So you think you know the Bible? You’re familiar with Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, the Exodus, and the life of Jesus. But can you locate the only talking animal in the history of the world? Sure, animals talk in fables and the tales of Uncle Remus and Disney movies. But when did an animal ever talk in real life?
Only once. Curiously, it is an entire story about talking—about blessings and curses. Balak, king of Moab, hired Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam—who knew God, but was not loyal—told Balak he could only say what God told him to say. But Balaam went with Balak.
“But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey… When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path, with a wall on either side. When the donkey saw the angel, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again. The angel went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. When the donkey saw the angel, she lay down; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick.
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! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.”
The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”
Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand.” Numbers 22:22-35.
When the donkey talks—the only talking animal in history—what does Balaam do? Faint? Scream? No—he engages her in conversation, like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Balaam, you see, is a professional talker. Talking, even to animals, comes naturally to him. But to consider cursing Israel is to take his life in his hands, to flirt with disaster.
Consider the power of words. Balaam was hired because he had a reputation: his blessings and curses came true, because he only said the words God gave him to say. Although his heart was not obedient, he respected his prophetic gift and did not corrupt it by speaking falsely.
So why a talking donkey? Why not a dove reporting the dry land to Noah? Or lions talking to Daniel about the God who stopped them from eating him? Or a fish talking to Jonah or the disciples?
God reserved this unique miracle for this unique prophet. I think the talking donkey symbolizes Balaam. He speaks God’s blessings and curses, but he does it for a profit. His heart is not right. Some men have the heart of a lion. Balaam has the heart of a donkey. Not long after this, he draws Israel into sin, and God has Balaam killed for it. Numbers 31.
We must respect the power of words. Don’t throw curses around recklessly. The Bible is filled with warnings: be careful what you say. James 3:6 says, “the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity, it sets on fire the course of our lives and is set on fire by hell.”
Be careful what you say! God takes words seriously.
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