Most everything about Balaam is strange. Was he a true prophet of God, or a false prophet? I believe he was a true prophet, but then you wonder how he could do the things he did. He was what one calls a hireling prophet, wanting to sell his gift of being a prophet.
As to your question, God had already told Balaam not to go. (Num. 22:12-13) Balak upped the annie promising more for Balaam. (Num. 22:17) This caused Balaam to want to ask God again. But he already knew as God had told him no. What Balaam wanted was the reward that Balak offered. If he really wanted to obey God he would have told the messengers no again. Instead he really wants to go and so God says go.
So, God's will is no, don't go. Balaam's heart is on the reward and God knows it, and therefore tells him, go ahead. But warns him that it will be only God's word that he is allowed to speak. (Num. 22:20) God's will is still no and for Balaam to proceed is still disobedience to God. Thus the anger of God toward Balaam as He said in (Num. 22:32) "...I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me."
Balaam acknowledges his sin, and now wants to go back. Can't blame him. But now God says to Balaam, (Nub. 22:35), (my paraphrase) Go ahead. You have come this far, so we will let it play out. But you will only speak the Words of God.
Quantrill
Prophecy is never considered in respect to the person seen(walking by sight) . Holy men were moved by the will or hand of God,(walking by faith) not seen . We offer our private interpretation as personal commentaries as to what we believe he is teaching us. like finger prints they differ form on another
I would compare the not sending at first which was ignored by the false prophet Balaam, to God giving him over to do things he should not of. Just like when the elders of Israel gathered themselves together(not called by God's will) because of their jealously for the sounding pagan nations desiring to have a outward representative, walking by sight. They rejected our invisible God as King of kings not desiring to walking by faith. God gave them over temporally to do what they desired until the first century reformation. Therefore returning or restoring the government to the period of Judges when there was no outward representative. The kind of government we have today .
Ultimately I would suggest with Balaam as a object lesson to help s understand the teaching we find in Acts 17. This is in so much that God not seen does not live in temples made with human hands neither is he served by hands used to represent the will.
In the Old testament God uses animals to represent the clean (inspired by God as the will of God "prophecy") or the unclean to represent the will of men (false prophecy) the Ass( the unclean) the lamb (clean)
Twice in Exodus we are given the spiritual understanding in a parable to indicate the redemption we receive in Christ the lamb of God and if not born again redeemed the second death is inevitable(Break the neck)
Exodus 13:13And every firstling of an
ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it,
then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
Exodus 34:20But the firstling of an
ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and
if thou redeem him not,
then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
The Ass a ceremonial unclean animal in effect reveals that God is not served by human hands again according to Acts17. He can use a believer or a unbeliever to accomplish the good purpose of His will.
Numbers 22:28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the
ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these
three times?
Three is used to denote the end of a matter.
It was not to promote we walk by sight as instant gratification rather than faith which can require patience as long suffering.
It was the subtleness of the father of lies (Satan as the god of this world) in the garden who by instant gratification tried the faith that came from hearing God not seen .When the father of lies opened the mouth of the serpent and said: "you will not surely die" opening the way for the lust of the eyes and lust of the flesh .The three avenues of the father of lies (1 John 2:16)Then they knew they were naked (the glory of God departed or lost their glow ) as the pride that came before the fall.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world
I think it can also be applied to the man in Mathew 7 to represent a Ass or unbeliever who replied..... "have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works"?
Jesus did not say those things were not performed. But acknowledged I never knew you as a believer . Again God is not served by human hands as a will. That many, worked iniquity by claiming fame. (blasphemy)
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Mathew 7:22-23
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