The Mouth of Babes
When a large group of people, with a reputation for mopping up everything in their way, suddenly arrives on the edge of your territory and you know you don’t have the resources to deal with them you cry for help. So Balak, king of Moab, who doesn’t want these Israelites on his doorstep, sends a messenger to Balaam, with a blank cheque, for reinforcements, though his attitude suggests it may not be reinforcements that he really wants. He would much prefer to curse the lot of them if only he could. He also seems to work on the principle (or the assumption) that every man (or Balaam at least) has his price.
He obviously doesn’t know Balaam. Balaam could be difficult. He says No. Yahweh says No. Balaam cannot go. Under pressure he responds more positively to a second request and agrees to go but crystal clear in his own mind that he will only do what Yahweh says. Then follows a strange incident, like nothing else in Numbers — possibly a very ancient story from a pre-literal tradition, providing a mixture of irony and humour — leaving us with three penetrating issues.
One, in a world that thrives on all price and no principle, people, nations and businesses can all be bought until they suddenly come up against somebody who can’t.
Two, Is Balaam a good example of the one who can’t, or is he perhaps one who can but is no soft touch and has principles for which he stands, though even he can wobble with uncertainty?
Three, who among us cannot help but smile at a man with a reputation as a seer yet who cannot see what is blindingly obvious in front of him and needs an ass to tell him? Just one more example of the totally unexpected — man of God (the insider) needing the outsider (the ass) to tell him the truth and save him from folly. Court jesters all come to the front. A hopeful sign of things to come (1Corinthians !:27?) But full credit to Balaam who once the penny drops will never surrender.