Steven A. Bush - August 20, 2023
A Donkey Prophesies to a False Prophet
The Bible tells of a nefarious false prophet named Balaam. Balaam was a shaman of pagan deities/idols worshiped by Israel's enemies. We can rightfully call him a sorcerer, a soothsayer, a practitioner of divination; and a channeler of demons. Hired by the king of Moab to put a curse on God's people, his sinister journey is interrupted by a sword-bearing angel. Though the seer can't see the angel, his donkey does. The donkey becomes contrary and a furious Balaam strikes his faithful jenny three times. Then the donkey starts talking. He asks his infamous rider the reason for his brutality. Then the angel appears to Balaam and he falls on his face, terrified. That God can speak through donkeys and even pagan prophets is a humbling reality for all preachers. But far larger than this is the fact that money-hungry false prophets have wagged their tongues down through the ages. And though we have them still, their end will come. In 2 Peter 2:14-17 the apostle warns: "They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice. These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness." (NLT) Even a donkey can see this is true and utter a hearty, Amen!
Scripture References: Numbers 22:1-41, 1 Timothy 6:10, Matthew 6:24, 2 Peter 2:14-17, Jude 1:10-11