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Writer's pictureDavid and Marilynn Chadwick

Hidden Heroes: Balaam’s Donkey

by David Chadwick


Balaam’s donkey is today’s hidden hero. Yes, my hero today is an animal. This may make you laugh at first to think of a donkey as a hero, but you’ll see why as we unfold the story.


You will find the story of Balaam’s donkey in Numbers 22 and 23.


Balaam was a mighty and wealthy prophet who could pronounce blessings or curses. God told him not to prophesy a curse against Israel. When the king of the Midianites asked him to curse Israel, he, at first, refused to do so. But as the price of payment for the curse became higher and higher, he began to compromise his conviction.


In the New Testament, Balaam is talked about in the books of Revelation and Jude. Here’s the bottom line of Balaam’s life: he loved money. As the Midianite king began to offer more and more money, Balaam became increasingly tempted to pronounce a curse against Israel.


One time, as he was moving toward Israel to speak, his donkey kept moving off the road. The donkey saw an angel that forbade it from moving forward!


Finally, Balaam hit the donkey because he couldn't understand what it was doing. The donkey spoke up to Balaam! Can you imagine? A talking donkey! It asked Balaam what in the world he was trying to do? Why was he hitting him, yes, but mostly wanted to know why he was disobeying God?


The donkey’s unusual actions halted Balaam…for a while. But ultimately, as the NT tells us, Balaam gave into temptation. After settling down and apparently enjoying the tidy sum of money the Midianites gave him for pronouncing the curse, the Israelites eventually killed him.


What’s the point? God can use anyone, yes, even a donkey to speak on his behalf! And sometimes the donkeys of this world, common lovers of Jesus, are smarter than our supposed superstar prophets!


Make sure you speak God’s truth about anything and everything you see in this evil, dark culture. God wants to use our voices. Human voices. To speak his warnings and truth.


But remember: if you don’t let him use you, God will happily use a donkey if he has to!

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