1) Balaam, a diviner, was called by King Balak of Moab to curse the Israelites but was prevented by God from doing so. 2) When Balaam's donkey saw an angel of the Lord and refused to proceed, Balaam struck the donkey until it spoke, revealing the angel. 3) God then opened Balaam's eyes and reprimanded him for his actions, instructing him to only speak what God commanded.

1. Numbers 22–25
God Calls
God speaks through a donkey.
December 29, 2019
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
The Glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God.

3. The Talking Donkey Bible Story.

4. References
•MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible
(Nashville, Nelson Publishing, 1997).
•Palmer, Edwin H., The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids,
Zondervan, 1985).
•Missler, Chuck, Who is Balaam?, YouTube Video,
Koinonia Ministries.
•www.GotQuestions.org

5. Introduction to Book of Numbers
• Written by Moses in 1405 BC during his last year of life to
describe the journey of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
to arrival at Canaan (the Promised Land).
• Israel initially refused to enter Canaan because of fear of
the enemies living there.
‒ Numbers 14:1-10
• Israelites wander in the wilderness 40 years - until those
who were 20 years or older have died.
‒ Numbers 14:26-38

6. Introduction to Numbers 22-25
• The Israelites begin their journey to Canaan to claim the
Promised Land.
‒ Numbers 20:1-13
• The king of Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through
their land.
‒ Descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob.
‒ Numbers 20:14-21
• God had forbidden Israel from engaging in warfare with
Edom.
‒ Deuteronomy 2:4-6

7. Introduction to Numbers 22-25
• The Israelites detour around Edom and complain to the
point of blasphemy and God sends biting serpents as
punishment.
‒ Numbers 21:4-8
• They are saved from death from serpents’ bites by looking
at a bronze serpent on a pole Moses lifts up for them to
see.
• The arrival at Moab requires destruction of Amorites to
continue journey to Promised Land.
‒ Numbers 21:21-35

8. Israel Arrived at the Door
Numbers 22:1 NKJV
1 Then the children of Israel moved, and camped in the
plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from
Jericho.

9. King Balak of Moab
Numbers 22:2-4 NKJV
2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had
done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was exceedingly
afraid of the people because they were many, and
Moab was sick with dread because of the children of
Israel. 4 So Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this
company will lick up everything around us, as an ox
licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of
Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

10. King Balak of Moab
Numbers 22:5-6 NKJV
5 Then he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at
Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his
people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from
Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling
next to me! 6 Therefore please come at once, curse this
people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I
shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land,
for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom
you curse is cursed.”

11. Messengers went to Balaam.
Number 22:7-8 NKJV
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian
departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they
came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.
8 And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will
bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So
the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

12. Who was Balaam?
•Balaam was a cultic false prophet who practiced
magic and divination among the Midianites.
•He was believed to have powers that allowed him to
bless and curse your enemies for your “advantage.”
•His activities were done for money and not to glorify
God or help people.
•He had a speaking relationship with the God of Israel
but did not follow the ways of God.

13. God talked with Balaam.
Numbers 22:9-12 NKJV
9 Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with
you?”
10 So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab,
has sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt,
and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for
me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them
out.’”
12 And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you
shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

14. Balaam refused the offer.
•Balaam refused the offer from Balak because the Lord
told him not to curse the Israelite people.
•Balak increased the financial offer to Balaam.

15. Balaam went to Moab.
Numbers 22:20-21 NKJV
20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If
the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but
only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”
21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey,
and went with the princes of Moab.

16. God’s anger was aroused.
Number 22:22 NKJV
22 Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and
the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an
adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey,
and his two servants were with him.

17. The confusion of Number 22:20-22
•Even though God had given permission for Balaam to
go, God knew that his motive was not right.
•Thus, the anger of the Lord burned against Balaam
because God knew that he was not yet submissive to
what He required.
•The result of God’s confrontation with Balaam was a
reaffirmation to only speak the words that God
wanted him to speak.

18. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord.
Numbers 22:23-24 NKJV
23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing
in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the
donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the
field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back
onto the road. 24 Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a
narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this
side and a wall on that side.

19. The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord.
Numbers 22:25-27 NKJV
25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she
pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot
against the wall; so he struck her again. 26 Then the Angel of
the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where
there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the
left. 27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she
lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and
he struck the donkey with his staff.

20. The donkey talked.
Numbers 22:28-29 NKJV
28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and
she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you
have struck me these three times?”
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have
abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for
now I would kill you!”

21. The donkey talked.
Number 22:30-31 NKJV
30 So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on
which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this
day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?”
And he said, “No.”
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the
Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword
in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

22. The Angel of the Lord talked to Balaam.
Numbers 22:32-33 NKJV
32 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you
struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have
come out to stand against you, because your way is
perverse before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned
aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned
aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by
now, and let her live.”
•The donkey saved Balaam’s life by stopping.

23. Balaam’s attitude changed.
Numbers 22:34-35 NKJV
34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have
sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against
me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”
35 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with
the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that
you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of
Balak.

