I am going to put the story of Balaam and the ass into a modern retelling to better emphasize the uniqueness of the event...
There once was an impartial newspaper man, we shall call him Phillip, who lived in a growing frontier town and was very wise and respected by all. He was well known for his articles and editorial commentary and seemed capable of swaying the must stubborn of men to his point of view. One day he was approached by members of the town council and they impressed upon him the great service he would be providing the community if he were to become mayor. Phillip was intrigued by the offer as he had often thought of running for office but never had the means to do so. Hesitantly he asked how he could obtain such an honor. The men explained that the esteemed office could easily be his, they could garauntee it, but he would have to grant them one small favor. Phillip asked what the favor was and the councilmen explained that the mayorship would be his if he were to simply defame a little known religious sect that was moving into the region. Phillip knew nothing of the sect and agreed to sleep on the request and answer the men in the morning..
That night, Phillip had a wondrous vision that showed him the many good works, past, present and future, of the new religious sect and how magnificent his city would become with these good people as part of it. He was also, in no uncertain terms, advised that he should not write a negative review of these people but embrace them and buoy them up as they were blessed. When the council-members returned on the following day, Phillip refused there offer - unable to go against that which he had seen.
The councilmen, having been sent by the Governor, returned and delivered the bad news. The Governor was not deterred and sent his most decorated Generals to bargain with Phillip again. Phillip met the Generals, discovered their plea and explained that he could not go against his own visions unless the mayoral seat and a lifetime of wealth were both agreed to by the Governor. This was a most outrageous request but the Generals did not balk and Phillip was racked with his decision. He asked them to wait a day so that he might ponder and the Generals agreed.
Again, Phillip had a vision, just like the first and was charged not to defame the people but bless them; however, he was only to do so if the men returned a third time. The following day, Phillip rose early, and without hesitation, prepped his horse and proceeded on to visit the Governor.
Along the way, Phillip's horse abruptly stopped and turned toward a different route. He briskly smacked the horse and forced it back to the road. Once on the correct path, the horse again turned away, and did so with such a quick movement that Phillip fell and bruised his leg. He remounted the horse and roughly hit the animal again. With stern determination, Phillip forced the animal back to the path a third time; but as the horse came to the crossroads it simply stopped in its tracks and layed down. Phillip was furious and smacked the horse a third time.
Frustrated, the horse reared back its head and exclaimed, "Master, why do you keep hitting me!"
Phillip, not a bit surprised by the intelligent utterance of the horse, matter-of-factly, responded, "You are embarrassing me! I have an appointment to keep and you have willfully hindered my progression. Now, arise and get onward!"
The horse retorted, still speaking plainly and without any awe from Phillip, "I have been your loyal steed for all these years and have never done anything to hurt you or give you cause to berate me and yet today I am beaten thrice - do you not see that I am protecting you?"
Phillip was exceedingly confused, looked up, and was granted the gift of sight that his horse had been blessed with. Before him, standing directly in the path where the horse had turned twice and now lay prostrate in the dirt, was an angel of God. The angel held a menacing expression on his face and an equally menacing sword in his hand. Phillip suddenly realized that the angel was prepared to kill him and that the horse had indeed protected him, three times. In great humility, Phillip bowed before the angel, and prostrated himself in the dirt beside the horse.
That is essentially the story of Balaam and the ass. Not perfectly parallel but sufficiently close to make comparison. Balaam was a prophet of sorts, skilled in curses and was hired to curse the approaching Israelites. He refused originally because of communication with God that highlighted the Israelites and crowned them as a blessed people; however, his nonchalant request for vast riches was not outrightly refused and it tantalized Balaam enough that, despite another vision from God, he decided to proceed forth and meet with Balak, the money man behind the offer. Balaam traveled on his donkey to address Balak and beat the animal three times as it turned from the path. The donkey plainly spoke but Balaam, blinded by his lust for riches, ignored the miracle and urged the donkey to press forward. Finally, Balaam's eyes were opened and he saw the angel before him...
NUMBERS 22:32-33
32 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:I think the key point here is that the ass had seen the angel before Balaam and that the ass would have been preserved whereas Balaam would have surely been killed. Balaam had a vision of immense importance and had twice communicated with God but, clouded by his lust for riches and the honor of men, he could not see the angel. The lesson being; whatever gifts, talents, and abilities we may possess, they do us no good if we are blinded by the many wiles of pride.
33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
You are no wiser than an ass when pride consumes you!~Kipling
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