Return to Vocal Ministry
Return to Vocal Ministry
Jay W. Marshall, Dean
September 3, 2004, ESR/Bethany Joint Worship
Numbers 22:21-31
I think that perhaps there is a reason why God appears as a cloud in so many of the great theophanies contained in Scripture. It is not about majesty, splendor and holiness. It is about mystery, confusion, and perhaps a smidgen of disillusion. A good mystery is fun when reading a novel or watching a movie. But because religion is concerned with truth rather than (or within) fiction, and with meaning beyond simple enjoyment, mystery as related to religion translates into ambiguity. Ambiguity means we are unable to describe concisely and clearly. Like trying to build a pyramid with Jell-O, the whole enterprise defies firmness of form and certainty of foundation. The situation remains a bit blurred. Or shall we say cloudy. Thus, Scripture's portrayal of God as a cloud is an accurate statement about divine mystery and the existential ambiguity that emerges in the face of that mystery.
If ambiguity is an accurate description of the human experience of the divine, then Numbers 22-24 may well be the marquee advertisement that the divine cloud is coming to a ministry near you-and to all those who dare to consider the call and task of ministry. This is a passage that initially raises numerous cloudy questions for the reader, but ultimately gives three clear contributions to those preparing for or engaged in ministry.
Re-reading the story of Balaam whisked me back to some of my early experiences as a pastor. I must confess that early in ministry, I thought truth was easily known if one listened to the Holy Spirit. You listened. God spoke. You heard. How hard could it be?
My first pastorate was in rural southern Chatham country, North Carolina. As studies in church dynamics would later reveal, personal experience confirmed much earlier that this was a family chapel congregation. In my heart of hearts, though I knew God was the ultimate authority, I was soon to learn that God didn't always have the final word there. It is no wonder, I suppose. Most decisions were made in a circle of cigarette smoking adults standing on the meetinghouse lawn, and even though God sometimes is surrounded by smoke in the theophanies, and even though NC is frequently confused with heaven, and parts of NC are known as tobacco country, I have always imagined Yahweh as a non-smoking God. Or at least, like Bill Clinton, never inhaling. Perhaps if God were a smoker, the decision-makers would have asked for God's opinion.
One of the patriarchs of the church asked me one day what I thought of the idea of robes for the choir members. He and his wife were proud of the musical quality of the meeting. They thought it would add a bit of class to an already good sound if the choir had matching robes.
Please understand. This was not high church. This wasn't even medium church. This was a Quaker meeting whose formality extended no further than matching offering plates and a set order of service, though it was never, ever written down. Casual was king of the dress code there, at least for the under 65 crowd. Add those things to the Quaker testimony of simplicity and I could scarcely imagine a more wasteful way to support the choir. I expressed reservation about the idea, but covered my objection by encouraging him to seek monthly meeting's opinion. He actually did so, which surprised me as he usually took his willingness to pay as a sign of God's approval and asked no further questions.
In a bold move rarely seen before in that meeting, people-namely from the choir-those who would have been most affected by the decision-objected to the idea, timidly but openly. The patriarch chimed in that he had intended to pay the robes himself, but if that was the way folks felt, then he'd just keep his money. Someone at the rear was heard to murmur, yes, but he'd have insisted on having the name of his farm plastered across the front of the robe! "We'd would all be members of the "Leonard Farms Church Choir." Later on the meetinghouse lawn, the verdict was upheld amidst the puffs of smoke. Three 'nos' from three different locations around the block were enough to squash the idea. The choir was spared.
It didn't take long to perceive that though paid to be the mouthpiece for the Lord in worship, the presence of God to the sick and the dying, and the sole ambassador to the unchurched population whom everyone wanted in church but about whom no one cared enough to ask themselves, the reality was that folks preferred when the word of the Lord through the prophet concurred with public opinion. And if need be, they were willing to ask the question repeatedly until they got the answer they wanted.
In today's text, there is quite of bit of this dynamic occurring in multiple circles, no less. Israel is on a journey that God has commissioned. Those who see the destruction that accompanies their progress are fearful, and rightly so. Balak, king of Moab, does what one would expect of a king and launches into protection mode. Divination is available for a fee so he sends for Balaam, son of Beor. The king's summons launches a series of conversations-some between Balaam and Balak. Some between Balaam and Yahweh. Some are even between Balaam and his ass.
Those conversations lead us into some cloud-covered terrain. One might wonder how this non-Israelite prophet earned his press credentials so that he could gain an audience with Yahweh. And how is it that God, whom we have been taught sees us in our entirety, even knowing where we stash our bag of stress chocolates, would have to ask "who are these people?" The cloud of ambiguity settles quickly in this story as the range of God's messengers is broader than an orthodox or purist perspective might expect, and God's knowledge, which tradition has insisted is omniscient and flawless, has a senior moment.
