Balaam cared nothing for the people he was called to help.
Although Balak’s plan to have Balaam curse Israel was thwarted when Balaam blessed them instead, it didn’t mean Balaam had any fond affection for Israel. In fact, later he advised the Midianites that tempting the Israelites to immorality would work just as well. God killed Balaam for that (Numbers 31:8).
Peter tells us that Balaam “loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15). This was a man who knew that what God spoke through him was unalterable, and therefore he could eventually command a lot of influence and money for it. This explains why he could tell the elders of Moab and Midian that he could only say what God told him to say about the Israelites, and seemly not care about payment…yet!
When Balaam saddled his donkey and followed the elders his heart was as black as the night. He would do as God said, but to his mind, the rest was up for grabs. This was something that God would not allow. Thus, “he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet” (2 Peter 2:16).
This was an act of pure grace on God’s part. If Nadab and Abihu could only have been so blessed.
At that point it was God’s will to do whatever it took to get His word spoken by whomever He chose in the way he wanted it done.
Our prophet had enough intelligence to know that God could have inflicted much worse damage upon him than chaffed legs and the ignominy of being preached at by a donkey. Wisely he sharpened up his act; albeit briefly.
It is my sincere prayer that God does whatever it takes to bring us to our senses when we too are going about His business with anything less than a pure heart.
“Lord, do whatever it takes to get us ready for your coming.”
John Staiger