139 Scary (Num 22)

Every now and then I get a supreme feeling of forgetting something.
The other day it happened.
I was pretty sure I had stuff on every night that week.
It was just going to be one of those weeks.
Not sure how it happens, but it just does.
I had nothing in my diary.
Which is not that unusual.
There was nothing on the calender in the kitchen.
Which is unusual if there is something on.
And then the clincher was when I got home.
Donna's second words after "Hi honey. How was your day?"
were
"What have we got on tonight?"
Aaaarrrrrrr!
She's the one I was hoping would know.
She always does.
Looking in the fridge, we both hoped it wasn't someone coming for tea.
Anyway we spent the night waiting for a phone call asking where we were.
Or a knock at the door.
Neither came.
Phew.

Numbers 22
Love this description.

v4 "This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field."

The reputation of a mighty nation had preceded the Israelites.
And it was scary to some.
Very scary.
Scary enough to lead to desperate measures such as those carried out by Balak.
Balaam's position here confuses me a bit.
He's some sort of diviner or sooth-sayer, yet speaks to God.
And God comes to talk with him.
His insight has obviously been accurate in the past.
Perhaps he was a prophet that got lured by self importance and greed and went off by himself.
Balak expected to have to pay handsomely for his service.
Hmmmm.
He has also seen God work before.
He's aware of the signs and wonders.
Obviously I guess because he's not phased in having a converation with a donkey.

Shrek has changed this story for me forever though.
I keep seeing Balaam traveling along and the donkey going
"Are we there yet?"
No.
"Are we there yet?"
No
"Are we there yet?"
No
"Are we there yet?"
No
"Are we there yet?"
Doooooonnnnnnnn-kkkkkeeyyyyy!!!!!
"Can we have waffles?"
Aaaaaaaarrrgggghhhhhhh!
Although I can't see Balaam making candles out of ear wax.

At the end of the day, whatever Balaam's motives or past or occupation, he recognises that you don't mess with God (eventually).
Despite the riches on offer.
Or the prestige.
Or the pressure from a son of Zippor.
You don't defy God's will.
He did.
And if it wasn't for his donkey and its annoying clicking mouth noises, he would have died.

The tension is tangible here folks.
Is it to be a curse?
Is it to be a blessing?
Will he realise his long lost uncle is really his father who regrets never telling him the sad story of his twin sister he never knew he had?
What is he going to say?
Oh no.
It's the end of the chapter.
A slow fade as they stand on the hill gazing out at the camp of Israel.
"God has said.................................."