Startling Situations And Strange Rebukes

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam … who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey.
2 Peter 2:15-16

Listening to a talking animal may seem very curious. But in Balaam’s case, God used the donkey to show how Balaam’s rebelliousness had blinded his eyes and stopped his ears to the angel of the Lord.

But though talking animals are seldom encountered, the reason for Balaam’s rebellion is as common now as it was then, as Matthew Henry’s insight reveals.

WALK WITH MATTHEW HENRY
“The inordinate love of this world turns people out of the way which leads to the unspeakably better things of another life. The love of riches and honor turned Balaam away from duty, although he knew the way that he took displeased the Lord.

“Hardened sinners sometimes meet with rebukes for their iniquity. God stops them in their way and opens the mouth of conscience, or by some startling circumstance confronts them.

“Though some extraordinary rebuke may for a little while cool men’s courage and hinder their violent progress in the way of sin, it will not make them forsake the way of iniquity and go over into the way of holiness.

“Those who will not yield to usual methods of reproof will be but little influenced by miraculous appearances to turn from their sinful course.”

WALK CLOSER TO GOD
If you’re not listening to God’s Word, don’t be surprised if his “gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12) becomes loud and painfully clear through some out-of-the-ordinary circumstance. But even then, there’s no guarantee you’ll get the message.

As Abraham warned the rich man in Luke 16:31, “They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

It’s dangerous to grow “hard of hearing” toward the things of God. What does it take for you to hear—and heed—God’s Word?