Can a Donkey Really Talk?
Can a donkey really talk?
According to the Bible, one did.
Numbers 22 records one of those remarkable moments in Scripture that immediately gets our attention. Balaam was traveling down a road when the donkey he was riding suddenly spoke to him.
"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?" — Numbers 22:28 KJV
Do I believe a donkey really spoke?
Absolutely.
If God wants a donkey to speak, it will speak.
But perhaps the more important question for us is this: Why did God have to use a donkey to get Balaam's attention in the first place?
That is where this account becomes much more than an unusual Bible story. It becomes a warning about obedience, a picture of human nature, and a reminder of how important it is to stay close enough to our Heavenly Father to hear Him when He speaks.
You can read the full account of Balaam and his donkey in Numbers 22 at Bible Gateway (KJV).
Balaam Already Knew What God Had Said
One of the things that stands out to me most about Balaam is that he was not struggling because God had failed to give him direction.
Balaam asked God, and God had already told him what to do.
When Balak sent men to Balaam asking him to come and curse Israel, God said:
"And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed." — Numbers 22:12 KJV
That seems pretty clear.
But more important men came. There was the promise of honor and reward. Balaam wanted something that conflicted with what God had already told him.
Doesn't that sound a little like human nature?
Sometimes our greatest problem isn't that we don't know what God wants. Our problem is that we know—and something else looks more appealing.
We may want recognition. We may want financial security. We may want a particular relationship, opportunity, position, possession, or outcome.
Balaam knew what was right, yet his desire for honor and reward continued pulling at him.
There is a lesson here that I need just as much as anyone else:
Knowing God's Word is not the same thing as obeying God's Word.
The Battle Is Closer Than We Think
I can only speak for myself, but I know this is a daily war.
Scripture tells us:
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." — Ephesians 6:12 KJV
It is so easy to look at the person down the road, the person who hurt us, the person who disagrees with us, or the person standing in our way and decide that person is our enemy.
But Scripture reminds us that there is a spiritual battle taking place.
And one of the greatest battlegrounds is our mind.
That is why staying close to God matters so much.
If you want to go deeper in your daily time with the Lord, our post on How to Study the King James Bible | Four Practices That Go Deeper shares practical ways to make your Bible reading more intentional.
Sometimes I Recognize It by a Lack of Peace
Over the years, I have noticed something in my own walk with the Lord.
When I begin stepping outside the boundaries of where I believe the Lord would have me to be, I begin to lose my peace.
That doesn't mean every difficult decision will feel easy. Following God can require tremendous faith.
But for me, that lack of peace has often caused me to stop and ask:
Am I still walking where God wants me to walk?
Balaam was physically traveling down a road, but spiritually he was headed in the wrong direction.
Then something extraordinary happened.
The Donkey Could See What Balaam Couldn't
Numbers 22 tells us:
"And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way." — Numbers 22:23 KJV
Think about that.
The donkey could see the danger.
Balaam couldn't.
Three different times the donkey tried to avoid the angel of the LORD, and three times Balaam struck her.
I believe there is a sobering lesson here.
When we persist in going against what God has shown us, we can become so focused on what we want that we fail to recognize what is happening spiritually around us.
We may even become angry at the very thing that is keeping us from continuing down the wrong road.
Balaam thought the donkey was his problem.
The donkey was actually helping save his life.
Then God Opened the Donkey's Mouth
Finally, God did something Balaam could not ignore.
"And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass..." — Numbers 22:28 KJV
A donkey spoke.
Why would God use something so extraordinary?
I believe Balaam was being given another opportunity to recognize what was happening and obey.
Balaam knew a donkey couldn't naturally speak. If anything should have gotten his attention, surely this would.
Then God opened Balaam's eyes.
"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..." — Numbers 22:31 KJV
The angel had been there.
The danger had been there.
Balaam simply hadn't seen it.
How often do we need God to open our eyes?
Read more about what it looks like to live with that kind of open, surrendered faith in our post The Faith of Stephen: A Lesson for Us All.
God Once Had to Get My Attention Too
There was a time in my own life when I struggled with unbelief.
My husband was leading us down a path that required faith, and I wasn't on board.
I simply did not believe what God could do.
Then the Lord dealt directly with my heart.
I knew it was Him.
It was so real to me that the hair stood up on my head. In that moment, I knew what I needed to do.
I needed to get on board.
I needed to have faith.
And I needed to follow.
That experience caused my faith to grow immensely.
Looking back, I am grateful that God loved me enough to deal with my unbelief instead of leaving me there.
Maybe you have had a moment like that too.
Maybe God used a sermon.
Maybe it was a verse you had read many times before, but suddenly it seemed to speak directly to your need.
Maybe it was another Christian.
Maybe it was a circumstance you couldn't ignore.
Or maybe it was simply that quiet conviction in your heart that said, You already know what you need to do.
What Should We Do When We Realize We're on the Wrong Road?
Turn around.
Don't keep traveling simply because you've already come a long way.
When God reveals that we have made a wrong choice or done something wrong, I believe it is important to repent quickly.
David committed grievous sins, but when confronted with his sin, he acknowledged it.
"And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD." — II Samuel 12:13 KJV
David also prayed:
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." — Psalm 51:10 KJV
Scripture describes David as "a man after mine own heart" in Acts 13:22.
The answer when we discover we have wandered isn't to hide from God.
It is to return to Him.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." — I John 1:9 KJV
Grace, if you already know that God has been dealing with you about something, don't wait until tomorrow to obey what you know you should do today.
You don't need a donkey to tell you.
Turn around.
Confess it.
Get back on the right road.
And keep walking with Him.
Staying Close Enough to Hear Him
This is one reason I believe our daily time with God's Word and prayer is so important.
We need to hear from Him before the voices and demands of the day become loud.
Whether it is opening your Bible, keeping sermon notes, writing down prayer requests, or recording what God is teaching you, the purpose isn't simply to complete another Christian activity.
The purpose is to walk with God.
That is also the heart behind the Kinsman & Company Walking With God 2-Year Bible Prayer Journal. It was designed to keep Bible reading, prayer, gratitude, service, and reflection together so that our time with the Lord can be intentional and meaningful.
A journal cannot make us obey God.
A beautiful Bible case cannot keep us on the right road.
A Scripture card cannot make our decisions for us.
But surrounding ourselves with God's Word can continually point our attention back to the One we need to hear.
If you are looking for a way to make your time in the Word more consistent, our Spiritual Growth Journal for Women | King James is another beautiful tool designed to help you stay rooted in Scripture every day.
And if you want to discover even more ways to unlock what God has for you in His Word, don't miss our post Unleash Wisdom: Bible Reading's Hidden Secrets.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Psalm 119:105 KJV
There is that picture again.
A path.
So, Can a Donkey Really Talk?
If God wants it to.
The God who created the donkey certainly has the power to open its mouth.
But when I read Numbers 22, I don't want to walk away merely amazed that a donkey spoke.
I want to ask myself:
Am I listening?
Has God already shown me something in His Word that I am resisting?
Am I blaming something—or someone—for blocking a road God never wanted me traveling in the first place?
Have I allowed what I want to become more important than what God has said?
And if the answer to any of those questions is yes, I pray I will turn around quickly.
My prayer for myself—and for you—is that we will stay close to our Heavenly Father and listen carefully when He speaks, so He doesn't have to use something extraordinary to gain our attention.
May we have faith.
May we obey.
And may we allow His Word to keep our feet on the right road and our hearts following the right path.
"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." — Psalm 119:133 KJV
