The water of cleansing 19 the lord said to moses and aaron. Tell the israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or. This generation was numbered for the war of conquest in canaan 1. The point of the verse is that gods truthfulness and unchangeableness guarantee the blessings of gods people. Oh the sottishness of superstition, to imagine that god will be at mans beck. The passage then continues with a series of rhetorical questions which demand no as an answer has he ever spoken and failed to act. Gods faithfulness guarantees the promises to his people. Numbers 23 arad destroyed 21 when w the canaanite, the king of arad, who lived in x the negeb, heard that israel was coming by the way of atharim, he fought against israel, and took some of them captive.
The book of numbers is the fourth book of the law of moses, also known as the torah or pentateuch. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. The old testament does indeed teach that god is not a human being, not only in numbers 23. The book of numbers demonstrates that god is directly involved in the life of his people. Read commentary on this popular bible verse and understand the real meaning behind gods word using john gills.
Numbers 23 new king james version nkjv the prophecies of balaam. Find top church sermons, illustrations, and powerpoints for preaching on numbers 23. Because death is the wages of sin, which entered into the world by it, and reigns by the power of it. Commentary on numbers 2223 balak hires balaam tough. Theyve been in this same spot for about a year and now theyre getting ready to start out on their journey to this land flowing with milk and honey that god keeps talking about. Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36. The curse is turned into a blessing, by the overruling power of god, in love to israel. God is not like man who sometimes does lie and change his mind. The book of numbers itself refers to the writing of moses in 33.
But this verse is not a challenge to the doctrine that christ is god in flesh. God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. The context of the numbers passage is balaks attempt to have balaam curse israel into oblivion out of malice. The book of numbers was named after the first key word bemidbar in hebrew scripture, which appropriately means in the desert, the place where the israelites spent forty years following the exodus. Introduction to the book of numbers learn religions.
Those who deny that jesus has two natures, the divine and human, will often quote numbers 23. This is something god never got through balaams thick skull because throughout the entire account, he tries his best to curse israel, to do more than god instructs, or to speak beyond what god put into his mouth. Chapter 23 verse 19 assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. The message of the book of numbers is universal and timeless. That he should lie break his promise made to his people for their preservation and benediction. First of all, at the time numbers was written, god had not yet become incarnate. The promised land the land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. The law includes the books of genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, and deuteronomy. Numbers 19, new international version niv the bible app. No doubt there were other lies before then, but this lie is the first that i can recall. It reminds believers of the spiritual warfare in which they are engaged, for numbers is the book of the service and walk of gods people. Reproof, rebuke, correction and instruction in righteousness is prevalent throughout this book. Numbers chronicles the experiences of two generations of the nation of israel. God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Numbers 23 balaams first message 1 balaam said, build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me. This is the exact same place where the israelites have been hanging out since god freed them from slavery back in exodus. Numbers was written in the final year of moses life. The first 5 book of the bible, called the law, of which numbers is the fourth, are ascribed to moses throughout scripture joshua 8. Tell the israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. The book of numbers was written between 1440 and 1400 b. What appears to be a state of meanness by god is actually god being meaningful. If the lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Commentary on numbers 22 23 balak hires balaam may 11, 2015 bill pratt 2 comments the israelites have traveled around the borders of edom and have arrived in the land of moab, across the jordan river from the city of jericho. Numbers 23 and balaam said to balak, build for me here. The first generation participated in the exodus from egypt. The first part of the book of numbers describes the lives of the numbering of the people at sinai and the preparations that. God has set out his plan of the ages within the pages of scripture and gods. Dear brothers and sisters, i was just watching this you tube video showing syeikh yusuf estes responding to a christian in a peace conference when i learned about this revelation in the bible which clearly defines the essence of god almighty just as we who.
If god repeats the same thing over and over again, it must be important. Verse click for chapter new international version god is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Man is a creature consisting of a body of flesh and blood, and of a soul, a created and finite spirit. Resources, free bible software, bible art, biblical history topics and study, and ancient bible maps of rome, greece, and ancient near east. The fuller translation of balaams words jps tanakh is. Bible history online images and resources for biblical history. The book of numbers clearly states the unalterable truth. God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change. The book of numbers is the fourth book of the christian old testament. Numbers, new king james version nkjv the bible app. However, the new testament shows us that jesus made claims to be godand at the same time he calls himself the.
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