Balaam Facts for 3-8 Year Olds

Categories: Obedience

• Balaam’s story is in Numbers 22-24.
• He is a prophet.
• Scholars aren’t certain of the meaning of his name.
• The king of Moab, Balak, sends messengers to Balaam asking him to curse (or say bad things against) the Israelites as they are moving toward the Promised Land.
• The messengers take money to pay Balaam.
• That night God comes to Balaam and tells him not to go back with them. He tells Balaam not to curse the Israelites “because they are blessed.”
• The next morning Balaam sends the messengers home.
• Balak sends more important messengers, trying to change Balaam’s mind.
• That night God tells Balaam he can go, but he must only do what God says.
• The next morning, Balaam saddles his donkey.
• On the way, Balaam’s donkey sees an angel of the Lord three different times.
• Each time the donkey stops, and Balaam beats it.
• Then the Lord opens the donkey’s mouth, and the donkey speaks to Balaam. Wow!
• Suddenly, Balaam sees the angel standing before them. God has opened Balaam’s eyes.
• The angel tells Balaam that the donkey has saved his life.
• Balaam offers to return home, but the angel tells him: “Go with these men, but speak only what you are told.”
• When he arrives, Balaam asks Balak to build seven altars. Then Balaam goes off to wait for a message from the Lord.
• The Lord meets with Balaam. He gives him a message for Balak: “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed?”
• Balak is very angry at this news.
• They go to another spot where they can see the Israelites camped.
• Balak again asks Balaam to curse them, and they build more altars.
• Balaam waits for the Lord.
• The Lord tells him, “There can be no cursing against Jacob”—the Israelites.
• They do this all again a third time.
• Balaam receives the spirit of the Lord and blesses Jacob.
• Then Balak is really angry and tells Balaam to go home and refuses to pay him.