Let's turn to Numbers chapter
23. Numbers chapter 23. Our message this morning goes
right along with what our brother just read. One of the verses
from Psalm 85, I will hear what the Lord will speak. And here
in our text, Numbers 23 verse 17, Balak asked Balaam, he asked this question, What
hath the Lord spoken? What hath the Lord spoken? In our day, men have a lot of
questions. Frequently those questions are
asked just so they can reply. They want to tell you what they
think or what they know. But our question here What hath
the Lord spoken?" We have visitors from time to time, some interested
in the Gospel. Some come asking questions like,
what's your creed? What's your denominational stance
on this or that? Questions that have nothing to
do with God. Questions that have nothing to
do with sin. Questions that have nothing to do with the Lord Jesus
Christ and holiness. Paul said this in Titus 3. He
said, avoid foolish questions. Avoid foolish questions and genealogies
and contentions and striving about the law, for they are unprofitable
and vain. They're useless. Here's the question that we need
answered in our day. Here's the question that we should
ask and desire to be answered over and over again. What hath
the Lord spoken? I want to know. I want to know
what the Lord has spoken. I want you to know. I want my
family, my community. What hath the Lord spoken? I don't want to know what man
has to say. I don't want to know what popular religion has to
say. I don't want to know what these
motivational speakers that go around calling themselves preachers
have to say. I want to know what has the Lord
spoken. And here in our text, here in
our text is an unusual source for a message. Because here,
this question was posed by Balak to Balaam. Balak was a man who
sought a curse on Israel. And Balaam was a man who sought
to curse Israel. It was his desire to curse Israel. Yet God was pleased to put a
word in Balaam's mouth. I heard Brother Don Fortner say
one time, that shouldn't surprise us. A few chapters over, he put
a word in that donkey's mouth to speak to Balaam. So why should
we be surprised that he would put this word in Balaam's mouth? And further, we should be reminded
of this, nothing, absolutely nothing will stop God in His
purpose. That which He's purposed to do,
that message that He desires to get to His people, It'll get
to Him. It'll get to Him. He'll accomplish
His purpose. Look at verse 16. Look at verse
16 of our text here, chapter 23. The Lord met Balaam, and
He put a word in his mouth. And He said, Go again unto Balak,
and speak thus. This is what you speak. This
is what you speak. And in verse 19, here's this message. Here's this
message that the Lord gave Balaam. And it starts with this, God
is not a man. God is not a man. Now in the
average pulpit today, The God being spoken of has no more power
to save you than a man. That's the blasphemy that's being
spoken out of pulpits across this nation today. They speak of a God that wants
to save you, but He can't. They speak of a God that paces
back and forth in heaven. Just wringing His hands, waiting
for you to come up front. Pacing back and forward like
we do when our children are gone and we're waiting for them to
come back home. They speak of a weak and helpless
God that is unable to do anything apart from man's will. That's
not the God of the Bible. That's not the God of the Bible.
God is not a man. Over in Isaiah, turn to Isaiah
55. What does God's Word say about
God? beginning with verse 8 of Isaiah
55. Here we read, my thoughts are
not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts. God's not a man. God's not a
man. Turn to Psalm 115. Look at the beginning with Beginning with verse 1 of Psalm
115. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give
glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should
the heathen say, Where is now their God? That's the same thing
Nebuchadnezzar said to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He said,
Who is this God? Who is this God? Where is now
their God? Look at verse 3. Our God. Our God is in the heavens and
He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. God is God. God is not a man. Our God is in the heavens. He's
a sovereign God. Our God is sovereign. He's sovereign
in creation. He's sovereign in providence. And He's sovereign, thank God
He is sovereign in salvation, in the saving of His people. What hath the Lord spoken? Well, He's not a man. He's Almighty God, seated in
the heavens. Second, we read, He's not a man
that He should lie. He's not a man that He should
lie. Here we see something of our
character. Here we see something of the
character of man. The character and nature of fallen
man. The wicked, we read in God's
Word, the wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray
as soon as they be born, speaking lies. None of us had to teach
our children to lie, did we? None of us had to be taught to
lie. It's there. It's there from the
beginning, isn't it? It's there. Why do we speak white
lies from the womb? It goes all the way back to the
garden. All the way back to the fall
of man. It's who we are and it's what
we are. Sin. When Adam disobeyed God,
when he rebelled against God and he took that fruit, he fell. He fell. He didn't trip. He didn't stump his toe. He didn't
get off the path a little bit. He fell. As by one man's offense, judgment. Judgment came upon all men. We also read, by one man's disobedience,
Many were made sinners. Back to our text. What hath the
Lord said? What hath the Lord spoken? God's
not a man. He's Almighty God. God's not
a man that He should lie. Man is a sinful, fallen creature. Sinners by birth. Sinners by
choice. Sinners by practice. It's who
and what we are. But let's read on here. Neither
the Son of Man that He should repent, here in our text, 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? God doesn't change His mind.
