Then he spoke his message:
“Arise, Balak, and listen; hear me, son of Zippor. 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? I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.
Numbers 23:18-20
Scripture Notes
Before we get started, it is important to understand who Balak is and why he appears in Scripture. As Scripture says, Balak is the son of Zippor and the king of Moab. He is an enemy of the Israelites, and fearing Israel’s success over nearby tribes, Balak calls Balaam to curse them. Now, Balaam was greedy and corrupt, but not false. He was a prophet who could only relay messages from the Lord and could not make up his own. Here, we find that God uses an unlikely messenger. (We must be alert and test the spirit, not just trust what other people say, 1 John 4)
Balaam had seven oracles in all:
1. God cannot be bribed, coerced, or manipulated. Israel is blessed with distinction
2. God is unlike man. He is unchanging, consistent, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Israel is blessed and cannot be prevailed upon
3. The beauty of Israel and those who curse them will be cursed instead
4. “A Star out of Jacob” predicting the forthcoming Messiah, one who will rule over all and ultimately defeat Moab with other neighboring nations
5.-7. Prophecies regarding the destruction of other nations, like the Amalekites
We will not go into all the prophecies nor go into depth, but let’s start with the first to give us a foundation. The first oracle states that God cannot be coerced into cursing Israel. God’s chosen people were distinguished as being set apart. Only God himself could speak against them; however, through Abraham, God promised that his people would number the dust of the earth (Gen. 13:16).
The second oracle Balaam delivers affirms that Israel cannot be cursed, meaning curses cannot be bought or sold. Much like the indulgences of the medieval church, God cannot be bribed, nor can any man assume to make God do his bidding. Through these oracles, God shows the Moabite King that his plan and desire are foolish.
Some misinterpret how, since God is not human, Jesus can be both human and divine. Pagan gods and other myths had demigods – half man and half god. But the complexity and wholeness of God is that Jesus was fully man and fully God. Unlike humans, who are subject to a sinful nature, God is holy, pure, and without blemish. He cannot fall into the trap of dark human behavior.
We must also be cautious not to pull our sentences or verses to suit us or to validate our own purpose. If he promises and does not fulfill, it does not mean Christians can get whatever we want. Nor is this promise universal. This promise, this covenant, is specific to Israel and cannot be adopted, acquired, purchased, or seized. Likewise, the command to bless and not to curse does not relate to our country or any nation. This promise was specific to God’s chosen people, and to usurp, misappropriate, or commandeer a blessing meant for others is presumptuous, to say the least.
Instead of the blessing of God dedicated to his chosen people, we have been offered the greatest gift. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, we are redeemed, and our sinful nature is wiped clean. We are invited to join God the Father in the heavenly places and not fall away into corruption. As humans, we change and are given the opportunity to become a new creation. But God never changes. We can trust in His promise, not of blessing, but of freedom from death and darkness.
MEMORY VERse
David Cox el Viejo. Un torrente de montaña, c. 1850. Instituto de Arte de Chicago
Related Verses
More verses about God’s constancy:
Prayer Invitation
Application Questions
- Have you been attributing human-like characteristics to God, like inconsistency, unfaithfulness, or instability? How can you turn this doubt into confidence in God’s unchanging nature?
- Are there circumstances or situations in which you are trying to manipulate the outcome (like the king did) rather than submitting to God’s purpose?
- When have you experienced something that seemed to intend you harm, and God caused it to be a blessing (think of Joseph)? Can you look back and rejoice in God’s hand in the experience and your preservation through his guidance?
- The prophet spoke the truth, but inwardly his heart was not aligned with God. How does this challenge you to better align your words and actions with the will of God?
MANÁ 
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