“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19)
There are moments in life when everything feels uncertain—health reports change, relationships shift, finances rise and fall, leaders disappoint, and even our own emotions can swing like a door in the wind. In those moments, the heart aches for something solid, something unmovable. Numbers 23:19 is God’s anchor for unstable seasons. It is a thunderclap of assurance: God is utterly trustworthy. His character is not flexible, His promises are not fragile, and His word is not a wish—it is a guarantee.
The setting: a blessing that could not be cancelled
This verse was spoken through Balaam, a prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel. Balak wanted spiritual “ammunition” to weaken God’s people. He assumed blessings and curses could be purchased, negotiated, or manipulated. But instead of a curse, Balaam could only speak what God put in his mouth—blessing after blessing. And in the middle of that drama comes this statement: God cannot be bribed, pressured, or persuaded to contradict His own word. What God has decided to bless, no man can reverse.
This verse is a pastoral comfort and a truth that we can hold on to. If God has spoken blessing over His people, no enemy gets the final say.
“God is not a man, that He should lie…”
People lie for many reasons: fear, pride, self-preservation, insecurity, image management, or simple weakness. Sometimes they lie intentionally; other times they overpromise with good intentions and later cannot deliver. But Scripture draws a bright line here: God is not like us.
Humans may speak truth today and deny it tomorrow. Humans may mean well and still fail. Humans may change their story to protect themselves.
But God’s truth is not dependent on mood, pressure, public opinion, or circumstance. He does not “spin” facts. He does not exaggerate. He does not make promises to keep us quiet. He does not flatter us with words He cannot fulfill. When God speaks, He is not guessing. He is declaring reality.
So when you read a promise in Scripture—about His presence, His forgiveness, His guidance, His provision, His justice, His salvation—You are hearing the voice of the God who cannot lie.
“…nor a son of man, that He should repent.”
This line does not mean God never responds to human behavior (Scripture shows God relenting from judgment when people repent). What it means is deeper and steadier: God does not change His nature, His integrity, or His ultimate purpose. He does not wake up one day and realize He made a mistake. He does not discover new information. He does not revise His plan because something surprised Him.
We change our minds because we are limited. God is not limited.
That means you can build your life on who God is.
The two piercing questions
Then the verse asks two questions that sound like holy logic meant to calm a panicking heart:
“Has He said, and will He not do it?”
“Has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
This is God inviting you to reason with your worries.
If God has said He will be with you, will He abandon you? If God has spoken peace, will He give you chaos as your final portion? If God has promised forgiveness in Christ, will He hold your past over your head forever? If God has declared that He works all things together for good, will He waste your pain?
These questions are God’s way of saying: “Bring Me your doubts. Put them next to My word. Then decide which one deserves the throne in your mind.”
What this verse demands from us
Numbers 23:19 is comforting, but it also confronts us. If God is this faithful, then we must respond with faith.
1) Stop interpreting God through people
Many believers carry wounds because someone promised them and failed them. A parent, a leader, a friend, a spouse. And without noticing, they begin to project that disappointment onto God. But this verse draws the boundary: God is not a man. Don’t measure Him by human inconsistency.
People may forget you—God does not.
People may walk out—God remains.
People may bless you today and criticize you tomorrow—God’s love is not unstable.
2) Refuse the lie that your situation is stronger than God’s word
Some storms are loud. They shout, “This will never change.”
Numbers 23:19 answers: God’s word outranks your circumstances.
Circumstances are real, but they are not ultimate.
Feelings are powerful, but they are not final.
Opposition may be present, but it is not sovereign.
The same God who overruled a hired curse in Numbers 23 can overrule what is trying to speak over your life today.
3) Replace “maybe” faith with “because He said so” faith
There is a kind of faith that is basically hope without a foundation: “I think it might work out.”
But biblical faith is rooted in God’s character: “He will do it because He said it.”
When your faith is anchored in His truthfulness, you can obey even while you wait. You can keep praying even when you haven’t seen the answer yet. You can keep walking in righteousness even when wickedness looks rewarded. Why? Because God is not a liar. He will make good what He has spoken.
A word to the weary and the waiting
If you are in a season where you’re asking, “Lord, where are You? Did I hear You right? Is Your promise still for me?” Numbers 23:19 is God’s steady reply:
“I am not like man. I do not lie. I do not change. What I said, I will do. What I spoke, I will fulfill.”
Waiting does not mean God forgot.
Delay does not mean denial.
Silence is not absence.
Sometimes God is doing deep work in us while He is arranging the answer around us. But His integrity is never in question. His word is never “expired.” His promise is never “subject to cancellation.”
How to live this verse this week
Read God’s promises out loud when anxiety is loud. Pray Scripture back to God: “Lord, You said… now make it good.” Obey the last instruction you received instead of demanding a new sign. Stop rehearsing worst-case scenarios and start rehearsing God’s character. Choose praise as protest against fear—because you trust the One who cannot lie.
Closing charge
Beloved, God’s faithfulness is not a theme—it is His identity. The world is full of broken promises, but God is the Promise-Keeper. If He said it, He will do it. If He spoke it, He will bring it to pass. So lift your head. Strengthen your hands. Quiet your heart. And stand on the Word that doesn’t wobble.
Numbers 23:19 is an invitation to trust Him without reserve. Will you accept this invitation?
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