God doesn't alter His purpose or His decree. He never varies
in His love or His affection for His people. We read this
of His covenant, His promise, it will not fail. He shall not fail. Malachi 3.16,
or I'm sorry, Malachi 3.6, For I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob are
not consumed. That which God has determined
to do, He'll do it. He'll bring it to pass. Turn
with me to Philippians. Philippians chapter 1. Look at verse 6. being confident of this very
thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you, He'll perform
it, He'll accomplish it, until the day of Jesus Christ. We read in Ephesians 1, Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, in Christ
Jesus. That which He's determined to
do. He's determined to bless His people. He'll do it. And
He's blessed us. He's blessed His people with
righteousness. He's blessed us with peace. He's blessed us with
pardon. He's blessed us with the Spirit
of God. He's blessed us with sonship. He's blessed us with
eternal life. in, by, and through our Lord
Jesus Christ. It's all in Him. Well, let's
go back to our text here. Numbers 23. Verse 21. Fourth point. He hath not beheld
iniquity in Jacob, Neither had He seen perverseness in Israel. Over in Psalm 85, we read just
a little bit of God. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity
of Thy people and covered all their sin. All their sin. I was wondering if you saw my
outline before you read that. The Lord laid that on your heart,
didn't He? He had not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither had
He seen perverseness in Israel. What do we know? Consider what
we know about Jacob, what we've been taught about Jacob, what
the Scriptures declare about Jacob. I don't know if I'd want
to have Jacob as my neighbor, do you? We've been taught. God met with
him. He said, what's your name? He
said, my name is Jacob. Jacob, supplanter. Jacob, thief. Jacob deceived. We were talking
about this in our Sunday school class a couple weeks ago. Not
only did he deceive his father, but his father was a blind man.
That just makes it seem even worse, doesn't it? He didn't
just deceive his father, but his blind father. Jacob. Jacob who stole his brother's
birthright. That's who God saved. Jacob. That's who the Scriptures
say. I've not beheld iniquity in Jacob."
Well, it was obviously there, wasn't it? Jacob was a sinner. Who else does that describe?
Well, that's a picture of every one of us, isn't it? But what else does God's Word
say about Jacob? Turn to Malachi 1. Malachi 1 Look here beginning in verse
1 of Malachi 1, the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel
by Malachi I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet you say,
wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother,
saith the Lord? Yet I loved Jacob. I hated Esau. I laid his mountains
and heritage away for the dragon to the wilderness. But he says
of Jacob, I love you. I love you. Turn to Romans. Chapter 9. We're beginning with verse 9
of Romans 9. This is the word of promise.
This time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son, and not only
this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even our father
Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to
election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto her, The elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written. Jacob have I loved. Esau. Esau have I hated. Men ask, how's that fair? Of
course, when they ask how's that fair, they're asking about Esau
being hated. How can God love Jacob? If there's
a question to be asked, how can God love Jacob? Only in Christ. Only in Christ. Well, Jacob. Chosen in Christ. Jacob, redeemed
in Christ. Jacob, accepted in Christ. Jacob, blessed in Christ. Jacob have I loved. He says,
I have not beheld iniquity in Jacob. Well, back in our text,
back to Numbers 23, he says, neither Neither had he seen perverseness
in Israel. You know, Almighty God brought
the children of Israel out of Egypt. He brought the nation
of Israel out of Egypt. And they murmured and they complained
the entire time. They were an unthankful people. God gave them manna. They complained. God gave them quail. They complained. Imagine, imagine all the signs
and wonders that the Lord had shown them in that time. And
yet, they were rebellious people. They said this, they said, leave
us alone. How many times did they say,
leave us alone? God told Moses, He said, they're stiff-necked
people. They're stiff-necked people. And there at the Red
Sea, in the midst of God's deliverance, bringing them out of Egypt, they
told Moses, they said, is this not what we told you back in
Egypt? Is this not what we told you
saying, leave us alone? It'd be better for us to serve
the Egyptians, to stay in bondage, than that we should die in the
wilderness. Isn't that man's cry today? Leave me alone. Give me bondage. Put a burden
on me. Yet God was pleased to deliver
him. Moses told the people, Right
there in the midst of their rebellion, he says to them, stand still. Stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord. God had not beheld iniquity in
Jacob, neither had he seen perverseness in Israel. How can that be? Don't you wish we could get a
hold of that? God has put away our sin. He sees no sin in His
people. Oh, we see it in ourselves, don't
we? We see it in ourselves. Remember
David? Remember when Nathan had told
him He said, the Lord has put away thy sin. He told David that. Yet in the Psalm, David says,
remember not the sins of my youth. David struggled with that too,
didn't he? God has put away our sin. He's forgiven our sin. He's blotted
out all our transgressions. He's cast them behind His back.
I don't understand that. But I know God's Word says it.
He's cast them behind His back. Cast them into the depths of
the sea. Removed them as far as the east is from the west. God hath put away the sins of
His people. We need to rest in that. Take
comfort in that. Be thankful. God hath not beheld iniquity
in Jacob. Neither hath he seen perverseness
in Israel." Turn to Jeremiah 50. Look at verse 20 of Jeremiah
50. in those days and in that time,
saith the Lord." What hath the Lord spoken? In those days and
in that time, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and
there shall be none. There shall be none. And the
sins of Judah, they shall not be found. For I will pardon,
I will spare them whom I reserve." He has written it. He says, I'll pardon, I'll spare.
