The story of Balak and Balaam has always fascinated me. Anytime I read it, it raises so many questions in my heart. You’ll find it in Numbers 22:1–41 (GNT).
Now, picture this: the Israelites had just defeated the Amorites. They were camping near the Jordan, across from Jericho, and King Balak of Moab was scared out of his mind. He looked at them and said, “These people will destroy everything around us, the way an ox devours grass in the field” (Numbers 22:4, GNT).
And you know how fear works—when you can’t face someone physically, you start looking for spiritual shortcuts. So Balak, in his cunning, decided to hire someone who had spiritual weight, someone whose words carried divine backing. And that person was Balaam.
See ehn, Balaam was not an ordinary prophet. Even his enemies testified of his gift. Balak himself said, “I know that when you bless someone, that blessing is effective; and when you curse someone, that curse is effective” (Numbers 22:6, GNT). Imagine that! Anything you said, God stamped it.
That’s not beans o. That’s heavy spiritual authority. But you know the problem? Gift without surrender to God becomes dangerous. And Balaam is a prime example.
When Balak’s messengers came, Balaam entertained them. But at night, God asked him, “Who are these men that are staying with you?” (Numbers 22:9, GNT). And God was very clear: “Do not go with them, and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing” (Numbers 22:12, GNT). Now, if it were you, that should have been the end, right? Case closed.
But no. Balaam didn’t send them away immediately. He lingered. He entertained them. Almost like he was saying in his mind, “Hmm… let’s just wait, maybe God will change His mind tomorrow.”
Balak didn’t take rejection lightly. He sent even more important officials the second time, with promises of riches and honor. “Please don’t let anything prevent you from coming to me! I will reward you richly and do anything you say” (Numbers 22:16–17, GNT). See the temptation? First offer was heavy, the second was heavier. Balak was basically saying: “Everybody has a price. Just name yours.”
Balaam tried to act holy, saying, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not disobey the command of the LORD my God” (Numbers 22:18, GNT). But actions speak louder than words. He still entertained them. Deep down, you could tell he was calculating.
That night, God said, “You may go with these men, but you are to say only what I tell you” (Numbers 22:20, GNT). But the very next verse tells us, “God was angry that Balaam was going” (Numbers 22:22, GNT). Wait—so God said “go,” and then got angry when Balaam went? Yes. Because sometimes God allows us to chase what we’re stubbornly insisting on, not because He approves, but because He knows life will teach us the lesson we refused to hear. Parents do that too: “Okay, go. You’ll see.”
Now this part still amazes me anytime I read it. Balaam set out, but his donkey suddenly started acting strange. Three times, the donkey turned aside because it saw the angel of the LORD blocking the path with a sword. Balaam, blind to the danger, kept beating the poor animal. And then—this is the wild part—“Then the LORD gave the donkey the power of speech, and it said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you? Why are you beating me these three times?’” (Numbers 22:28, GNT).
Imagine that. A donkey talking. Balaam was so consumed with anger, he didn’t even stop to ask, “Wait o, when did donkeys start speaking?” Finally, God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel. The angel told him plainly: “If your donkey had not turned aside, I would have killed you and spared her” (Numbers 22:33, GNT). What Balaam thought was stubbornness was actually salvation.
And Balaam’s story didn’t end there. His name became a symbol of greed and compromise throughout the Bible. 2 Peter 2:15 (GNT) says, “They have left the straight path and have gone astray, following the path taken by Balaam, who was eager to make money for doing wrong.” Jude 1:11 (GNT) warns, “How terrible for them! They have followed the way that Cain took… and have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error.” And in Revelation 2:14 (GNT), Jesus Himself says, “You have people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak how to lead the people of Israel into sin.”
Do you see that? A man so gifted, so anointed, but because of greed and compromise, he became a negative proverb. His story is a warning to all of us: gift without obedience is dangerous.
But here’s the part that really strikes me. God shielded Balaam from death using a donkey. Think about that. The prophet didn’t see danger, but the donkey did. Sometimes, what looks like delay or inconvenience is actually God’s shield. And it’s not just in Bible times. Even today, God shields us in mysterious ways. Maybe rain suddenly starts falling and discourages you from going out— that could be protection. Maybe the weather turns unbearably hot or too cold, keeping you indoors—that might be God’s shield. Sometimes your internet connection just goes bad right when you were about to watch something harmful. Or electricity suddenly goes off, forcing you into a quiet time with Him.
We call them “inconveniences,” but in heaven’s eyes, they are shields. They are God’s way of keeping us from unseen traps. The story of Balaam reminds us that God’s protection is not always dramatic—it’s often hidden in the ordinary, in the delays, the closed doors, the unexpected turns.
He shields us because He loves us.
Thank you so much for reading. Please, can you drop a comment on some situations you have encountered over the years that you now recognize as the hand of God protecting you from certain troubles?
FOLLOW US ON:
