YEA Lesson Library
Balaam’s Curse
About This Lesson
This lesson tells the story of Balaam’s donkey and Balaam’s efforts to curse Israel.
Scriptures
Numbers 22:1-41
Numbers 25:4-9
Numbers 31:15-18
1 Corinthians 10:11-13
Hebrews 2:8-10
Hebrews 12:1-3
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 13:1-6
James 1:2-4
Words to Know
PROPHET - one who speaks divinely inspired words
CURSE - a prayer or saying for harm or injury to come upon a person
The Lesson
At a church picnic one summer, all of the children begged to wade in the lake. So one of the dads took about ten little ones to wade. Sally was seated with some of the other ladies. Suddenly the family dog, Blackie, came up to her and started barking. She told him to be quiet. When barking didn't work, Blackie took her elbow gently in his mouth and started pulling. Once Sally started following him, he led her to where all of the children were splashing and playing in the water. Blackie was very concerned about the kids in the water. He wanted to make sure they were safe.
There is a story in the Bible about a donkey, Balaam's donkey. Her actions saved her master three times. Balaam was a prophet who was well-known all over that part of the world. So when the king of Moab, Balak, saw the Israelites defeating their enemies, he sent for Balaam to curse Israel because Balak didn't believe there was any other way to stop the Israelites. When Balaam asked God, God told him not to go to King Balak. He told Balaam not to curse Israel because they were blessed.
King Balak wasn't ready to give up. He again sent his princes to Balaam, trying to get Balaam to curse Israel. Balaam told Balak that even if he gave Balaam his palace filled with silver and gold, Balaam could only speak what God said. This time when Balaam asked God, God told him he could go, but he was to do and say only what God told him.
In the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. We don't know exactly why God was angry with Balaam, but perhaps it was because He knew that Balaam would look for an opportunity to hurt Israel. So as Balaam rode his donkey, the Angel of the Lord stood in the road. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword in his hand, the donkey turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat his donkey to get her back on the road.
Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between two vineyards that had walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the Angel, she pressed close to the wall. This crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he beat the donkey again.
Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow place where there was no room to avoid him. So the donkey lay down under Balaam. He was very angry and began beating the donkey with his staff. God opened the donkey's mouth. She asked Balaam why he beat her three times. He was still so angry that he didn't seem to notice that she'd spoken to him. He told her that if he had a sword, he would kill her right there. He thought the donkey had made him look very silly. That made him even more angry.
The donkey asked Balaam if she normally acted that way. When Balaam said no, the Lord opened his eyes to see the Angel of the Lord with the sword in his hand. The Angel asked Balaam why he had beaten his donkey three times. The Angel had been ready to kill Balaam three times, but three times the donkey moved out of the Angel's way and kept Balaam from being killed.
Balaam admitted that what he had done was wrong. He also became more willing to do only what God wanted him to do. He was willing to turn around and go home, instead of going to Balak. But God told him to go - - but to be careful only to speak what God told him.
King Balak was not happy that Balaam ended up blessing Israel three times, each blessing greater than the last. Balak didn't want Israel to be blessed. But he didn't understand that Israel was being blessed because they trusted and obeyed God. As long as they followed God and kept His commandments, things went really well.
However, when the Israelites didn't do what God commanded and turned their backs on Him, things started to go wrong. In the end we learn that the Angel of the Lord had truly seen that Balaam would do what he could to hurt Israel. How did he do it? He told the people of Moab that if they would become friends with the Israelites, let their women marry the Israelite men, and teach them to worship the Moabite gods, then the relationship with God would be broken. God became angry at the Israelites because they started worshiping other gods. He sent another plague of death and 24,000 people died (Numbers 25:4-9).
This is a good lesson for us. As long as the people trusted and obeyed God, things would work out for their good. They were blessed. But as soon as they took their eyes of God, started doing what they wanted and worshiping other gods, things went very wrong. They were cursed. No one else cursed them. They cursed themselves.
What about us? As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, our Savior, we are blessed. If we trust God and act as we know He wants us to, He will take care of us. But if we turn our backs on God and start doing things we know are displeasing to God, things will not go well. We will eventually find ourselves in a lot of trouble with no one to blame but ourselves.
So who is our Hero in this lesson? Only the best Hero, the only true Hero there is: Jesus Christ. He is the one who saves us. He is the one who really loves us. If you truly want to be blessed, remember to keep your eyes on Him!
Activity
Teaching the Lesson:
Legacy Lesson: Student book/Teacher book - Teaching Time: 25 mins.
Lesson Prep - Teacher book - Time: 20 mins.
Activity (Teacher book): Puzzles and Retelling - Time: 20-45 mins.
