40
Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4a
to overcome them, and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam,
Thou shalt not go with them. Thou shalt not curse the people: for
they are blessed.” The angel tells Balaam that the children of Israel
are conducted under the banner of the God of Heaven, and no curse
from man could retard their progress. In the morning he arose, and
reluctantly told the men to return to Balak, for the Lord would not
suffer him to go with them. Then Balak sent other princes, more of
them in number, and more honorable, or occupying a more exalted
position than the former messengers; and this time Balak’s call was
more urgent. “Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee [from] coming
unto me, for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do
whatsoever thou sayest unto me. Come, therefore, I pray thee, curse
me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of
Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I
cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.”
His fear of God’s power holds the ascendency over his covetous
disposition. Yet his course of conduct shows that his love of honor and
gain was striving hard for the mastery, and he did not subdue it. He
would have gratified his covetousness, if he had dared to do it. After
God had said that he should not go, he was anxious to be granted the
privilege of going. He urged them to remain that night, that he might
make inquiry again of God. An angel was sent to Balaam to say unto
[45]
him, “If the men come to call thee, rise up and go with them; yet the
word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.” The Lord suffered
Balaam to follow his own inclinations, and try, if he chose so to do, to
please both God and man.
The messengers of Balak did not call upon him in the morning
to have him go with them. They were annoyed with his delay, and
expected a second refusal. Balaam could have excused himself, and
easily avoided going. But he thought that because the Lord the second
time did not forbid his going, he would go and overtake the ambas-
sadors of Balak. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Balaam
because he went, and he sent his angel to stand in the way, and to slay
him for his presumptuous folly. The beast saw the angel of the Lord,
and turned aside. Balaam was beside himself with rage. The speaking
of the beast was unnoticed by him as anything remarkable, for he was
blinded by passion. As the angel revealed himself to Balaam he was
terrified, and left his beast and bowed in humility before the angel. He