This was written to be used for working with children. It is based on the scripture in Numbers 22. This may be used in working with children anywhere but please do not pass it off as your own work or try to sale it in any form.
God's people, the Israelites, lived in Egypt for about 400 years. During that time they multiplied greatly--that means that they had lots of kids who grew up and had more kids. When the time came for the Israelites to leave Egypt, God sent Moses to show them the way. It took them a long time because they had to walk the whole way. During that time they had some battles with other people but because God was with them, they won a lot of the battles.
Balak was the king of a country called Moab and Balak and the people of Moab were afraid of the Israelites since they had heard about some of these battles that the Israelites had won. Now, Balak sent a message to Balaam because he had heard that Balaam was sort of a magician. Balaam could bless someone and good things would happen to them or he could curse them and bad things would happen. This was how Balaam mad a living because he got paid for doing this for people.
King Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites so that bad things would happen to them and the people of Moab wouldn't be afraid of them. King Balak sent some of his princes to Balaam to give him some money so would do this for him.
Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey and took off to Moab. When he did this, it made God really mad at Balaam. God sent an angel to stand in the way and stop Balaam. Balaam couldn't see the angel but his donkey sure did. The angel was standing in the road with his sword drawn. Donkeys are pretty smart and she didn't want to try to go against an angel so she turned off the road and went into a field. What do you think Balaam did? He took out his whip and whipped the poor donkey! Balaam got her to go back to the road.
This time the angel was standing in a narrow path with grape vines and a wall on each side. The donkey pushed against the wall to try to stay away from the angel. When she did, Balaam's foot was smashed against the wall. Wow! This made Balaam really mad this time so do you know what he did? He whipped the poor donkey again.
The third time the angel of the Lord found a narrow place, where there was no way to go either left or right. Since she had no where to go to get away from the angel, the donkey just lay down on the road right under Balaam. This was the third time now. How mad do you think Balaam was now? Yes, he was furious! He took a big walking stick/staff that he carried with him and started beating the donkey with it.
Then something Balaam never expected happened. God let the donkey open her mouth and start talking to Balaam! She said, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these 3 times?" Now, I think I might have passed out if a real live donkey started talking to me but Balaam didn't. He told her, "Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."
The donkey asked him, "Haven't I been your donkey that you've ridden on for many years? Have I ever treated you like this before?" Balaam looked at her and said no.
Then God opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel standing in the way with his sword drawn. The angel spoke to Balaam and asked him, "Why have you been beating your poor donkey? I have come to stop you because what you are doing is wrong. The donkey saw me and turned aside three times to save you. If she had not, I surely would have killed you and let her live."
Balaam told the angel of the Lord, "I am so sorry that I sinned. I didn't know you were standing in the road. If it is bad for me to go to Moab, then I will turn around and go home."
The angel said, "No, don't go home. Go to King Balak but only say what I tell you to say."
So Balaam went to the king but he would not curse the Israelites. He would only say what God wanted him to say and not what King Balak asked him to say.
God's people, the Israelites, lived in Egypt for about 400 years. During that time they multiplied greatly--that means that they had lots of kids who grew up and had more kids. When the time came for the Israelites to leave Egypt, God sent Moses to show them the way. It took them a long time because they had to walk the whole way. During that time they had some battles with other people but because God was with them, they won a lot of the battles.
Balak was the king of a country called Moab and Balak and the people of Moab were afraid of the Israelites since they had heard about some of these battles that the Israelites had won. Now, Balak sent a message to Balaam because he had heard that Balaam was sort of a magician. Balaam could bless someone and good things would happen to them or he could curse them and bad things would happen. This was how Balaam mad a living because he got paid for doing this for people.
King Balak wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites so that bad things would happen to them and the people of Moab wouldn't be afraid of them. King Balak sent some of his princes to Balaam to give him some money so would do this for him.
Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey and took off to Moab. When he did this, it made God really mad at Balaam. God sent an angel to stand in the way and stop Balaam. Balaam couldn't see the angel but his donkey sure did. The angel was standing in the road with his sword drawn. Donkeys are pretty smart and she didn't want to try to go against an angel so she turned off the road and went into a field. What do you think Balaam did? He took out his whip and whipped the poor donkey! Balaam got her to go back to the road.
This time the angel was standing in a narrow path with grape vines and a wall on each side. The donkey pushed against the wall to try to stay away from the angel. When she did, Balaam's foot was smashed against the wall. Wow! This made Balaam really mad this time so do you know what he did? He whipped the poor donkey again.
The third time the angel of the Lord found a narrow place, where there was no way to go either left or right. Since she had no where to go to get away from the angel, the donkey just lay down on the road right under Balaam. This was the third time now. How mad do you think Balaam was now? Yes, he was furious! He took a big walking stick/staff that he carried with him and started beating the donkey with it.
Then something Balaam never expected happened. God let the donkey open her mouth and start talking to Balaam! She said, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these 3 times?" Now, I think I might have passed out if a real live donkey started talking to me but Balaam didn't. He told her, "Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."
The donkey asked him, "Haven't I been your donkey that you've ridden on for many years? Have I ever treated you like this before?" Balaam looked at her and said no.
Then God opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel standing in the way with his sword drawn. The angel spoke to Balaam and asked him, "Why have you been beating your poor donkey? I have come to stop you because what you are doing is wrong. The donkey saw me and turned aside three times to save you. If she had not, I surely would have killed you and let her live."
Balaam told the angel of the Lord, "I am so sorry that I sinned. I didn't know you were standing in the road. If it is bad for me to go to Moab, then I will turn around and go home."
The angel said, "No, don't go home. Go to King Balak but only say what I tell you to say."
So Balaam went to the king but he would not curse the Israelites. He would only say what God wanted him to say and not what King Balak asked him to say.
No comments:
Post a Comment