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God Is Not A Man (Numbers 23.16-19) Introduction: There are some things that are so obvious they don't need to be stated. Then there are some things that are so obvious they do need to be stated (the elephant in the room). If I were to ask if God is like us? Most would say no. Yet man has always tried to make God equal to man. That is those who try to make man equal to God. They try to lower God down to our standards. There are those who feel comfortable when God is made our "buddy" or "bosom pal." I find such a concept to be unscriptural, anti-scriptural, and even blasphemous. God is the great I AM and we all are to bow before Him as being far greater than we mere mortals. Our text clearly and forcefully declares the truth of our subject today. However, I am afraid that we fail to full appreciate and comprehend this great truth. This contributes to a breakdown in the understanding of many fundamental doctrines of the Bible. How often do you hear people question God? They are not questioning what the Bible teaches or says but they actually question God, Himself. There are a number of way that we could proceed in discussing that God is not a man. We cannot discuss all of them today. However, I believe there is one area where we ought to be able to see the distinction. That area is a very fundamental doctrine -- forgiveness. I) Numbers 23.19 A) Israel is near the end of forty years of wandering in the wilderness. [Numbers covers 38 years and 9 months; Leviticus covers about 1 month; Deuteronomy about 1 year] 1. They had encountered Sihon and Og, Numbers 21.21-35 a. These were kings east of Jordan and were hostile to Israel. b. They represent Ammon and Bashan 2. They were easily defeated. The reason is stated in Numbers 21.34 B) Israel next encounters Balak, king of the Moabites, Numbers 22.4 1. Balak has an idea. a. He chooses to not fight against Israel b. He decides to hire Balaam to curse Israel, Numbers 22.5-8 2. God has other ideas. a. Cursing Israel is out of the question, Numbers 22.12 b. Balak and Balaam keep trying and they keep failing, Numbers 22.15ff. 3. Ultimately, when Balaam tries to curse Israel, God puts a blessing in his mouth instead. a. The event of the donkey speaking to Balaam happens in Numbers 22.22--35. b. Not necessarily to stop the donkey. c. More to stop the "madness of the prophet", 2 Peter 2.15-16. 4. Our test is a response to a request by Balak, Numbers 23.17. Verse 18 Balaam begins to speak to Balak. a. Balak needed to learn that God is not a man. b. Men tend to: lie, change their mind, get tired and give up or give in, be politically minded. God is not like that. c. God will keep all His promises. d. His blessings or cursing cannot be bought. C) It is the timeless lesson of Isaiah 55.8-9 1. This is not just a lesson for Balak and Balaam. 2. This is a lesson that we need to learn as well.
[We say we know that God is not a man. We will point out (correctly) that God is a Spirit (John 4.24). After that we then operate, despite our own words to the contrary, as though God is a man.] II) Examples A) Adam and Eve thought they could hide from God, Genesis 3.8. 1. The fact is they believed the lie that by eating of the forbidden fruit they would be like God, Genesis 3.5 2. Where could or how could they have possibly thought they could hide from God? They simply thought of God like they did themselves, like a man. B) "You thought that I was altogether like you" (Psa. 50.21b) C) The whole premise of idolatry is to make God like man, Acts 17.29 1. We lower God to that of being like His creation, Romans 1.21.25. 2. We must remember that man is created in the image of God (Genesis 1.26-27); it is not that God is created in the image of man. 3. We will either learn this concept now or we will learn it on the Day of Judgment. III) In the area of forgiveness A) The existence of sin 1. Man is that which man commits, it is universal, and it is the transgression of God's Law, Romans 3.23; 1 John 3.4 2. There is no sin with God, 1 John 1.5. B) God's justice demands a penalty for sin 1. "the soul who sins shall die" Ezekiel 18.20a. "The wages of sin is death" Romans 6.23a. 2. This death is primarily talking about a separation from God, Isaiah 59.1-2. C) The Lord can save, Isaiah 59.1-2n (we should not shorten the hand of God so He cannot save) 1. Some think of "big sins" and "little sins" God does not. 2. We have trouble forgetting and sometimes we forget too easily. God does not forget but when we do what God says He does forgive and forget.
D) God will forgive 1. Mercy and grace was extended to man while he was in sin, Ephesians 2.1-9 a. Verses 1-3 shows how bad man is in sin. b. Verses 4-9 shows God's grace and mercy. 2. God made redemption possible, Ephesians 1.7. 3. God gave His Son for our forgiveness, Romans 5.6-8. 4. When we do what God says, our sins and iniquities are remembered no more, Hebrews 8.12; 10.17; Jeremiah 31.34
[God's forgiveness is greater than any man's] E) Man differs from God 1. Man wants vengeance and judgment when dealing with those that sinned against him, Hebrews 10.30. a. Lamach in Genesis 4.23-24 b. Man's justice tends to be un-justice. 2. Man has a problem forgetting 3 . Man wants to keep sins "dangling before him" a. The sins of others, Matthew18.21-22 b. His own sins, Psalm 51.3 c. People will use their past sins as an excuse to not obey God today. d. "God must get tired of forgiving me of my sins" is said but not true. 4. God "remembers no more" and cast sin "behind His back" Isaiah 38.7. 5. If we say, "God cannot forgive me" then we have made Him like man. F) God gave Jesus to die for you and me. a. Let us say you have a child. You see the birth of that child, take care of it and see it grow. You see the child take its first steps, hear its first words. As the child grows up you feed, cloth, and provide all of its needs. How much would you take for that child? b. We see that God is not like man in that Jesus came as a sacrifice for our sins. ["Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift" (2 Corinthians 9.15)] Conclusion: I am glad and rejoice that God is not a man and so should you. Forgiveness is real and can be yours and mine. Jesus died for your sins that you might be forgiven. Won't you believe in Him and repent and be baptized. Won't you do it right now? --My thanks to Terry Sanders for the outline that I changed just a little bit. -- Dennis Tucker
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