The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Day 70: The Offense of Balaam (2026)
26 snips
Mar 11, 2026 A dramatic retelling of Balaam’s moral collapse and the strange miracle of a talking donkey. Readings explore ancient laws on exclusion and camp life from Deuteronomy. A psalm celebrates God’s faithfulness through Israel’s history. Reflections warn against trading integrity for gain and link Balaam’s story to later scriptural warnings.
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Balaam Is A Receiver Of Divine Speech
- Balaam is a recognized soothsayer whom God nonetheless speaks to directly, revealing a paradox of divine communication through a pagan prophet.
- The episode highlights Numbers 22 where Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel but God intervenes, showing God's sovereignty over human attempts to manipulate outcomes.
The Donkey Exposes Spiritual Blindness
- A talking donkey and an angel reveal Balaam's spiritual blindness and God's dramatic method to restrain him from sinning.
- Numbers 22 recounts the donkey seeing the angel, speaking, and ultimately opening Balaam's eyes to his perversity before God spares his life.
Psalm 105 Frames God’s Covenant Faithfulness
- Psalm 105 recaps God's covenant faithfulness from Abraham through the Exodus, linking the Balaam episode to God's ongoing fidelity.
- Fr. Mike notes the readings coincide: Deuteronomy excludes Moabites partly for hiring Balaam, while Psalm 105 praises God's preservation of Israel.