The Rise and Fall of a Prophet and What His Story Means for Us Msgr. Charles Pope • December 14, 2015 • Balaam and the Angel, by Gustav Jaeger, 1836.He is one of the more curious figures of the Bible; the details of his life and story are caught up in textual complexities in the Book of Numbers. Though a prophet, he was not even an Israelite. He wrote no book and is not counted among Israel's prophets. And yet a prophet he was, for he spoke the oracles of God and brought blessings to Israel at a critical time...