By: Casey Zachary
Some preliminary thoughts I offered last week regarding Historical/ Literary Background of this passage.
I believe it is imperative to understand Scripture in the original context it was intended if we are to apply it appropriately to our lives today. For this purpose, I offer the following:
Original Application
Considering the fact that Aaron had die recently and Moses’ death is imminent, it is safe to sayd that the Israelites who first heard this scroll read to them were leery. They depended on Moses and Aaron to lead the way, and now, at a critical time in their journey, they are able to hear of God’s magnificent provision and defense for them against their enemies, by someone in Balaam, who is more comparable to a donkey rather than a leader of Israel that saw God face to face. It is important for the Israelites to learn that it is God, rather than a prophet, who is the causer of events. It is God who orders history through his chosen people.
Another way this text impacts its original audience is that it confronts them with the importance of the choice they are making to cross the Jordan and enter into Canaan. The first time the Israelites came to the banks of the Jordan, they chose to take God out of the equation and long for comforts of Egypt (How is going back to servitude equal to comfort?) instead of facing the giants and entering into the Promise Land (14:1-4). In chapter 25, not long before Moses’ account of Numbers comes available to them, members of the new generation succumb to temptation and assimilate to surrounding cultures, via idolatry and sexual immorality, rather than trust God to bring His promise to pass, despite any daunting obstacles (25). Both responses end poorly for the Israelites because, once again, their eyes are not opened. They do not see God’s role in enabling them to possess the land. The report of the plague teaches this current generation and future generations the penalty of rejecting God’s law. The ones who survive the plague and actually hear this account of Balaam’s oracles must realize God is intricately involved in all their affairs. This story should challenge them to not make the same mistake a third time, but to confidently and boldly enter into the Promise Land, despite how big the inhabitants are and the odds against them, because God is active on their behalf, working for their good, and desires to bless them. The goal might seem impossible, but their only hope is to stop delaying in the desert and inherit the Promise Land because divine guidance is available to the faithful. They will prevail.
The obedience of those who heard this text read to them made it possible for the reality of “a star shall come from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” to pass (24:17). Whether this alludes to David or Christ or both is debatable here, but the fact that God’s will determines reality is not debatable. If the Israelites fail once again to inhabit the Promise Land, God could use other means by which to implement his salvific plan. God’s blessing upon Israel was conditional upon their obedience, but it was an unconditional promise that He would use Israel to reveal His blessings to the world. However, the Israelites are prevented from thinking too highly of themselves. Any unwarranted pride the Israelites possessed, any feeling of entitlement they may have felt because they were God’s chosen people must have faded away when they hear God uses a donkey to reveal himself to the world.
The scene with Balaam and his donkey, and in fact the entire story, is both “funny and deadly serious.” It is a huge indictment for those in the story that the donkey is the most spiritual aware character. For those Israelites whose “eyes are opened,” this story is quite entertaining and funny as Balaam, Balak, and the nations are ridiculed because they “did not see.” However, if there are Israelites that hear this story that do not understand and are like Balaam and Balak, then they are challenged to change and “open their eyes,” or be at risk of being ridiculed themselves. Having spiritual eyes to see God in the equation is an essential lesson found in Balaam’s oracles.