In Numbers, chapter twenty-two, verse twenty-two, God permitted Balaam to go but was angry with him because Balaam was considering Balak’s offer. Balaam’s spiritual blindness reveals through the incident with the donkey.
Though God had given Balaam leave to go. However, it was upon condition that the princes called him to go with them. Balaam went without their call and did not wait for it. Besides, he did not acquaint them, as he did not the messengers before of what God had said. Balaam receives advice that he should not curse Israel nor say anything contrary to God’s will, which, had he told them, they would not have taken him with them. Moreover, Balaam was going to curse Israel, which must be displeasing to God, who knew his heart.
Likewise, though Balaam had permission to go, he was angry and was not agreeable to the Lord that he should go. Therefore he should not have gone notwithstanding or, at least, he might expect some marks of the divine displeasure he saw that the thing was evil in the eyes of the Lord or displeasing to him. Yet Balaam desired it. However, the angel of the Lord stood against him that this was not a created angel, but the eternal one. The angel of Jehovah’s presence went before the people of Israel in the wilderness, not only to guide but to guard and protect them. The angel was an adversary to their adversaries: effectively stood up for their help and assistance against all those that hated and opposed them. An angel of mercy, who would have restrained Balaam from sinning, that he might not sin and perish, and so would be a friend instead of an adversary, had he attended to him.
Today, people that believe in more than one deity will experience spiritual captivity. They may have a good heart but will not follow the path of God with the other deities within their life. This lifestyle will continue to sidetrack them and prohibit this group from coming to the knowledge of the truth unless they acknowledge it.