This was a brave answer, but it was spoilt by what Balaam added: "Tarry ye here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more." As if God were likely to change His mind! The word "tarry" was a clear tampering with the voice of God. Balaam met his death at the hands of the people whom he had betrayed into sin. We may learn the following lessons from his life:
I. The first is to beware of tampering with conscience. When we are tempted, conscience stands in the way as an adversary, flashes before us some great word of God, forbidding us to do what we were bent on doing. Well for us if we do not struggle with that angel adversary, if, at the sight of his glittering sword, we bow down and say, "I have sinned"!
II. We learn from the life of Balaam how vain are good wishes when separated from good actions. We must live the life of the righteous if we would die the death of the righteous.
"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." But such a death must be preceded by a life "in the Lord."
R. D. B. Rawnsley, Village Sermons,3rd series, p. 109.
Reference: S. Baring-Gould, One Hundred Sermon Sketches,p. 178.