Song: "Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart" - page 75 of Kids Classics Collection - Time: 5 mins.
Activity (Student book): Decode the Story! - Time: 15 mins.
Extending the Lesson - REACH Activities:
*Back to the Bible: Blessings and Cursings
*Journal Jot: Animal Heroes
*Word Study: fix our eyes - aphoraō
*Just Toolin’ Around: Donkeys
*Did you Know? Balaam
*Stretch It Out: Story Board
*Music Notes: I Love to Tell the Story
*Questions? - Writing Prompt - 10 mins.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me to always look to Jesus as my Hero. He is the only Hero who will never let me down, who will always love me, and who will save me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday: Hebrews 12:1-3
Monday: Numbers 25:4-9
Tuesday: Numbers 31:15-18
Wednesday: Hebrews 2:8-10
Thursday: James 1:2-4
Friday: 1 Corinthians 10:11-13
Saturday: Hebrews 13:1-6
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Relate the story of Balaam and his donkey from Numbers 22.
2. Explain why the Israelites were blessed and what caused them to be cursed.
3. Transfer the lesson to today.
4. State and understand the memory verse: Hebrews 12:2a.
Topics & Themes
Angel
Animals in the Bible
Donkey
Balaam
Blessings
Blessings/Cursings
Consequences of sin
Curses
Donkey
Materials Needed
Bibles, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, pencils and pens, attendance and memory verse charts, stars, songbook, music player, CD or cassette, chalkboard and chalk, poster board jigsaw puzzles, markers and crayons, ziplock bags with the students' jigsaw puzzle pieces, visuals for lesson presentation
Preparation
Do you remember the old country song, "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden"? Sometimes Christians receive the mistaken idea that once they enter into a covenant relationship with their Savior, everything will be coming up roses, so to speak. But as the words to the song say: "Along with the sunshine, there's gonna be a little rain sometime." It is important that the students don't walk away believing that following God always means things will go smoothly and that they will never experience pain. To leave them with that concept is to put a stumbling block to their faith in front of them. Spend some time thinking this week about what it means to be blessed and what it means to be cursed. The answer has to do with our relationship with God, our ultimate reward, and the
process of sanctification. Hebrews 2:10 tells us that Jesus was made perfect, or complete, through the things He suffered. James 1:2-4 says that our trials develop perseverance so that we will be mature and complete. But God also promises that when we're going through the difficult things, He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and He will never give us more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).
This would be an excellent visual lesson. Flannel boards would work great. You may also wish to use small props: donkey, building blocks for walls, action figures for Balaam and Balak.
Note: Again, when teaching this lesson, you will get a different impression as to Balaam's character depending upon which version you read. Some seem to indicate that he was a pagan diviner who set out to do great harm to Israel. Others seem to show a prophet who knew God, but was going wrong - influenced by money. It is, therefore, not completely clear why God was angry enough with Balaam to send the Angel to kill him.
How to Teach This Lesson
After opening the class with prayer, begin the discussion.
Talking animals - Discuss the idea of talking animals with the class. Some students will say that their pets do talk because they know their pet's behavior so well. Sometimes the behavior of pets shows an amazing awareness of what's happening around them. (The story of Blackie in the Students' book is true.) Ask the students if they have any similar stories about pets.
Numbers 22 - Work your way through Numbers 22, retelling the story with lots of help from the students. (See Preparation for presentation ideas.) Ask: Why did Balaam's donkey avoid the Angel of the Lord? Why was the donkey able to see the Angel when Balaam couldn’t?
Discerning Balaam's heart - Ask: Does it seem strange that God told Balaam he could go, but then the Angel stood ready to kill Balaam for going? Show the students that Numbers 31:16 shows that even though Balaam couldn't curse Israel, he gave advice that would cause God’s wrath to come upon Israel - a way to get Israel to bring the curses upon themselves.
God's wrath - Tell the students that in piecing the story together over several chapters, we see God's wrath because of Balaam’s advice and the death of 24,000 Israelites.
Blessings vs. curses - Ask: What causes the blessings? It is directly linked to following God and putting Him first. Ask: What Scriptures do you think will support blessings coming because you put God first in your life? (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28; Deuteronomy 28.) Read the Scriptures students suggest. Then talk about the opposite: the curse. If we don't follow God and His ways, things will not work out right. This does not mean that God promises Christians a free and easy ride. Ask: Why do you think that is? Lead the class to discover that they learn valuable lessons from the bad times that make them better people.
Week Two Hero - So who is the Hero for our lesson this week? Jesus Christ. Why? He is the one who loves us, who gives us strength, who saves us from our sins and ourselves. If we keep our eyes on Him, we will be blessed.
