Reflection: Balaam’s 7s: Israel’s rebellion, God’s faithfulness

Remember the story of the talking donkey? The persistent king and the peculiar prophet (who’s ‘B’ names get easily mixed up: Balak and Balaam).

Kings and messengers, curses and blessings, multiple sacrifices…everything seems at sixes and sevens in the hills overlooking the promised land.

But the real sting in the tale is what’s happening in the valley.

There are the Israelites, almost smelling fresh roses; almost tasting those grapes; almost trusting God…There, in a final fickle act, the last of the first generation who were predicted to die in the wilderness will perish in ignominy (Numbers 25:1-13).

There are two sides to every story.

God, up on a mountain, establishing and safeguarding a relationship with Israel…while they, oblivious, down in the valley, fall a-lusting (great phrase…but what a miserable picture of physical and spiritual failure).

It’s a story very reminiscent of one that happened back at the beginning of this generation’s wilderness experience:

God, up on a mountain, establishing a covenant with Moses… while his beloved mob, impatient and oblivious, worship a golden calf-god.

These two cautionary stories bookend the first generation of God’s rescued people. Warning: God is forever faithful to his beloved.

But he’ll allow them to hang on the arm of another…and suffer the consequences.

Prayer:

You are Love and jealously, Father God. Grow me in awe and confidence of your character. Make me more into your image. May I love what you love and be repelled by what is not rooted in love.