God is not human
Numbers 23:19 - God’s faithfulness is a foundation of biblical theology, and provides hope and assurance to all believers.
Balaam (right) and Balak upon the heights of Bamoth Baal, overlooking the camp of the Israelites. Image generated by ChatGPT (OpenAI) using the DALL·E model.
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
Numbers 23:19 NIV
Today’s verse comes from all the way back in the Old Testament, in Numbers. It’s the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah, and it ends the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt and the journey to the promised land.
Chapter 23 of the Book of Numbers is one of almost four chapters that focus on the story of Balak. If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because you probably remember the story that is central to Chapters 22 - 25, in which Balak (who is the son of Zippor, the king of Moab) tries to hire Balaam (a non-Israelite prophet) to curse Israel. The entire scheme backfires when Balaam’s donkey speaks to him (the donkey sees an angel that is invisible to Balaam), and Balaam is convinced to bless Israel instead.
The person speaking in this verse is Balaam, and he’s talking to Balak. When Balaam says that “God is not human, that he should lie”, he’s pointing out to the king’s son that God is divine, not fallible like humans. Balaam is pointing out a central truth of scripture, that God is inherently truthful and faithful, while humans are sinners who seem to love nothing more than deceiving others.
Balaam goes on to say that God is also “not a human being, that he should change his mind.” In Malachi 3:6, God speaks through the prophet and says “I the Lord do not change”, a similar message to humanity that He is immutable. God is always steadfast, always unchanging, as we see in the Old Testament (example, Exodus 3:7-8) when He consistently delivers Israel from calamity and ruin.
Next, Balaam asks Balak a rhetorical question: “Does he speak and then not act?” He’s trying to point out to Balak that when God speaks, His words are always followed by action (see Isaiah 55:11, where God explains that He accomplishes what He says He will). We see this fulfillment of His promises throughout the Bible in how He handles prophecies, like delivering His people from Egypt in Exodus, and how He spoke through the prophets about the coming of the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14 or Matthew 1:22-23).
Driving his point home, Balaam asks another rhetorical question — “Does he promise and not fulfill?” In the time of Balaam and Balak, the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham should have been fresh in both of their minds, so it’s almost as if Balaam is asking Balam “What part of this do you not understand?!” In Genesis 12:1-3 God promises Abraham that “I will make you into a great nation,” and at the end of the Book of Numbers the people of Israel are about to enter their land — the promise fulfilled.
Modern Christians have an even stronger example of God’s faithfulness, in that the Abrahamic covenant of Genesis found even more fulfillment in Christ:
“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.”
Galatians 3:16 NIV
God’s faithfulness is a foundation of biblical theology, and provides hope and assurance to all believers.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer based on Numbers 23:19 comes from Knowing Jesus:
I praise You, O Lord, for You are our trustworthy God and never-changing Saviour. Thank You for the truth of Scripture and for the assurance that Your Word will stand fast for ever. Thank You that You will never let me down, despite my own faults and failings. In the name of Jesus, I pray that I may become more and more like Him, as I submit to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit in my life. AMEN.