Monday, 3^rd Week of Advent (2025)

Talking animals have made Hollywood millions of dollars over the years: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Jungle Book, and Bambi. 

Well, long before the Wonderful World of Disney, the Book of Numbers provides us with a most colorful episode of Balaam and his talking donkey.

The Israelites had been in the wilderness for almost 40 years, and it was time for them to enter the Promised Land. Balak, the king of Moab, feared that he was going to lose valuable territory. So, he invited a man named Balaam to come to Moab and curse the Israelites.

But God told Balaam: ‘You must not curse the Israelites.’ So, Balaam refused the king, who in turn ordered him a second time, promising him anything he wanted. Still, Balaam refused. Then God said, ‘You may go, but you may say only what I tell you to say.’

Balaam got on his donkey and headed south to Moab. He planned to curse the Israelites, even though God had told him not to. An angel appeared on the road three times. Balaam could not see the angel, but Balaam’s donkey could.

First, the donkey veered off the road into a field. Then the donkey moved up against a stone wall, jamming Balaam’s foot against it. Finally, the donkey lay down in the middle of the road. Each time, Balaam hit the donkey with a stick.  
 
After the third time, God gave the donkey the power of speech. The donkey asked Balaam: ‘Why do you keep hitting me?’ Balaam said, ‘You made me look stupid. I would kill you if I had a sword.’ The donkey said, “You’ve ridden me for years. Have I ever treated you this way before? 

Then God let Balaam see the angel who said, ‘God warned you not to curse Israel,’ you must prophesy only that which God tells you.  Had Balaam learned his lesson? No. Balaam tried to curse Israel three times, but each time God gave him words of blessing instead. Eventually, the Israelites attacked Moab, and Balaam was killed. Would it not have been better if Balaam had listened to God in the first place?

The Balaam story teaches us a timely lesson, told and re-told many times during the life of Jesus: No evil can ultimately defeat God’s plans.