Christians: What does this verse mean?

Question

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: when He hath said, will He not do it? or when He hath spoken, will He not make it good?

Answer 1

God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
-------------------
What God says is what He does, he is consistant from beginning to end... he does not make idle threats... he carries them through even if it means seperation from Him forever....

Answer 2

It means that God isn't like us, saying one thing and doing something else. If he said he is\would do something, he would do it.. We , on the other hand, will change our minds in a heartbeat. God created man (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7, 21-22) while he himself is a Spirit (John 4:23-24) and the Father of all spirits (Hebrews 12:9). God is perfect and immutable (unchangeable). He has no faults or flaws as we do. We are plagued by the old Adamic nature (nature of the Devil) until we learn and live our way out of moral, thoughtful, and practical 'sin'. Christ has freed us from the power of sin, but it's up to us to be and stay free. That's why we have an advocate (lawyer, standin) with the Father (1 John 2:1), because they know we are going to mess up along the way.

Answer 3

Yes, but, Zephaniah says in 1:12 that God will do Good and Evil. And in Genesis he "Repented" that he made man. Gen. 6:6. Also, God did lie, at least twice, Gen. 2:17, for if man surely died, God also, must be dead. Gen. 3:22. Now, does that mean we are Gods? He said we are, right? And, again, Gen. 6:13 "The end of ALL flesh has come before me." But, here we are, unless, of course, Noah wasn't made of "flesh". In the Book of John, Ch. 1, v. 1 "In the beginning was the Logos (Divine Idea), kai (even) the Logos was with (inside God's mind as the Logos) God, kai (even) the Logos was God (himself)." Next very important quote, "Kai the Logos became FLESH kai dwelt among US". Id., v. 14. And all this fundamentalist hubbub about things not understood by those who claim to understand it, where is your wisdom?

Answer 4

"Malachi 3:6 declares, “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” Similarly, James 1:17 tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” The meaning of Numbers 23:19 could not be more clear, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” No, God does not change His mind. These verses assert that God is unchanging, and unchangeable."

Answer 5

I have had Atheists choke on this verse several times now. It's actually saying that God doesn't lie, and He does precisely what He says He will do.

Some have tried to say that God couldn't be Jesus, because it apparently says that God isn't a man. But when you look at the context of the verse, you will see that Balaam was conversing with a king as to the fate of the children of Israel. The King wanted Balaam to prophecy against the children of Israel, and Balaam in his strange relationship with God, refused to. God wouldn't crush the Israelites because He had already promised them that land, He wouldn't go back on His word for anybody.

Answer 6

God is not flesh and blood? God is The Most High Spirit? He does not lie, so He has no need to repent of telling a lie, what He says He will do, He will do. What He says will happen, will happen. He is the King, The Almighty and He is the One to reference

Answer 7

Balak gives Balaam an order to curse Israel, and God put the words into Balaam's mouth to speak to Balak. In Balaam's first discourse, he blesses Israel. In his second discourse, he affirms that God is not a man (which at the time, He wasn't, nor was He yet the son of man), and Balaam also uses this to show that God has always done what He's said, and will always keep a promise, or a blessing.

Answer 8

That God is not a man, he does not lie, and he is not the "son of man" meaning we did not create him, he created us, and that being his children we should 'repent' (ask for forgivness, be sorry for doing wrong)

also will he not do it, will he not make it good...we should repent as well for thinking that he wouldn't do it or make it good...

thats my interpretation anyways

Answer 9

God is true from beginning to end. If He makes a promise, He will keep it. If He promises condemnation because of our actions, that is what will happen. He is fair because He gives us all warnings about most everything in our lives, we just need to read the bible and hear God speak through it!

Answer 10

It means that God is perfect, and does not possess the character flaws and weaknesses that are part of being human.

Answer 11

The bible says that Jesus had somewhat you no longer sin, yet in case you do you've an recommend with the daddy, it truly is Jesus Christ the righteous. you'd be forgiven for making a mistake or sinning, the bible says all way of sins will be forgiven settle for blasphemy antagonistic to the Holy Ghost. This scripture is to someone who has come to the expertise of the actuality, it truly is Jesus died for our sins, and through him we've existence. yet reject the actuality and bypass about their lives not in any respect accepting Jesus for remission of their sins, they therefor do not have any extra sacrifice, as there is in straightforward words one thanks to Heaven. and they have rejected that route.