24. Balaam arrived at Moab.
Numbers 22:36-37 NKJV
36 Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he
went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on
the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory.
37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send
to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me?
Am I not able to honor you?”

25. Balaam arrived at Moab.
Numbers 22:38-40 NKJV
38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now,
have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God
puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”
39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kirjath
Huzoth. 40 Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he sent
some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him.
• Balaam does not share the talking donkey story with Balak.

26. Balak took Balaam to the high places.
Numbers 22:41 NKJV
41 So it was, the next day, that Balak took Balaam and
brought him up to the high places of Baal, that from
there he might observe the extent of the people.
•In Numbers 23-24, Balaam delivered four oracles
(divine revelations from God) from different
mountaintops contrary to the urging of Balak to curse
the Israelites.

27. Numbers 23:1-12 Content of First Oracle
•Numbers 23:8 NKJV
8 “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not
denounced?”
‒ Balaam stated that Israel could not be cursed.
•Numbers 23:9b NKJV
9b “A people dwelling alone,
Not reckoning itself among the nations.”
‒ Israel is unlike any other nation in the world.

28. Numbers 23:1-12 Content of First Oracle
• Numbers 23:10 NKJV
10 “Who can count the dust of Jacob,
Or number one-fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,
And let my end be like his!”
‒ Balaam even wished to share in Israel’s blessings
• Numbers 23:11 NKJV
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me?
I took you to curse my enemies, and look, you have blessed
them bountifully!”

29. Numbers 23:19-20 Balaam’s Second Oracle
•Numbers 23:19-20 NKJV
19 “God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless;
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
‒ Balaam reaffirmed the Lord’s determination to
bless Israel.

30. Numbers 24:1-14 Balaam’s Third Oracle
•Numbers 24:1-2 NKJV
1 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to
bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to
use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel
encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of
God came upon him.

31. What did Balaam see when he viewed Israel
encamped according to their tribes?
•Numbers 2-3 assigned the specific camping and tent
arrangements.
•The arrangement of the camp would appear as a cross
with the Tabernacle in the center.
•Balaam would not fully understand the meaning of
the symbol but would speak prophecy from God
about the significance.

32. Key Verse in Balaam’s Third Oracle
• Numbers 24:9 NKJV
9 He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’
“Blessed is he who blesses you,
And cursed is he who curses you.”
‒ Jacob used the exact phrase about a lion referring
to the ultimate King who will come from Judah, the
Messiah in Genesis 49:9.
‒ The Lion of Judah is also referenced in Revelation
5:5.

33. Numbers 24:15-24 Balaam’s Fourth Oracle
• Numbers 24:17 NKJV
17 “I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near; (Revelation 1:7)
A Star shall come out of Jacob; (Matthew 2:2)
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, (Genesis 49:10)
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult” (Jeramiah 48:45)
‒ Balaam predicted the coming Messiah and fate of
Moabites and Edomites.

34. Balaam gave up, but Balak found another way
to weaken Israel.
• Numbers 24:25 NKJV
25 So Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place;
Balak also went his way.
‒ Balaam was killed by the Israel Army in Numbers 31:8.
• Numbers 25:1-2 NKJV
1 Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people
began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They
invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the
people ate and bowed down to their gods.

35. Balaam’s reputation for greed mentioned in
the New Testament.
•2 Peter 2:15-16 NKJV
15 They (false teachers) have forsaken the right way
and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son
of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey
speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of
the prophet.

36. Balaam’s reputation for greed mentioned in
the New Testament.
• Jude 1:11 NKJV
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain,
have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and
perished in the rebellion of Korah.
• Revelation 2:14 NKJV
14 But I have a few things against you (Pergamos Church),
because you have there those who hold the doctrine of
Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before
the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and
to commit sexual immorality.

37. Lesson Applications from Numbers 22-25.
1. God can use nonbelievers such as Balaam to speak
truths (oracles) that affect our lives in a positive way.
2. God can speak to us in unusual ways that no one
else can believe or understand.
3. Sometimes God has to put a roadblock in our path to
stop us from going in the wrong direction.
4. Others may see danger ahead that we cannot see.

38. Lesson Applications, about Israel, from
Numbers 22-25.
1. God is protective of Israel, as His chosen people.
2. God has always maintained a remnant of Jews to
carry His purposes forward throughout history.
3. In the “end times” God will bring the saved Jews
who place their trust in Jesus to the Promised Land
to enter the millennium (Romans 11:26; Isaiah 4:3;
Matthew 25:31-32; Ezekiel 20:34-38).

39. Closing Scriptures
• Micah 6:1, 5, 8 NKJV
1 Hear now what the Lord says:
5 “O My people, remember now
What Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know the righteousness of the Lord.”
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you,
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

40. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16-17 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through Him might be saved.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me.”

41. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this
life to pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death”
explained in Revelation 21:8.

42. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation 21:8,
will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
• To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to turn
away from sin and believe in Jesus.
Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.

43. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will
be his God and he shall be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be overcomers.

44. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

45. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900
or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/