Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

request. Although God had already made His will known to him, he
urged the messengers to stay so that he could ask God again.
In the night, the Lord appeared to Balaam and said, "If the men
come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I
speak to you--that you shall do." The Lord would permit Balaam to
follow his own will to a certain extent, because he was determined
to do it. He chose his own way and then tried to get the Lord to
approve it.
Thousands of people today are following a similar path. Their
duty is plainly set before them in the Bible or clearly indicated by
circumstances and reason. But because these evidences are different
from what they want, they ignore the evidence and seem to go to
God to learn their duty. They pray long and earnestly for light, but
God will not be trifled with. He often permits such persons to follow
their own desires and suffer the result. "My people would not heed
My voice. ... So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to
walk in their own counsels" (Psalm 81:11, 12). One who clearly sees
a duty should not go to God with the prayer to be excused from
doing it.
A Donkey "Sees" More Than a Prophet
Annoyed at Balaam's delay and expecting another refusal, the
messengers from Moab started out on their homeward journey
without talking to Balaam again. Every excuse for complying with
Balak's request had now been removed, but Balaam was determined
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