From this first conversation we begin to learn about the world of competing authorities. We learn about the human desire to prop ambitions with divine endorsement. More importantly for those who would be ministers and on occasion, perhaps prophets, we learn that divination for a fee will not be allowed to trump divine blessing. Balaam is not allowed to go to Balak for the purpose of cursing Israel.
With that, Yahweh is in control, it seems-but one wonders if Balaam isn't playing a bit of a sales game himself. Is his refusing of the king an honest rebuff in loyalty to Yahweh, or is he bargaining for more compensation? By playing just a bit hard to get, is he seeking bonus money?
Whatever the case, with that question unresolved, the next time the messengers come for Balaam offering more moola, God allows Balaam to go, but only on the condition that he says what God allows him to say. After all, that is the role of the prophet, is it not?
But who is this God who first of all didn't know who these people were, then refused to allow Balaam to go, then grants Balaam permission to go, only to get angry when Balaam goes? Had Yahweh not meant it? Was it a test for Balaam? How is a prophet to speak for a finicky God?
We come then to the strangest thing. Like a sports car on gas with a bad ethanol mix, Balaam's ride begins to misfire. It sputters and sidesteps and eventually stops in its tracks. And then, of all things his ass speaks. (No doubt, before this year is over, you will all hear an ass speak. Feel fortunate if you only hear one-and pray that it is not yourself!)
It has been said we shouldn't worry when we talk to ourselves, but only when we begin to answer ourselves. In that vein which is more bizarre--that the donkey spoke, or that Balaam answered! Though we may have thought God wasn't paying attention very well, what with the question of "who are these people" and God's confrontation of Balaam on the road after granting permission to go on the trip, God has seen something to which we readers were not privy-Balaam's way is perverse, or so God says.
More importantly, from this conversation we learn that God chooses to speak through some unusual messengers. (That may explain how some of us came to be here!) Whether that is true or not, we should not miss the truth that those from whom we would be slow to seek truth are sometimes the bearers of the wisdom we desire. The sooner we are able to hear the word of the Lord from unconventional sources, the sooner we begin to discern in digital quality stereo.
Finally, Balaam arrives to the one who paid for his services. Balak wanted results, and he wanted them now. He is the king, after all! Curse these blasted people before they wreak havoc on the Moabites. After appropriate homage and sacrifice, Balaam offers these words: "Balak has brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me; Come, denounce Israel!' How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced? (oh that we could all say that and mean it!) . . .Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the dust-cloud of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"
There is one huge problem with that prophetic word. That is not what Balak paid for. It is not what he wanted to hear. So he said, "let's go over here. Look from this perspective and tell me what you see?" Try your curse from a different place!! Things do look different from a different perspective! From there it was a little different-but not in the way Balak had hoped. From this vantage point, Balaam said, "The LORD their God is with them, acclaimed as a king among them. God, who brings them out of Egypt, is like the horns of a wild ox for them. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, 'See what God has done!'" And so it continued from every perspective until finally, Balak sent Balaam home. Having asked for the same answer multiple times, Balak concluded we'll just have to do without those cursed choir robes.
To the lesson about competing authorities and the recognition of divine messages from unusual messengers, this conversation teaches us about understanding the purpose of Yahweh's servants-even when they or we have been hired! It is indeed appropriate to consider an issue from multiple vantage points, much like Balak's escort of Balaam around the perimeter to look at those he wanted cursed. But we must remember that when all is said and done, we are to speak as God leads, not as others would influence us to speak. From each position, Balaam was able to hear confirmation of the message he was to deliver.
Each of these conversational snippets offers good advice and pose interesting questions for those of us who are in or headed toward ministry as a vocation. Question one: Once we agree to work in ministry for a fee, to what degree is our ministry for sale? This is a place where Friends language of being released for ministry rather than hired for ministry suggests a beneficial distinction. It acknowledges our need for financial support in order to devote ourselves to the act of ministry, but it stops short of accepting that we sell our services. But we can not assume that those who employ us understand that distinction. When that is the case, we should not be surprised to encounter authority that sets itself in opposition to God as your guide. Question two: When that occurs, how do we minister responsibly and with integrity?
This text also stretches our boundaries regarding who can inform our ministry. Question three: Once we graduate with a diploma that certifies we have mastered divinity, how do we recognize which teachers and messengers are credible? The talking ass is the comical lesson. When a pack animal sees God more clearly than the professional prophet, we may have a problem. But I think the non-Israelite Balaam's effective prophetic ministry on behalf of Yahweh emphasizes that message as well. What an important lesson to learn-that God can commune with us and communicate to us through unusual, unconventional messengers.
Finally, Question four: in ministry can we be brave enough to consider an issue from multiple vantage points, seeking to discern and speak the truth all the while risking that we could have to change our minds? Such care will deepen and strengthen our message and our ministry.
Brothers and sisters, a certain amount of ambiguity will remain for all who engage in ministry. But thanks to Balaam and his talking ass, perhaps the clouds have lifted just a bit.