1. We must not be distracted by the story of Balak and Balaam from the fact that this is primarily the saga of Moses and the Children of Israel. Sufficient detail is provided by the LORD to illuminate a teaching that we need to know. It is up to us to seek further information concerning the two B's if we so wish. 
2. Balaam's home was in Pethor (meaning Interpretation of Dreams) which was situated on the Euphrates river in Mesopotamia, which today would be in Syria or Iraq. This means that it must have taken the messengers some weeks to reach Balaam, return to Balak, others sent again and return with Balaam, by donkey or camel. This means that it was a long drawn out affair. 
3. Here is an important point that we must become aware of. Balaam was a diviner or soothsayer (Nu 22:7 and Nu 24:1), was almost certainly not an Israelite - and yet the LORD spoke to him. In verse eighteen of chapter twenty two Balaam says "the LORD my God. We will come back to this later. My own interpretation of this matter is that Balaam, who lived in a place called "Interpretation of Dreams", who was known far and wide as a diviner of spiritual matters, who had the very real power to curse; went before his God, Jehovah, to find His will in the matter. If the LORD did not see fit to answer, then Balaam would probably have used other spiritual means to earn his living. 
4. In the last verse we see that God's anger was kindled against Balaam. Why? It seems that he obeyed the LORD? Now we know that the LORD is righteous, which means that there was a reason for Him to be angry. We see that the first time the messengers came, Balaam sent them away and the second time he only went after obtaining the blessing of his God. It would seem therefore that the LORD's anger was kindled because Balaam asked the same question twice which may show his attitude. Was it perhaps that he was eager to go on account of the honour and riches as promised in verse seventeen? 

1. It is perhaps good to realise and remember that the LORD can use a donkey to teach a servant of His a lesson. For example, if someone comes to you and says "The Lord told me to tell you. ..." it could be true, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the person concerned is a Christian brother or sister. 
2. This is important to remember: The angel of the LORD stopped the donkey three times. Only then did the LORD open Balaam's eyes. This seems to mean that we must wait for confirmation from Him before committing ourselves as discussed in 1. above. 
3. It would seem that Balaam was not surprised that the donkey spoke to him. Perhaps because of the fact that he was a spirit medium or soothsayer. How would you react to a donkey speaking to you? 
4. We see that Balaam bowed down and fell flat on his face when confronted by the angel of the LORD. He knew that he was in trouble when he saw the drawn sword. 
5. Please note that the angel of the LORD did not say "thy way is perverse before the LORD", but "thy way is perverse before me". This is most significant and denotes complete trust between the LORD and His angel, a oneness of purpose. 
6. It also shows that both the LORD and His angel knew that Balaam was on his journey for the wrong reason. See Proverbs 15:3 and 20:27. This visitation was necessary to shock Balaam back onto the right mental path to ensure that he did the LORD's will. 

Here are two other examples of people in the Old Covenant, of a similar nature, that we can learn from: 

From the preceding we can see that the God whom we profess to worship is a righteous and jealous LORD. He will not tolerate willing sin. Let's confirm this with the word: 

OK, now with the preliminaries behind us, let us get down to the nitty gritty, so to speak. 
Here are two passages of Scripture so close in words and ideas that the one could be a copy of the other. 
The Lord is confirming something here! 

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 
(2 Peter 2:1-22) 

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 
(Jude 1:3-25) 

Do we have false prophets today, men and women with secret agendas? Undoubtedly. 
I know of a man that claimed from the pulpit that he had made a vow to the Lord, that if the Lord would save him, he would serve Him for the rest of his life. A very gifted man and upright, an excellent and convicting preacher and yet, he wanted something from the Lord, so badly, a sign, that Satan was able to feed him strong delusion. He is dead now, the angel of death took his soul and spirit away in the hour of his triumph because he was actually promoting Satan's work, even though he thought otherwise. His church that is left and it is a big one, believe and teach their student Pastors that Jesus's death on the cross was not enough, that He was punished by Satan for three days in hell before being saved by the Father, when He rose again. Is this Biblical? No! 
Therefore this man is one of those who gave a false teaching, one of those whom Peter and Jude warned us about. 
One of these false teachers who is living while this article is being written, actually says that he could have taken Jesus's place on the cross. 

Does your church teach infant sprinkling as baptism? Or that you can only go to heaven if you belong to their denomination; or that the priest will tell you whether you are going to heaven or not; or that all born again Christians speak in tongues; or that Mary is your intercessor to Jesus? 

All of the above teachings are false and all the persons promoting such teachings are the Balaams of today and are accursed, casting the stumbling block of confusion in the way of the new Children of Abraham, you and I. 

There is only one source for the Truth; and God will confirm it to you when you seek it. The source is the Living God Himself, through His word and through His Holy Spirit.^* 

Do you think that perhaps I am a crank, have gone overboard just a little? 
Is it possible that you are not taking God seriously? 
You know, if you are wrong and I am right and you are one day led to the door marked "HELL", it will be too late to change your mind. 
Jesus did warn us in Matthew 7:21-23 that many would prophesy in His name, but only those that did the will of His Father would enter heaven. He was speaking to His disciples! 
Peter and Jude were warning professing Christians of the same thing! Are you perhaps a cloud without water? Have you been fed strong delusion? 

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
(Revelation 2:26) 

 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 
(2 Corinthians 7:1) 

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 
(2 Corinthians 6:14-18)