Beginning of the End

A Donkey “Sees” More Than a Prophet

Annoyed at Balaam’s delay and expecting another refusal, the messengers from Moab started out on their homeward journey without talking to Balaam again. Every excuse for complying with Balak’s request had now been removed, but Balaam was determined to get the reward. Taking the donkey he usually rode, he started out and pressed eagerly forward to catch up with the messengers, impatient to gain the coveted reward. BOE 218.1

But “the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him.” Balaam did not see the divine messenger, but the animal did and 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 shut in by walls, the angel appeared. The donkey, trying to avoid the frightening figure, crushed her master’s foot against the wall. Balaam did not know that God was obstructing his path. He became exasperated, and beating his donkey unmercifully, forced it to move forward. BOE 218.2

Again, “in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left,” the angel appeared, and the poor donkey, trembling with terror, fell to the earth under its rider. Balaam’s rage was out of control, and with his staff he struck the animal more cruelly than before. God now opened the animal’s mouth, and by “a dumb donkey speaking with man’s voice” He “restrained the madness of the prophet” (2 Peter 2:16). “What have I done to you,” it said, “that you have struck me these three times?” BOE 218.3

Furious, Balaam answered the beast as he would have spoken to an intelligent being: “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you.” BOE 218.4

The eyes of Balaam were now opened, and he saw the angel of God standing with drawn sword ready to kill him. In terror “he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.” The angel said, “Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.” BOE 218.5

Balaam owed his life to the poor animal he had treated so cruelly. The man who claimed to be a prophet of the Lord was so blinded by greed and ambition that he could not discern the angel of God visible to his beast. “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV. How many people rush on in forbidden paths, disobeying God’s law, and cannot tell that God and His angels are against them! Like Balaam they are angry at those who would prevent their ruin. BOE 218.6

“A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (Proverbs 12:10). Few people realize as they should the sinfulness of abusing animals or leaving them to suffer from neglect. Animals were created to serve us, but we have no right to cause them pain by harsh treatment. BOE 219.1

Those who will abuse an animal because it is in their power are both cowards and tyrants. Many people think that their cruelty will never be known, because the poor unspeaking animal cannot reveal it. But if the eyes of these people could be opened, they would see an angel of God standing as a witness to testify against them in the courts above. A day is coming when judgment will be pronounced against those who abuse God’s creatures. BOE 219.2