Kids Resource
Why was King Balak afraid of Israel? Why did he send messengers to get the prophet Balaam?
King Balak was afraid because Israel had already won victories over other nations. He didn’t want his kingdom to be taken away, so he tried to find a way to stop Israel. He thought that if he got a prophet of Israel’s God, Balaam, to curse Israel, he could defeat them.
Why was God upset with Balaam for going when He said it was okay? What did God do? Who did He send to stop Balaam?
God was upset because Balaam’s heart was not fully submitted to Him. Even though Balaam obeyed God by going, he may have been thinking about the riches and fame Balak offered him. So, God sent an angel to stop Balaam on the way.
What happened when the donkey saw the Angel of God?
The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord and turned away three times to avoid him. Balaam got angry and hit the donkey. Then, God made the donkey speak to Balaam, asking why he was being beaten. After that, God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel standing there with a sword.
What miracle did God do so that Balaam changed his heart to truly submit to God?
God opened the donkey’s mouth to talk, which showed Balaam that God was in control. Then, He opened Balaam’s eyes to see the Angel of the Lord, who could have killed him. This made Balaam realize that he must only say what God wanted him to say.
How many speeches did God give Balaam? What four things did God promise to Israel through Balaam’s speeches?
God gave Balaam four speeches. In them, God promised:
- To bless Israel
- To fight for Israel
- To give Israel the Promised Land
- That a ruler (Jesus) would come from Israel to defeat their enemies
What was Israel doing at the same time that Balaam was giving his speeches? How does this show God’s faithfulness and justice?
While Balaam was blessing Israel, many Israelites were sinning by worshiping other gods and committing wrong actions with the people of Moab. Even though they were unfaithful, God was still faithful to His promises to bless Israel and give them the Promised Land. This shows that God keeps His promises no matter what, but He also brings justice when people disobey Him.