Numbers 22:31

DISCOURSE: 171
BALAAM OBSTRUCTED BY THE ANGEL

Numbers 22:31. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

THE ministry of angels is frequently asserted both in the Old and New Testament: but, because it is not seen, it is scarcely believed amongst us. Nevertheless, there is not any doctrine more fully established than this; nor scarcely any more clearly exemplified. We need only look to the passage before us; and there we see an angel deputed to intercept Balaam in his way to Midian, and to stop him in his career of wickedness. Whether the angel were the Son of God himself, “the Angel of the Covenant,” with whom Jacob afterwards wrestled [Note: Hosea 12:3.], we will not absolutely determine: but the context seems to countenance the idea that it was [Note: See ver. 32, 35. “perverse before me”—“the word that I shall speak.”]. At all events he had the appearance of an angel, and acted in the capacity of a messenger from heaven. For a considerable time Balaam did not see him; though the beast on which he rode, both saw, and endeavoured to avoid him. The whole story is so singular, that some have represented it as a vision. But, whilst that mode of accounting for the circumstances renders them not at all less miraculous than the more obvious interpretation, (for a divine agency would be as necessary in that case, as in the other,) it directly opposes the assertions of the historian, and the testimony of an inspired Apostle [Note: 2 Peter 2:16.]. We can have no doubt but that the facts happened as they are, related: and, that we may present them before you in a more easy manner, we will call your attention to some observations founded upon them.

I. God often mercifully interposes to obstruct sinners in their ways—

[Balaam, though he professed to be acting by the divine appointment, was in reality going in opposition to the will of God. The permission which had been granted him conditionally, he had construed as unconditional; and when God had declared that Israel should be blessed, Balaam was going with a desire and purpose to curse them. God, to awaken him to a sense of his wickedness, sent an angel to stop him in his way, and to make known to him the evil of his conduct.

It is thus that God often interposes to arrest the progress of sinners, and prevent the commission of iniquity. We say not, that he often proceeds precisely in this way: he has a great variety of ways in which he carries this gracious purpose into execution. Elihu, in his address to Job, directly affirms, that God does interpose, and in a variety of ways too, for this gracious end [Note: Job 33:14.]: and the Scriptures universally attest the truth of his remark. Sometimes God endeavours to divert men from their purpose by a dream, (as Pilate, by a dream of his wife [Note: Matthew 27:19.];) sometimes by a vision, (as Saul, in his way to Damascus [Note: Acts 9:3.];) sometimes by a judgment, (as Jeroboam, when he stretched out his hand against the man of God [Note: 1 Kings 13:4.];) sometimes by a human monitor, (as David, by Abigail [Note: 1 Samuel 25:32.];) and sometimes by an unforeseen occurrence, (as Saul, when having encompassed David with his army, was called away from him by a sudden invasion of the Philistines [Note: 1 Samuel 23:28.].) We cannot enumerate, nor indeed conceive, the infinite variety of methods by which God withstands sinners; but all of us, on reflection, must acknowledge both the reality and frequency of his interpositions.

How often has it happened that the thief, the robber, the housebreaker, and the murderer, have been deterred from their purpose by the approach of some unexpected person, or by some suggestion of their own minds! How often have persons under a strong temptation to gratify their lusts, been kept from the actual commission of fornication or adultery by some little occurrence, some noise, some apprehension, some qualm of conscience, which God, in mercy to their souls, has sent to interrupt them! How many unhappy females have been kept from destroying their infant children, either before or after their birth, by some considerations widely different from the fear of sin! It is a well-known fact, that many people, but for such restraints as these, would have even destroyed their own lives: and perhaps, of the many who actually do commit suicide, there is scarcely one, who has not been repeatedly diverted from his purpose, before he could find it in his heart to carry it into execution. So common are the interpositions of God for the prevention of sin, and the rescue of those who would commit it! But,]

II.

