Numbers 22:31

"Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head and fell on his face. And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Balaam, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak."

Balaam's offer to return home shows that he already knew this journey to be contrary to God's will. However, he had already committed himself to go, and God permitted no turning back.

"Go with the men ..." (Numbers 22:35). There is a point of no return in every departure from the will of God. What terror must fill the hearts of men who, launched upon an evil course, find that they have gone too far to turn back. At last, there came the time in the life of Judas when God commanded him, "What thou doest, do quickly!" (John 13:27). Many a sinner would like to turn back when the fruits of his wickedness begin to appear; but there stands the angel of Jehovah, always, with the drawn sword, "Go with the men!" When men make their bed with evil, God requires them to lie in it.