Now bear in mind, first, that Balaam is no impostor or magician. He
is a wise man, and a prophet of God. God really speaks to him, and
really inspires him.
And bear in mind, too, that Balaam's inspiration did not merely open
his mouth to say wonderful words which he did not understand, but
opened his heart to say righteous and wise things which he did
understand.
'Remember,' says the prophet Micah, 'O my people, what Balak, king
of Moab, consulted, and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him
from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the
Lord. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before
the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with
calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of
rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my
firstborn for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the sin of
my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth
the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and
to walk humbly with thy God.' Why, what deeper or wiser words are
there in the whole Old Testament? This man Balaam had seen down
into the deepest depths of all morality, unto the deepest depths of
all religion.
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