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Numbers 22 – Learnt By A Mule
Some of the worst enemies of the Bible are not “unbelieving atheists,” but rather theologically liberal apologists. These “educated scholars” are embarrassed by what the Bible says, and therefore try to explain away, instead of accept what’s there. If you excuse my ironic sarcasm, they need to be learnt by a mule! Maybe that is a harsh indictment, but I believe it to be true nonetheless.
For example, Numbers 22 has the endearing and intriguing account of Balaam’s donkey talking! Some find that story amazing. Personally what I find amazing is that Balaam talked back to the donkey!
Notice the following scholarly “apology:”
“While speaking animals are a common feature of folklore, the only other case in the Old Testament is that of the serpent in Eden. Classical Jewish commentators, such as Saadia Gaon, and Maimonides, taught that a reader should not take this part of the story literally. Rather, they explained, it should be read as an account of a prophetic experience, which are experienced as dreams, or as visions, and consequently, the donkey did not actually speak. Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, one of the great Jewish biblical commentators of the 20th century, writes that these verses…
“depict the continuance on the subconscious plane of the mental and moral conflict in Balaam’s soul; and the dream apparition and the speaking donkey is but a further warning to Balaam against being misled through avarice to violate God’s command’.
“Similar views have been held by E. W. Hengstenberg and other Christian scholars, though others, e.g. Voick, regard the statements about the donkey speaking as figurative; the donkey brayed, and Balaam translated the sound into words.”
There are at least four good reasons not to doubt that this story happened just as it is recorded. That means that liberal apologists forget four very simple truths.
1. God’s Power – As someone said, “If you can believe the first four words of the Bible, you can believe everything that follows.” More specifically, if you can believe that God created the first mule, then why is it so hard to believe God could make Balaam’s mule talk? Jesus condemned the Sadducees for not believing in the resurrection by saying,
Matthew 22:29 NASB … “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.
2. God’s Humor – Can you think of a more humorous, effective, and appropriate teaching tool, than to have an animal, considered one of the most stupid, to actually be smarter than a prophet? I don’t want to beat a “dead horse,” but Balaam didn’t have enough “horse sense” to realize that he was getting the truth “straight from the horse’s mouth.” God taught him a lesson and Balaam should realize that you “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” OK, that’s enough “horsing around” from me. We should all read the Bible expecting to see God’s humor.
3. Man’s Stubbornness – I don’t know the origin of the term, but “stubborn as a mule” sure fits Balaam. That phrase describes, “someone who will not listen to other people’s advice and won’t change their way of doing things.” (www.usingenglish.com). Can you imagine a more apt way to teach a man that he is as stubborn as a mule, than to have a stubborn mule out-stubborn him? God had told Balaam that He didn’t want him to go. That didn’t stop Balaam from asking again. Apparently God knew that Balaam’s stubbornness had to be dealt with in a very stubborn way.
4. Man’s Hypocrisy – The donkey incident is God’s third time in addressing Balaam. The first time, God says, “Do not go” (Numbers 22:12). Balaam asks again, and God relents (22:20), but decides to address Balaam a third time through the mouth of the donkey. Three times the donkey acts contrariwise to Balaam directions. Would Balaam listen the third time? Finally the prophet condemns the donkey of having made a mockery of him (22:29). Hmmm, Balaam didn’t realize he was making a mockery of God.
Balaam teaches us that some of the worst enemies can be those that say they speak for God.
Here’s the account:
Numbers 22:21-35 NASB 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. (23) When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. (24) Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. (25) When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again. (26) The angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. (27) When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. (28) And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” (29) Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” (30) The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.” (31) Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground. (32) The angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way was contrary to me. (33) “But the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live.” (34) Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.” (35) But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.
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