Review Questions
1. Who was Balaam?
2. Who was Balak?
3. What did Balak want Balaam to do?
4. Did Balaam do what Balak wanted? Why/why not?
5. How did Balaam bring a plague or curse upon Israel?
6. Are Christians blessed or cursed today?
7. What causes people to be blessed or cursed?
8. Who is our Hero for Lesson Two?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Jigsaw Puzzle
Continue working on your jigsaw puzzle, using the piece for Lesson Two. On one side, write “Jesus Christ." On the other, write "Brings us blessings and salvation." Give the students their ziplock bags so they can continue with their jigsaw puzzle pieces too. If you have time and choose to use visual means of presentation, allow students to take turns retelling the story by themselves.
REACH Activity
Back to the Bible: Blessings and Cursings
Balak really wanted to curse Israel. He’d seen their successes and he couldn’t think of any way to stop them as they took over the Promised Land. He knew that Balaam could pronounce a curse. But what Balak didn’t stop to consider is that God’s blessings come as a natural consequence for those who are obedient to His ways. This might be a good time to read the blessings and cursing that come as a direct result from your obedience or disobedience - Deuteronomy 28:1-69. What would you rather have?
Journal Jot: Animal Heroes
Blackie was an amazing dog! When the kids were quite young, the family was visiting Fremont Canyon in Wyoming. Blackie stood in-between the edge of the canyon and the children so that they couldn’t accidentally fall over the edge! Perhaps you experienced an amazing animal protecting you. Maybe you know someone who had an incredible experience. God can definitely use animals to protect us! Write about a personal experience in your Bible notebook.
Word Study: fix our eyes - aphoraō
This phrase, found in Hebrews 12:2, is the Greek word aphoraō and means “to look; to consider attentively.” (Source: Zodhiates’ NAS Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, 1990, G#872) This word is not merely a glance. It’s not a quick survey. It has the idea of looking in order to learn something that you are very much interested in learning.
Can you think of something that you look at attentively because you want to learn something? Can you think of anything that you look at and then promptly forget what it was that you saw?
Write this word, its definition, and scripture reference in your Bible notebook.
Just Toolin’ Around: Donkeys
There were some pretty famous donkeys in the Bible. Oh we don’t know their names; we just know who rode them. Using a concordance, find three famous instances of donkeys in the Bible. Write down what you find and share the information with your family.
Did you Know? Balaam
There was a “fragmentary inscription discovered in 1967 at Deir Alla, Jordan, about 25 miles north of the plains of Moab where the Israelites camped. Written in black and red ink on a plaster wall, this fragmentary inscription dates to between 800 and 700 B.C.” These are the words they found: “The misfortunes of the Book of Balaam, son of Beor. A divine seer was he.” (Source: NIV Archaeological Study Bible, 2005, pg. 229)
I love when archaeological evidence proves the authenticity and veracity of the Bible! What do you think? There’s no doubt that the stories in the Bible are not fiction; they actually happened!
Stretch It Out: Story Board
A story board is a graphic organizer that shows sequential panels, much like a comic strip. Create a story board to tell the story of Balaam’s donkey, the three times she saved him from the Angel of the Lord, and God opening her mouth to speak to Balaam. Use your favorite colors to add depth and dimension. Share with your family.
Music Notes: I Love to Tell the Story
This hymn is on page 80 of the CEM Hymnal.
The author of the text of this hymn is A. Catherine Hankey (Kate). The daughter of a wealthy British banker and member of the Anglican church, Kate felt called to share the gospel. So she organized Sunday school classes throughout London, open to all, rich or poor. When she was only 30, however, she came down with a serious illness. During her recovery, she wrote a lengthy poem on the life of Christ. The first half (50 verses), which she titled “The Story Wanted,” was turned into another of her hymns “Tell Me the Old, Old Story.” The second half (another 50 verses), which she titled “The Story Told,” was turned into this hymn “I Love to Tell the Story.” (Source: Amazing Grace, Kenneth Osbeck, 1990, p. 299)
Sometimes we are reluctant to share the good news because we are concerned that we won’t choose the right words. If you feel the urge to share about God’s love with someone - as Kate did - step out in faith and share. If God can give words to a donkey, He can certainly give words to you too. And if you ever feel like you can’t put two coherent words together when you’re talking with someone, maybe God doesn’t want you to share with that particular person. But be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you for the reason of the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15)!
Write your favorite line of this poem in your Bible notebook. What part of the story of God’s love do you like to tell?
Questions?
Write down any questions you have in your Bible notebook so that you can remember to ask your parents or your pastor.
Song
"Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart" is on page 75 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer thanking God for giving them Jesus Christ, a real Hero, who brings us blessings and salvation, and ask that He will help them to always put Him first.
Printable Pages
