The Talking Donkey (Days 45 and 46/365)

Day 45: Numbers 19-21

Sorry this is a day late... I promised the Husband I'd watch a movie with him and not internet/write. We watched the Bourne Legacy which has nothing to do with this blog (except it was pretty good ;) )

So, for this reading... 

*Moses strikes the rock instead of speaking to it (which God didn't care for)

*Aaron died (made me sad).

*The Israelites started conquering the Canaanites.

Day 46: Numbers 22-24

And then we get to one of the most awesome stories in Numbers... 

Numbers 22-24 (New Living Translation)

Balaam and His Donkey

²¹ So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. 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. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, ²³ Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 

²⁴ Then the angel of the Lordstood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. ²⁶ Then the angel of the Lordmoved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. ²⁷ This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.

Okay... so you get the idea.. Balaam doesn't know why the donkey has stopped so he keeps beating him to go on. The donkey (being the smart one at the moment) is all like, "Ummmm... no!"

²⁸ 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.

Soooo... the Donkey talked to Balaam. And Balaam did what we all would do if any animal talked to us...

He talked back...

²⁹ “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”

And not only did he talk to him...

³⁰ “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.

He had a full blown conversation!

³¹ 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.

³² “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. ³³ Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”

That's just awesome to me lol. I love the story of Balaam and his donkey, and how Balaam was sent to curse the Israelites... and instead he blessed them! Much to the chagrin of the feller that sent him to curse them.

~Kelly

OUR FEBRUARY GIVEAWAY BOOK IS THE SENTENCE BY ELAINE CANTRELL!!! WHOOT!