His most signal interpositions often excite only the wrath of those for whose benefit they are sent—

[Thrice was Balaam interrupted in his course. The first time, his ass turned aside into a field, to avoid the angel; the next time, he ran up against a wall; and the third time, having no other method of avoiding him left, he fell down: and at each time Balaam’s anger was kindled; and at last it rose to such a height, that even the strange phenomenon of the ass speaking, as with a human voice, and expostulating with him, was not sufficient to arrest his attention: his only reply was, that he wished for a sword that he might kill her. Had he known at the time what danger he was exposed to, and what obligations he owed to his beast for that very conduct which so incensed him, he would have seen, that he had reason for unbounded thankfulness, where he thought that he had the greatest reason to complain.
And is it not thus oftentimes with us? If nothing had been revealed to us respecting the deliverance of Balaam, we should have thought him fully justified in his anger: and, because we do not see the particular mercies which God vouchsafes to us, we think ourselves justified in raging against the means and instruments that he employs. There are a thousand things which we call accidents, on which the greatest events depend. Evils might have come to us, or blessings might have been lost, if some circumstance, which at the time we deemed most unfortunate, had not taken place: nor can any but God himself conceive the extent to which we are indebted to him for things, which at the time excited our grief and indignation.

On this subject, I must leave every one to consult his own experience. But there is one view of it which will come home to the hearts of all. How often, when God has sent a guardian angel, a friend or minister, to instruct and warn us, have his reproofs kindled resentment, rather than gratitude, in our minds! and how many of us now see reason to be thankful for warnings which once excited our displeasure, whilst others have been eternally ruined by continuing to disregard them! Think only of the ministry of Christ and his Apostles, and of the different states of those who rejected or received their testimony, and this part of our subject will need no further comment. Moreover,]

III.

Those interpositions which are acknowledged to have been sent in mercy, produce, for the most part, a very transient effect—

[Balaam, when his eyes were opened, and he was informed that he had narrowly escaped death, acknowledged his sin, and professed a readiness to return. But it is observable, that his very confession touches only on the supposed guilt of attempting to proceed in opposition to the angel, and not on the real guilt of going with a disposition and purpose directly opposed to the known will of God. So far from being humbled for this offence, he was glad at any rate to gain a renewed permission to prosecute his vile designs. Nor did he afterwards reflect, or repent him of his evil ways; but persisted in them, till vengeance overtook him, and he perished amongst the enemies of God.

Thus have we at times been made sensible of our danger. Some great calamity has overtaken us, or disease has brought us to the gates of death. Then we have acknowledged our sins, and professed a willingness to forsake them. But no sooner have the impediments been removed, than “our goodness has proved as the morning dew; and as the early cloud it has passed away.” Thus it was with Pharaoh, when God, by many successive judgments, strove to overcome his obstinacy: and thus it was with Saul, when David repeatedly spared his life. The judgments and mercies of God affected both of them for a moment, so that they confessed their sins: but the effect was transient, and they perished under an accumulated weight of guilt. O that it may not be so with us! O that we may not any longer resemble the rebellious Israelites [Note: Psalms 78:34.]; lest, like them, we exhaust the patience of our God, and provoke him to “swear in his wrath that we shall never enter into his rest!”]

Address,
1.

Those who are bent on their evil ways—

[Covetousness is a common, and destructive sin: and many are guilty of it, whilst they seem unconscious of any great evil. They are decidedly guilty of it, who prefer the prosecution of their interests to the will of God and the welfare of his people. Let such offenders know then, that God and his Angel stand before them with a fiery sword; and that, for ought they know, the very next step they take may transmit them to the presence of an angry God. Methinks the brute creation that obey their will, would, if their mouths were opened, rebuke their disobedience, more pointedly than ever Balaam’s ass rebuked him [Note: Isaiah 1:2; Jeremiah 8:5.]. See, Brethren, how Solomon describes your state [Note: Ecclesiastes 9:3.]! see how he warns you of your end [Note: Proverbs 29:1.]! O beg of God, that he would never give you his permission to proceed, but contend with you effectually, till he has gained his point! If once “he give you up,” and say, “Let him alone [Note: Psalms 81:11; Hosea 4:17.],” it were better for you that you had never been born.]

2. Those who desire to return from them—

[Whatever have been the means of stopping your career, be thankful for it: falls or bruises, such as Balaam had, are mercies when sent for such an end. Bear in mind what your conduct has been [Note: Isaiah 57:17.], and be humbled on account of it in dust and ashes. Bear in mind too that you will assuredly “return, like the dog to his vomit,” if Almighty God do not keep you by his grace. But he has promised to his people to “hedge up their way with thorns, and to build a wall against them, that they may not find their former ways [Note: Hosea 2:6.]:” entreat him earnestly to do this for you; and to “keep you by his own power through faith unto salvation.”]