SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 01

THE PROPHET’S CHOICE

MESSENGERS FROM KING BALAK

From Numbers 22
“As time passed the people of Israel arrived at the plains of Moab and set up camp east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. When King Balak of Moab, the son of Zippor, who ruled the nearby land, saw how many Israelites, there were and heard what they had done to the Amorites, he began to fear them greatly. Before long the leaders of Moab consulted with the leaders of Midian. This vast multitude of people will devour us as an ox devours grass in a field, they said. Then King Balak sent messengers to a prophet named Balaam, the son of Beor, who lived at Pethor, far to the north near the Euphrates River. A multitude of people have migrated from Egypt and have camped near our land, he said. There are so many of them that they cover the face of the earth. Come and curse them for me, for they are too mighty for me to defeat in battle. With your help however, I may defeat them and drive them away, for I know that those whom you bless will succeed and those whom you curse will fail. The messengers, who were leaders of Moab and Midian, taking money with them to pay Balaam for his services, delivered to him the message of King Balak. Stay here tonight, Balaam said to them.

Tomorrow morning I will tell you what the Lord wants me to say. So the messengers remained with Balaam that night. During the night God spoke to Balaam. Who are these men who are staying with you? God asked. They are messengers from King Balak, Balaam answered. The king wants me to curse a large multitude of people who have migrated from Egypt and are camping near his land. Perhaps then he can defeat them in battle. Do not go with these messengers and do not curse those people, for I have blessed them, God commanded. When morning came, Balaam told the messengers what the Lord had said. Go home, he said. The Lord will not let me go with you to curse those people. So the messengers returned to Balak and told him what had happened. Balaam will not come with us, they said. King Balak however, sent another group of messengers to Balaam. These officials were of higher rank than the first ones. The king will give you great honour and wealth if you come with us, they told Balaam. He begs you to come and curse the people who are camping at his border. Even if Balak gave me a house filled with silver and gold, I could not go with you unless God gave me permission, Balaam answered. Stay here tonight and I will tell you in the morning what the Lord says. While the messengers stayed with Balaam that night, God spoke to him.

Go with the men, but do only what I tell you and nothing more! God ordered. When Balaam arose the next morning, he saddled his donkey and left with the messengers. But the Lord was angry that Balaam went and so the Angel of the Lord stationed Himself on the road where Balaam was to pass, ready to kill him. Balaam and two of his servants were riding along the road when Balaam’s donkey saw the Angel standing with a drawn sword. The frightened donkey ran off the road into a field. This angered Balaam and he struck the donkey, forcing her to get back onto the road. Then the Angel of the Lord moved down the road and stood in a narrow place between two vineyards, with a stone wall on each side of the road. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she squeezed Balaam’s foot against a wall. Balaam hit the donkey again. Once more the Angel of the Lord moved down the road, this time to a place so narrow that there was no place for the donkey to turn, either to the right or to the left. This time, when the donkey saw the Angel, she lay down in the road, with Balaam on her. Balaam became very angry and beat the donkey with his staff. Then the Lord caused the donkey to speak to Balaam. What have I done? The donkey asked. Why are you hitting me? Because you have made me look foolish, Balaam answered. If I had my sword, I would kill you. Am I not the same donkey you have ridden all your life? She said.

Have I ever done this to you before? No, Balaam admitted. You haven’t. Suddenly the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the Angel standing in the road with His drawn sword. Balaam bowed his head and fell with his face to the ground. Why did you strike your donkey three times? the Angel asked. You are headed for destruction, so I came to stop you. Your donkey saw Me three times and turned away from Me or I would have killed you by now and spared the donkey. I have sinned, Balaam pleaded. I did not realize that You were standing there to stop me. I will return home if You do not want me to go on. Go with the messengers, the Angel commanded. But speak only what I tell you. So Balaam went on with Balak’s officers. When Balak heard that Balaam was approaching, he went to meet him at the border by the Arnon River. Why did you wait so long to come? The king asked. Have I not power to honour you greatly? I have come, Balaam answered. But I can speak only what the Lord tells me to speak. Then Balaam went with the king to Kirjath-huzoth, where Balak offered oxen and sheep. He also gave Balaam and the king’s officials animals to sacrifice. The following morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth-baal, where he could see the entire multitude of Israel spread out below.

COMMENTARY

ROADS IN PALESTINE
Taking a trip or even going for a walk was no easy thing to do in Bible times. Going on a journey of any length was an adventure full of risks. There were surely no maps and few if any road signs; getting lost was very easy to do. The roads were most often in bad condition. After dark, they were surrounded by wild animals and roaming bands of robbers. It was so dangerous that no one travelled at night. Some local roads were nothing more than uneven rutted narrow paths. But some, bordered by stones, were a little better kept. The roads to the cities of refuge in Israel, for example, were repaired and cared for constantly. When news was brought that an important person would be coming that way, each person smoothed the part of the road that ran by his property by removing rocks and stones and filling in holes. This was called “making a straight way.” Today roads are named after anything and everything from people and places to trees and tribes. Ancient roads were usually named after a major city that lay along its route, the kind of country it passed through or where it ended up. A traveller could pass through Horonaim on the “Road to Horonaim,” walk through level country on the “Way of the Plain” or reach Shur on the “Way to Shur.” A few roads had special names, like “Sunset Road” or “The King’s Highway.” The last may have received its name because a king had taken the route.

TEST YOURSELF

1.) Why did king Balak fear the Israelites?
            A) There were many Israelites
            B) He had heard what they had done to the Amorites
            C) Both these are correct
            D) None of these are correct

2.) Where did Balaam live? 
            A) Jerusalem
            B) UR, near the Tigris River
            C) Pethor, near the Euphrates River
            D) Midian, near Mount Sinai

3.) What did Balak want Balaam to do?
            A) Curse the Israelites
            B) Go to battle
            C) Roll around in the dust
            D) Bless the Israelites

4.) How many times did king Balak have to try before Balaam came to see him?
            A) Four
            B) Two
            C) One
            D) Three

5.) What stood in the road and made Balaam’s donkey stop?
            A) A Raven
            B) An angel
            C) A demon
            D) A lion

6.) Who was the first to rebuke Balaam for hitting his donkey?
            A) Balak
            B) God
            C) His donkey
            D) None of these

7.) Balak went to meet Balaam at the?
            A) Jordan River
            B) Jabbok River
            C) Kidron River
            D) Arnon River

8.) What time of the day was bad for travel in the ancient world?
            A) Morning
            B) Afternoon
            C) Night
            D) Noon

9.) What is “making a straight way”?
            A) Ironing your trousers
            B) Improvising the road near one’s land
            C) Using a level to make a wall straight
            D) Digging strategically placed trenches in order to straighten the course of a rive