The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, November 5, 2025, we are starting at a brand new time - 6:00 p.m.  The message will focus on the idea that In a world of change and uncertainty, we can have confidence that God remains the same.  He is faithful, loving, and kind.  That never changes.  God is our solid ground.  

Join us for a message on how God does not change, at our new changed meeting time - 6:00 p.m.

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This past Wednesday night, October 29, 2025, our topic was the story of Balak, Balaam, and the talking donkey.  It's told in Numbers 22 - 24.  I won't use these  notes to tell you all the details of the story, but the gist is - Balak wants to hire Balaam to come curse the people of God, the Israelites.  At this time, Israel is on its way to the promised land; they have been slowly moving toward Canaan and are now in the land of the Moabites.  the king of Moab is Balak.  He sends messengers to bring Balaam - who is both a sorcerer and a prophet -- to Moab.  This is his message:  

“Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.” (Num. 22:6).  o VS. Balaam does the right thing and asks God whether he should go.  And Balaam got an answer.  Verse 12 says that God told Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse these people, for they have been blessed!”  So Balaam does the right thing again and tells the messengers that he wil not go with them.  But just like our Enemy tries over and over to convince us to take actions we know are wrong, Balak does the same thing.  Balak tries again.  “This time he sent a larger number of even more distinguished officials than those he had sent the first time.”   Verse 17 says that Balak's second message to Balaam was:  “I will pay you very well and do whatever you tell me. Just come and curse these people for me!”   Balaam responds this time by saying, "I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the LORD my God." But then, he inquires of God again.  Can I go?  Now Balaam already had an answer from God, but his heart is enticed by the offer of money.  And James 1:4-15 says – “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” So Balak has another talk with God, and this time the answer he received was: “Since these men have come for you, get up and go with them. But do only what I tell you to do.”  Now it's possible that Balak simply heard what he wanted to hear.  Lesson #1 is that God answered him the first time.  When we want a different answer, we’ll persist.  And God may give in to us, but it doesn’t mean God changed His mind.   We hear what we want to hear, do what we want.  And Balaam does.  He wants the money, and he wants to go.  That's why he persisted after receiving a clear answer.  There was nothing different from the first request to the second except that it was stronger (more distinguished messengers and more money).

The next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and goes off with the 2 Moabite officials.  That's when things get very interesting.  And it happens because of what the Bible says in verse 22 - "But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way."  Three times an angel appears in the roadway.  The donkey sees the angel and tries to avoid it; Balaam can't see it.  So Balaam gets mad at his donkey and beats it.  Three times he beats his donkey.  And that's when two miracles happen.  Here is the scripture, verses 29-38:

"Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.

“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”   “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?”   “No,” Balaam admitted.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.   “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me.  Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”   Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.”   But the angel of the Lord told Balaam, “Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.”  So Balaam went on with Balak’s officials. 

From this part of the story, we see a few more life lessons.  Lesson #2:  God doesn’t control people.  We do what we want. We have free will to obey God or do our own thing.  God is not to blame for the choices people make and the actions they take.  

Lesson #3 - God gives us warnings along the way.  We will have numerous chances to turn back to get our life on track and get off the road we have been traveling.  But the truth is, we are stubborn.  In this case, the story shows us man is more stubborn than a donkey; the donkey had spiritual sense, Balaam did not!

Lesson #4 – Never doubt that God can do the impossible.  If a donkey can speak, God can cause a loved one to be freed from an addiction . . . a person to apologize . . . your income to increase . . . a relationship to mend . . . healing to happen . . . Congress to agree and pass a budget!  The point is - never think that life is always going to be this way . . . God still performs miracles.  He does the impossible.

Lesson # 5 – Our eyes are closed to much of the spiritual realm.  As this story shows, God is working behind the scenes.  God is doing more than we know.  Angels are working on our behalf.

Lesson #6 – How we treat our animals matters.  That's because animals matter.   The first question the angel had for Balaam was why he beat his donkey.  Animals are going to be with us in heaven.  Just think about the description the prophet gave us in Isaiah 11:6 - "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them."  God has a place in heaven for animals because they matter to Him.  And our animals - our pets - just might save our lives.  Balaam's donkey saved his life!

Balaam ultimately meets with Balak, and then proceeds to bless the people instead of curse them.  He speaks the words given by God, and Balak is none too happy.  But Balaam says, "how can I curse those whom God has not cursed?
How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?"  

Balaam pronounces blessing on God's people - reiterating that God has blessed His people.  But Balak continues trying to get Balaam to curse them.  And Balaam says a truth we need to remember: "God is not a man, so he does not lie.  He is not human, so he does not change his mind.  Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?  Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it!"  (Num. 23:19-20).

Balak is furious.  He says to Balaam, the Lord has kept you from being rewarded.  Go home.  And Balaam does.  But - here are three more lessons for us. 

Lesson #7:  God doesn’t change His mind and He doesn’t fail.   Our task is to align with God’s will and do what He asks of us.  That is when you will be blessed and live in peace.  

Lesson #8 – The Enemy doesn’t stop trying.  Our Enemy, the Devil, will work tirelessly to try and get us off track.  Don't ever think he has left you alone; always keep on guard. Remember the words of 1 Peter 5:8 - "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 

Lesson # 9 - What God has blessed can’t be cursed.   And blessed are those who bless God’s people.  That comes from Genesis 12, God's covenant with  Abraham.  It still exists because God has not broken that covenant, and He never will.  Here is a verse to keep in mind from this story - “God blesses his loyal people, but punishes all who want to get rich quick.” - Prov. 28:20.  In our faithfulness to God, we are blessed.  And when we bless God's people, we are blessed.