Michael had been divorced for six years. For the first few years he told himself he was fine alone. Then one Wednesday night at church, he noticed Rachel, the new woman who had started coming to the singles Bible study. She was thirty-nine, had never been married, and carried herself with a quiet steadiness that drew him.
They began talking after class. Then they began going out for coffee after church. It wasn’t long before Michael started thinking about marrying Rachel. He wanted to give her his name and his life and to build something new with her. However, he knew that Matthew 19 says marrying another woman after divorce is adultery. Michael had a strong desire to start a new life with Rachel, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still bound to his ex-wife.
Michael began praying. Day after day he asked God to release him from his first marriage vows. At first, he didn’t feel anything change. However, over time his guilt about getting remarried lessened. One day he woke up and felt free. He concluded God had released him from his first wife, meaning he was free to marry Rachel.
Many years ago I met a Christian lady who did this very thing. She was divorced, but wanted to remarry, so she asked God to release her from her first marriage. Eventually, she felt God had released her, so she accepted a marriage proposal.
There are a couple of ways to look at this. On the one hand, you could argue that God did not release her; instead, her feelings deceived her. On the other hand, on the basis of today’s passage, you could argue that maybe God did actually give in to her request. However, that does not mean God was happy about it.
The 21st chapter of Numbers tells us that Israel defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. Then we read in the 22nd chapter that Moab was afraid of Israel because of their military success. Balak, king of Moab, sent a message to Balaam asking him to come to Moab and curse Israel. When Balaam asked Yahweh what to do, Yahweh told Balaam not to go because Israel is blessed. When Balak sent messengers a second time, Balaam once again asked Yahweh what to do. This time, Yahweh said Balaam could go.
Num. 22:21 ¶ So Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.
Num. 22:22 ¶ But God was angry because he was going, so the angel of Yahweh took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two young men were with him.
Notice the phrase “God was angry” and the word “adversary”. Verse 20 clearly says God told Balaam he could go with the Moabites. Since that was the case, why was God angry? We will get an answer in verse 32.
Num. 22:23 Then the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; so Balaam struck the donkey to turn it back into the way.
Num. 22:24 Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
Num. 22:25 And the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and it pressed itself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck it again.
Num. 22:26 And the angel of Yahweh passed on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left.
Num. 22:27 Then the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick.
Num. 22:28 And Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
Num. 22:29 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.”
Don’t miss the astounding fact that Balaam was having a conversation with a donkey.
Num. 22:30 And 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.”
Num. 22:31 ¶ Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head down and prostrated himself to the ground.
Look at the words “opened the eyes”. This passage teaches us that spiritual beings can be all around us but we cannot see them.
Num. 22:32 And the angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because your way was contrary to me.
Ponder the phrase “your way was contrary to me”. This explains why Yahweh was angry with Balaam and an adversary to him even though God had told Balaam he could go to Moab.
We know from verse 12 that Yahweh told Balaam Israel was blessed. Therefore, Balaam knew he could never curse Israel. Since that was the case, Balaam should not have desired to go to Moab.
Instead, Balaam wanted to do what Moab wanted. Joshua 24:10 indicates Balaam really wanted to curse Israel. 2 Peter 2:15 says that Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness. Numbers 31:16 and Revelation 2:14 reveal that Balaam taught Balak how to get Israel to stumble.
Balaam’s way was contrary to Yahweh because deep inside, Balaam was hoping to somehow get all the money Balak was offering him. Balaam wanted to go to Moab in the hope that Yahweh would change His mind and give Balaam permission to do something to get all that money.
Num. 22:33 And the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If it had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let it live.”
Num. 22:34 And Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”
Num. 22:35 But the angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.
Num. 22:36 ¶ Then Balak heard that Balaam was coming and went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the Arnon border, at the end of the border.
Num. 22:37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I indeed unable to honor you?”
Num. 22:38 So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! Am I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.”
Num. 22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
Num. 22:40 And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.
Balaam’s central problem was that he did not really want to obey Yahweh. He wanted all the money that Balak was offering him.
This passage is a warning to us that if we ask God for permission to do something the Bible says is wrong, He may give us permission. That does not mean He is happy about it. If a Christian asks God to remove the guilt he feels about getting remarried after divorce, God may ease his conscience. That does not mean God approves.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”