Balaam’s Ass: Fear leads to Anger and Curses.

I read the Bible every day. Today I read Numbers Chapters 22 through 24, which tell the story of a gentile prophet named Balaam who was asked to curse ancient Israel—and couldn’t because God blessed them.

The story begins with Balak, a king of Moab. He is terrified because the Hebrews have come out of Egypt and conquered his neighbors, the Amorites, killing the king and all the people and possessing that land. Those Israelites are stronger than he is, so he fetches the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balak knows that what Balaam blesses is blessed, and what Balaam curses is cursed. He thinks this is magic from Balaam’s personal magic power. It is prophecy—the actual wonderworker is God.

The first request, Balaam turns down, saying that God has blessed the Israelites. The second time, Balak offers a lot of money, and God tells Balaam that he can go to Balak, but don’t say anything I (God) don’t tell you. So Balaam saddled up his donkey and went.

Numbers 22:22 And God was angry. And an angel of the LORD stood in the way against Balaam….

Numbers 22:23 The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. …

Balaam beat her, she turned again, he beat her again, she went up to a wall and hit his leg against it. He’s about to beat her to death—

Numbers 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time? 29 Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it…. 30 The ass said: Am I not thy beast…? Tell me if I ever did the like thing to thee. But he said: Never. 31: Forthwith the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel standing in the way with a drawn sword….

Balaam learns that the angel would have killed him were it not for his faithful donkey. He acknowledges his sin to the angel, and offers to return home.

35 And the angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. …

Three times, Balaam tells Balak to build seven altars and sacrifice a calf and a ram on each one. Then Balaam tries to curse the Israelites, but he can only say what God tells him to and issues a remarkable set of blessings, including the one that SHOULD have told Balak what to do. Num 24:9 … He that blesseth thee, shall also himself be blessed: he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.

It is so much easier for fear to rise to anger and hate, and then to kill and destroy. And one curses himself thereby. Right now, Israel and Gaza are at war, which drew Lebanon/Hezbollah into the fighting, and Yemen. Iran supplied weapons to Hamas, so Israel and USA are itching for an excuse to attack Iran. Iran is studiously trying to avoid further provocations, and we will see.

In Genesis, God blessed Abraham “I will bless them that bless thee and curse them who curse thee.” Israel and the descendants of Ishmael have cursed each other repeatedly, and neither is much interested in understanding how they bring that curse upon themselves. This situation is extremely dangerous to the entire world—but it is also an opportunity for a worldwide awakening to the solution: “I will bless them that bless thee.”

This substack is about a plan for Ismael/Islam and Isaac/Jews and Christians to bless each other, leading to real peace in the Mideast. Parts 1-4 are published here. I am currently working on part 5.

Please share this substack with others, especially Muslims, for it is their destiny to start it.

Comments welcome.