Balaam on His Donkey Meets the Angel with a Swordby lylesouthwell
22:24Numbers 22:24
But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
The angel of the Lord blocked Balaam's journey to curse Israel by standing in a narrow vineyard path with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. Balaam had turned from God, and his course opposed God because selfishness and covetousness had entered his heart, though he still claimed to serve the Most High. He knew God was protecting Israel and that his curse could not harm them while they remained faithful, yet he was tempted by Balak's promised riches, honor, promotion and rewards. He went to overtake Balak's messengers to gratify his covetous love of gain and honor while trying to please both God and man.
God's anger was kindled against him for going, because his way was perverse and presumptuous and against God's will. So the angel stood in his way to stop his presumptuous course, even ready to slay and destroy him. The donkey saw the angel and turned aside to avoid him, crushing Balaam's foot against the wall. While Balaam, blinded by passion and beside himself with rage, did not recognize the danger or that God was obstructing his way, noticing nothing remarkable even in the speaking of the beast.
When the angel revealed himself, Balaam was terrified and bowed in humility. The angel impressively warned him against gratifying the Moabites and then gave him permission to pursue his journey. God would thus glorify His name before Israel's enemies by showing that a man of covetous disposition dared not pronounce a curse against Israel for any promises of promotion or rewards. This mattered for Israel to overcome Moab in order to overcome Canaan. The scene parallels God's use of unseen angels to stop Saul's messengers and Saul himself, restraining their evil purpose and protecting David.
The angel's stand against Balaam as he mistreated his donkey shows that God sees and opposes the abuse of animals. His intervention speaks in defense of the helpless animal and shows that God holds people accountable for cruelty to them. In the wider account Balak conducts Balaam from one point to another in the vain hope that he might be induced to change the blessing of Israel into a curse. The attempt fails, and shows that human applause and the fear of man are alike powerless to shake steadfastness when a man is sustained by divine power.
The angel of the Lord blocked Balaam's journey to curse Israel by standing in a narrow vineyard path with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. Balaam had turned from God, and his course opposed God because selfishness and covetousness had entered his heart, though he still claimed to serve the Most High. He knew God was protecting Israel and that his curse could not harm them while they remained faithful, yet he was tempted by Balak's promised riches, honor, promotion and rewards. He went to overtake Balak's messengers to gratify his covetous love of gain and honor while trying to please both God and man.
God's anger was kindled against him for going, because his way was perverse and presumptuous and against God's will. So the angel stood in his way to stop his presumptuous course, even ready to slay and destroy him. The donkey saw the angel and turned aside to avoid him, crushing Balaam's foot against the wall. While Balaam, blinded by passion and beside himself with rage, did not recognize the danger or that God was obstructing his way, noticing nothing remarkable even in the speaking of the beast.
When the angel revealed himself, Balaam was terrified and bowed in humility. The angel impressively warned him against gratifying the Moabites and then gave him permission to pursue his journey. God would thus glorify His name before Israel's enemies by showing that a man of covetous disposition dared not pronounce a curse against Israel for any promises of promotion or rewards. This mattered for Israel to overcome Moab in order to overcome Canaan. The scene parallels God's use of unseen angels to stop Saul's messengers and Saul himself, restraining their evil purpose and protecting David.
The angel's stand against Balaam as he mistreated his donkey shows that God sees and opposes the abuse of animals. His intervention speaks in defense of the helpless animal and shows that God holds people accountable for cruelty to them. In the wider account Balak conducts Balaam from one point to another in the vain hope that he might be induced to change the blessing of Israel into a curse. The attempt fails, and shows that human applause and the fear of man are alike powerless to shake steadfastness when a man is sustained by divine power.