In Numbers 23:19, the Bible says, “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”
In understanding the nature of God as One who is not a man, I believe we should first look at who or what man is. A dictionary describes man as:
1. The genus Homo. A genus is a category in the classification of organisms, ranking below family and above species.
2. Humankind in general.
3. Furthermore, a man is described as an adult male, typically distinguished by XY chromosomes. This does not fully apply to our discussion because, in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 5:2, when man was created in God’s image and likeness, he was created male and female. So, for our discussion, man includes both genders.
Now, let us look at the Word of God for the description of who man is:
* Man was formed from the dust of the ground, and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). Without God’s breath of life, man, being dust, does not become a living being. At that stage, he can be compared to an object made by a potter.
* Man is naturally inclined to disobedience (Genesis 3:11).
* Man is mortal (Job 4:17). Mortal means susceptible to death through aging, sickness, injury, or wounds. Man is fatally vulnerable; he is not immortal (Psalms 103:15).
* Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble (Job 14:1).
* Man at his best state is altogether vanity (Psalms 39:5; Psalms 144:4). Man is vain, futile, and limited.
* Man, even though in honor, does not abide; he is like the beasts that perish (Psalms 49:12). It is deeply troubling to see highly placed and wealthy individuals still engage in acts of great evil. A man who can afford anything money can buy may still commit terrible acts. Indeed, this is very pathetic.
* Proverbs 5:21–23 says, “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He pondereth all his goings…” Man is completely open before God; nothing is hidden.
* Man does not know his time. He is snared in evil times that can come suddenly (Ecclesiastes 9:12).
* Man’s way is not in himself; he cannot direct his own steps, no matter how great, rich, or famous (Jeremiah 10:23).
* Trusting in man leads to disappointment and destruction (Jeremiah 17:5).
* Man’s heart is unstable; it can waver like the waves of the sea.
Now, enough of this species called man. You become troubled when you reflect on how many times you have been disappointed by others, and also how you may have disappointed those who trusted in you. You are not wired to put your trust in someone with the same nature as you. Many people have harmed themselves, fallen into addictions, and even reached the point of suicide because someone they trusted failed them. That is the limitation of human nature.
Except for the man that God has worked upon. Psalms 8:4–9 outlines what God intended for man. Yet a man in honor who does not understand this will behave like a beast, without knowledge, dangerous, and uncivilized.
Now, who is God?
1. God was not created; He created all things.
2. God was not formed from dust.
3. God does not need breath; He is the giver of breath.
4. God does not fail.
5. God does not outsource power; He is the source of all power in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
6. God knows all things.
7. God is not partial; He deals with all equally when they open themselves to Him.
8. God is love. Everything He does flows from love.
9. God does not lie. Whatever He says, He brings to pass. He has no need to repent or apologize.
10. God is not selfish. He does not withhold any good thing from His children when they are ready to receive it.
11. God does not condone sin. He does not hate the sinner but the sinful nature, and He provides a way out.
12. God is immortal. He cannot die or be destroyed. He lives from eternity to eternity.
13. God is all-knowing and controls times and seasons. He exists outside of time.
14. God is a righteous Judge. He is not biased; He sees all things, even the secrets of the heart. You may deceive man, but you cannot deceive God.
So, child of God, now that you understand the nature of man, you can bring all your impurities to your Maker. He is the Refiner, and He can refine your life.
When someone offends you and you feel like lashing out, remember: a man in honor who does not understand is like a beast without knowledge. When you feel like engaging in behavior that does not glorify God, stop and think deeply.
Is it in line with Psalms 8:4–9?
“What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour…”
You cannot allow any addiction to destroy the temple of the Lord, which you are. You were created in His image and likeness. The least you can do is allow that image to fully reflect in your life daily.
It is possible. Joseph refused to sin with Potiphar’s wife because, to him, it was a sin against God, not just against man.
Let God and the knowledge of Him govern your entire being.
YOU CAN ONLY BUT SUCCEED