Focus on Eternity

          Have you heard the story of the talking donkey in the Bible?   You might have a slight inclination that you’ve heard about a story in the Bible with a talking donkey, but you cannot put your finger on the point of the story.   This is where I stood a few days ago.   References to the story of Balaam are found in both the Old and New Testament.   Depending on where you first encounter ‘The Way of Balaam’ or ‘Balaam’s Error’ may influence your understanding.   When you look at each account, comprehension of this story becomes more apparent.   With a humble heart, allow me to share what I’ve learned about this story from a personal application point of view.        My first encounter with this story came from reading in 2 Peter 2:15 (ESV), “Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray; They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing.”   From this perspective, you might read into the story, that greed was involved, but when you first

        You are from a large family.  You are one of twelve boys.  Your Dad married sisters, some of your brothers, are also your cousins.  It is a dysfunctional family.  Although no one has called your Dad a polygamist, he’s married to a few women, never divorced, and has a few women offered by his wives, on the side.  Your father has a favorite son; it’s no secret.  He doesn’t mind admitting.  His parents had favorites, too; as a child, he could have been accused of being a Mama’s boy.  At seventeen, you suffered from immaturity.  What boy hasn’t?  You love to tattle on your siblings; it got you in trouble, tattling as well as a little bragging.        Dad tried to solve the family drama; he once told you to check on your brothers in Shechem and report back to him.  It was like following a rabbit trail to nowhere.  When you arrived in Shechem, a dangerous place for your family thanks to two of your older brothers, a stranger approached to tell you that your brothers had moved o