Mon.’s Devo - God’s Determination to Bless

We must remember that God told Balaam not to go with Balak, but when he asked again, God relented and told him he could go but he had to say what He told him. The next morning Balaam set out to go with the officers but God was angry that he hadn’t obeyed Him. On the way an angel of the Lord stood on the road with a drawn sword in his hand, but only the donkey could see it. How ironic that God would close the eye of the seer and open the eye of the donkey. It was a message to Balaam. The donkey bolted to get out of the way of the angel and Balaam beat the donkey. The angel went up the road to where there was a narrow passageway between two walls. Once again, the donkey saw the angel and Balaam didn’t. The donkey had to walk so close to the wall on one side because the angel was on the other that he scraped Balaam’s leg against the wall. Balaam beat his donkey again. Then the angel went further down the road and stood where the donkey couldn’t get by at all so he just sat down. Balaam beat his poor donkey again but this time God spoke through the donkey. He defended himself and he and Balaam had a conversation. Then God opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw what the donkey had been seeing. I hope he apologized to his donkey. He did humble himself to God and bowed to the ground. Once again the angel warned him he could only say what God told him to say. This angel would have killed him if not for the donkey. God was serious about him not cursing Israel and must have thought that Balaam might have changed his mind under pressure so God put His pressure on him. When Balak met Balaam he was hot that he hadn’t come right when he summoned him. He reminded Balaam that he was prepared to reward him richly. Balaam had the fear of God in him now and told the king that he had no power to say what he wanted but was under a gag order from God. Balak took him where he could overlook a portion of the multitude of the Israelites. Balaam build an altar and sacrificed seven bulls and rams. Balaam knew not to approach God without first giving him a sacrifice. God responded and told him what to say to Balak. Instead of a curse, he blessed Israel as being “the righteous.” Balak was mad and took Balaam to another view of a different group of Israelites. He was hoping that this group wasn’t so righteous in God’s eyes. Once again, they offered on seven altars sacrifices to the Lord. God’s message was that he wasn’t changing his mind and no magic had any power against Israel. They are blessed and there would be no curse given. Balak was so upset. He told Balaam that if he wouldn’t curse them, he didn’t have to bless them. How funny! He wasn’t ready to give up so he took Balaam to one more viewpoint. He was hoping that maybe he would get a different outcome from there. They prepared their altars once again. This king was determined. In Luke, it was time for John to be born. When Elizabeth’s family heard that she had had a baby, they rejoiced with her. They took the baby to be dedicated to the Lord and circumcized on its eighth day knowing it would be named after his father, but Elizabeth said that his name would be John. They turned to Zacharia who wrote “John” on a tablet. When he did, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak for the first time in nine months. He prophesied over his son that he would be called the Lord’s prophet and he would prepare the way for the Messiah. He would tell God’s people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Light was coming to their darkness. This was the first prophecy they had heard in 200 years. God had been silent and now he was speaking with great hope. John grew up to have a strong spirit. He lived isolated in the wilderness until it was time for him to enter his public ministry. Lord, may we be fearful to speak only your words and obey you the first time you tell us to do something. Thank you that your ways are not our ways and your thoughts are not our thoughts but they are higher.