Angels From Sinai to the Taking of Jericho
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lay, and expecting another refusal, they set out their homeward journey
without further consultation with him. Every excuse for complying
with the request of Balak had now been removed. But Balaam was
determined to secure the reward; and taking the beast upon which
he was accustomed to ride, he set out on the journey. He feared that
even now the divine permission might be withdrawn, and he pressed
eagerly forward, impatient lest he should by some means fail to gain
the coveted reward.—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 441
.
God’s anger was kindled against Balaam for his Heaven-daring
folly, and “an angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary
against him.” The animal, seeing the divine messenger, who was,
however, invisible to the master, turned aside from the highway into a
field. With cruel blows, Balaam brought the beast back into the path;
but again, in a narrow place hemmed in by walls, the angel appeared,
and the animal, trying to avoid the menacing figure, crushed the rider’s
foot against the wall.—
The Signs of the Times, November 25, 1880
.
Balaam’s rage was unbounded, and with his staff he smote the
animal more cruelly than before. God now opened its mouth, and by
“the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice,” He “forbade the madness
of the prophet.”
2 Peter 2:16
. “What have I done unto thee,” it said,
“that thou hast smitten me these three times?”
Furious at being thus hindered in his journey, Balaam answered
the beast as he would have addressed an intelligent being—“Because
[108]
thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for
now would I kill thee.” ...
The eyes of Balaam were now opened, and he beheld the angel
of God standing with drawn sword ready to slay him. In terror “he
bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.” The angel said to him,
“Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I
went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
and the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she
had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee.” ...
When he beheld the messenger of God, Balaam exclaimed in terror,
“I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against
me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.”—
Patriarchs and Prophets, 442, 443
.
After the angel had impressively warned Balaam against gratifying
the Moabites, he gave him permission to pursue his journey....