Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 51: Listen to Your Donkey!

Good afternoon everyone!

The Internet quit working this morning at our house, so we ran errands today. But we're back and it's fixed, so here we go!

Today I read Numbers 21-22.

And here we find one of my favorite stories in the Bible.

The Israelites, even though they have been disobedient, are still God's people, and He doesn't want to see them destroyed. So, when armies rise up against them to destroy them, He intervenes.

Balak, in Moab, hears about the Israelites, how strong they are, how numerous they are, and sends for Balaam, who serves the Lord God, asking him to speak to his God, to see if the Israelites can be cursed and overtaken.

Balaam speaks to God, who tells him that the Israelites will not be cursed because they are His special people, protected, and that he is to have nothing to do with the Moabite army, which is planning to rise up against them.

So, Balaam responds to Balak and refuses.

But Balak begs, and Balaam, heedless of God's words, begs Him to allow him to assist the Moabites in overtaking the Israelites.

So God tells him to go to the king but to speak only what He says.

But God was angry, because Balaam did not heed His words the first time, and begged to go, so He sends an angel to block Balaam's path.

And this angel has a fiery sword.

Balaam doesn't see the angel, but his donkey does. And she turns off the path.

And Balaam strikes his donkey.

Three times.

And then the donkey speaks.

Numbers 22:28-29 - And 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?" Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me!"

And on.

But get this: The donkey speaks!

And Balaam responds.

So, finally Balaam's eyes are opened to see the angel who speaks to him and tells him how the donkey saved his life by turning off the path.

And Balaam is given the same instructions, to speak to Balak only what God tells him.

But let's go back to the donkey.

That donkey could see the angel standing there blocking Balaam's way when Balaam could not.

Sometimes God blocks our way so that we don't go somewhere we aren't supposed to. Probably not with an angel with a fiery sword prepared to kill us if we choose to do what God told us not to, but sometimes our way is blocked. By God. For a purpose.

If God said no, don't take it as a yes.

Remember to listen to your donkey.

If something keeps diverting you from the path you're on, seek God's counsel. See if He is preventing you from going that way because a disaster might befall you, or because it's simply not time for you to walk that path.

Not every roadblock is from Satan. Remember, Satan can't be everywhere at once, and he's not all-powerful; he can only plant ideas. So if you're going through a trial, it may be God's way of teaching you something, or it could be that He has placed a block in your path for a purpose.

Just ask Him.

Listen to your donkey.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Numbers 23-25.