​

 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#45
Well, if one looks at the passage in Gen 22 they might see a correlation between that passages and Numbers 22

  • And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
  • And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 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. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 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.
then don't feel like the lone ranger cause I don't either but ...
View attachment 188650
then again, say what you will but faith still comes by hearing

And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand:
Numbers 22:23​

I do see the correlation using an ass represents a unbeliever.

God is not served by human hands as a will. It would include Abraham or Moses who was moved to represent God as a father not seen . He can use a Ass as simply ass (unclean)using one who do believe reckoned as a lamb.(one purified by the water of the word)

2 Peter 1:19-21
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost

We walk by faith the unseen eternal not by sight the temporal (2 Corinthians 4:18)

God is not a man as us and neither is there any fleshly mediator called a days man set between God and man.

Even the Son of nan Jesus when called good master as a infallible mediator gave glory to the father not seen and said... Only God (not seen)is good.

I think it could apply to the many in Mathew 7. In that parable Jesus did not say he did not perform those works in the name of God but I never knew you as those who hope God is served by human hands and did need him to work.
 

Scrobulous

Active member
Sep 17, 2018
290
73
28
#46
I agree with the majority
He did not listen to God the first time he went back and asked him again which is why God sent his angel to kill him.
I think you are right Tina. I hadn’t seen the verses in Numbers mentioned by Quantrill.