God Speaks
Balaam’s Messages, Phinehas’ Actions End a Plague
Verse of the Day: “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 23:19-20 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Numbers 23-25:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Numbers 23
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 through?
2. People often lie, change their minds, or speak but fail to act and fail to carry through on things they have promised.
Numbers 24
1. God blesses whom He chooses to bless and curses whom He chooses to curse.
2. People, like Balaam, can only say (or do) what God allows them to say (or do) whether it is good or bad (blessing or curse).
Numbers 25
1. God will punish those who deliberately break His commandments, but He rewards those who are zealous for His honor.
2. People can be either zealous for God’s honor like Phinehas or openly rebellious like Zimri and Cozbi; both will be either rewarded or punished (unless they honestly repent) for their actions.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Numbers 23-25?
Dear LORD God, thank You that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Thank You, Jesus, for becoming human and dying on the cross so that I could become a child of God. Thank You, LORD, that all the promises recorded in Scripture will eventually be fulfilled. I want always to please You, LORD God, by saying or doing everything You ask me to and nothing that You don’t. I desire to take courage and speak up whenever I see someone dishonoring You, LORD, or Your people and principles. May I be zealous for Your honor and bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Numbers 23-25? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will ask the Holy Spirit of God to help me not to lie, not to be continually changing my mind, not to fail to do what I say, or not to renege on my promises.
- I will daily strive to please God by saying or doing everything He asks me to and nothing that He doesn’t.
- I will accept the LORD’s judgment on my behavior without grumbling or complaining.
- I will take courage and speak up the next time I see someone dishonoring God and/or His people and principles.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.