Well, let's move on in our text. Numbers 23. We still have verse
21. Here we read, the Lord God is
with him. The Lord God is with him. Over in Matthew chapter 1, we
read, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel. Which being interpreted, God
with us. He's with His people. He says
the Lord God is with Him. We read this, Lo, I'm with you.
Even, even to the end of the world. Alright, my last point. What hath the Lord said? What
hath the Lord spoken? God's not a man. God's not a
man. He's Almighty God. He's the Sovereign
Savior and He's Sovereign in all His ways. He's not a man
that He should lie. Man is a sinful creature. Third,
neither the son of man that he should repent, that which he's
determined to do, he'll do it. He'll accomplish his purpose.
Fourth, he's not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen
perverseness in Israel. Fifth, the Lord is with his people.
He is with his people. And lastly, here we read the
shout of the king. The shout of the king is with
him. You know, when the King speaks,
it means something, doesn't it? It means something. We were sitting
out on the porch with Brother Dale a few weeks ago, and I remember
him, he was talking about Dwight Eisenhower, when he gave his
Inaugural speech. They let kids out of school early. Everybody wanted to hear what
he had to say. This was a president. This was
a war hero. He said they wanted to hear.
Kids went home early. They turned the radio on. The
parents listened. Well, they wanted to hear what the
leader of the country had to say. What hath the Lord? What hath
the Lord said? When the king speaks, remember
back when David was determined to show mercy to Mephibosheth,
that one verse the king said. You know the rest of that chapter
doesn't mean much. unless the one who's talking
has power to do what he's saying. If one of David's servants had
said, I'm going to show mercy, it wouldn't mean a whole lot,
but when the king speaks, he speaks in power. There's authority. There's sovereignty. Well, throughout
the Scriptures, and here in our text, we read the shout of a
king. The shout of a king is with him. Shortly after the birth
of Christ, we read those wise men, they came asking this question.
Where is He that is born King? Where is He that is born King
of the Jews? We've seen His star in the east and we've come to
worship Him. Turn to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy. I'm sorry first first Timothy
first Timothy chapter 6 Look beginning with verse 13 I give thee charge in the sight
of God. Verse 13 of 2 Timothy 6. I give thee charge in the
sight of God who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus,
who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that thou
keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, unto the appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his time he shall show, who
is the blessed and only Pope, Tate, the King of Kings. King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality dwelling
in the light which no man can approach it to, whom no man has
seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. He's the King of kings. He's the King of kings. In John
chapter 19, Pilate wrote a title, and he put it on the cross. Pilate
wrote on that title, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews,
declarative King. And those chief priests, they
got upset. They wanted to change. They wanted
to say, he said he's the King of the Jews. Pilate told them,
he said, what I've written, What I've written, I've written. He's
King. He's King. And there on the cross,
the shadow of the King. The shadow of the King is within.
There on the cross, His final words. Turn over there to John
chapter 19. John chapter 19 verse 30. Keep in mind, this is the King
of Kings speaking. When Jesus, therefore, had received
the vinegar, He said, It is finished. It is finished. That's the shout
of the King. That's the shout of the King.
The whole, listen, when He cried, It is finished. The whole will
of God in redemption. Finished. He said, Lord, I come
to do thy will. Thy will. The work God the Father
had given him to do, that which he had given Christ to do, it's
finished. It's finished. This is a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation. Jesus Christ came into the world
to save sinners. Paul said, of whom I'm the chief. We could probably get in an argument
with him there, couldn't we? Chief of sinners. It's finished. It's finished. The law, the law
is finished. The Levitical law with all those
types and pictures and prophecies. Finished. We read by one offering. He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. And listen, the salvation of
His people. Finished. It is finished. 2 Corinthians 5.21. Probably one
of our favorite verses of Scripture. For He hath made Him to be sin
for us. Almighty God, there on the cross,
made the Lord Jesus Christ to be sin for us, who knew no sin. He knew no sin. He was the spotless
flame of God for this purpose, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. It is finished. What hath the Lord spoken? God's
not a man. He's Almighty God. He's sovereign
in all His ways. He's not a man that He should
lie. That's us. We do enough of that, don't we? A picture of a fallen, sinful
man. Dead in trespasses and sin. Third,
neither the Son of Man that He should repent. That which He's
purposed to do, that which He's determined to do, He'll do it. He'll accomplish His purpose
in the salvation of His people. He had not beheld iniquity. He had not beheld iniquity in
Israel, neither had He seen perverseness. Fifth, the Lord is with His people.
He is with His people. He said, I'll never leave you
nor forsake you. And last of all, the shout of
the King, the shout of the King is with Him. The King of Kings,
there on the cross, He cried, it is finished. It is finished. And I stole this from Brother
Henry. Nothing. Nothing needs to be
added or can be added to a finished work. We bring nothing to the
table, do we? It's all of Him. It's all of
Christ. Alright, I pray God bless His
Word.