The Story of Balaam
The story of Balaam is one that is often overlooked or taken as fiction, because of God's unusual method he used to open the eyes of a blind man; God certainly have given sight to many that are blind; he has given sight to the physically, and spiritually blind, but none using this unusual method. He used an Ass with better vision than a man with no vision at all, at least, his spiritual vision was none existant, and because the Ass was able to see, he was able to save the blind man's life (Numbers 22:21-34). The story of Balaam has far more to offer, and will take the learner far beyond the unusual method God choose to steer Balaam from a life of disobedience and blindness to a life of obedience as well as a man that can now see. The lesson is all about growth in many ways and the advantages of his growth.
Balaam Blindness
Balaam was not physically blind, but blind just as well, and blind of the worse kind, he had eyes, and those eyes could physically see, but spiritual could not see what was right in front of his face. Balaam blindness of his kind caused him problems and made him make serious mistakes; his first mistake was that he felt he could go out on a mission, as a representative of God, without God's permission (Numbers 22:21,22). One might ask, in his Spiritual blindness could Balaam, was Balaam God's messenger. The answers might lie in the actions and behavior of the man in the midst of his blindness; we all make mistakes, but prayfully, we correct them before they lead us to death; death was in his path and no way he could see. He gave an audience to men that came with no good in mind, and not only did they come with no good, but they came seeking to do harm to God's chosen people (Numbers 22:5-8). He failed to align himself with God's people and choose to gave audience to people that didn't know God and God didn't know them (Numbers 22:9)
Balaam Open Eyes
I once was lost, but now I see, might be a testimony, of a man that was once blind, but God have given sight, and we might say, that this man, gained sight through hard tribulation, and near death experiences (Numbers 22:33). Surely, it can be said, when he was able to approach his life and what is to come, with his eyes wide open, he had a new attitude and new appreciation of God, and God's power, and authority (Numbers 22:34, 38). He knew to speak only as God would command (Numbers 23:5) and to gave God the praise that he only desires and deserves (Numbers 23:8-12).
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