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The Mystery of God’s Nature: Exploring Numbers 23:19 and Matthew 8:20
In my journey through faith, one of the most profound and sometimes perplexing revelations has been the nature of God as expressed through scripture. Diving into the relationship between Old Testament declarations and New Testament revelations opens a fascinating dialogue about God’s identity in the Bible. Specifically, Numbers 23:19 and Matthew 8:20 create an interesting juxtaposition in understanding God’s divine and incarnational nature, a topic I’d like to explore further. It ties directly to an ongoing theme of this blog: reconciling the knowable and unknowable aspects of God, as previously discussed in Understanding God: Bridging the Knowable and Unknowable.
Contextualizing Numbers 23:19
Numbers 23:19 famously states, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind.” This verse is a reminder of God’s transcendent nature—He is wholly “other,” not bound by human limitations such as frailty, deceit, or inconsistency. For me, reading this passage during a time of deep reflection underscored God’s unwavering perfection and His ultimate otherness, themes that feel central to what theologians call Perfect Being Theology.
In calling out the nature of God in this way, the verse highlights His eternal reliability and unchanging character. It sets the stage for a clear distinction: God, in His essence, exceeds the confines of human form or imperfections.
Image: [1,Reading the Bible with a Cross Visible]
Jesus Declaring Himself the “Son of Man”
Yet, when we shift to the New Testament, Jesus frequently refers to Himself as the “Son of Man”—a term He uses multiple times, including in Matthew 8:20: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” This phrase, which might seem to contradict Numbers 23:19, is no mere coincidence. Rather than a contradiction, I came to realize this statement reveals a deeper, richer unity within the Bible. It reflects Jesus’ dual nature: fully divine yet fully human.
In my own spiritual reflections, the term “Son of Man” captivated my imagination. It ties deeply into the prophecy of Daniel 7:13–14, where the “Son of Man” is described as a heavenly figure given dominion and authority by God. Here, we see that “Son of Man” is not merely an earthly title but a Messianic one, linking Jesus’ humanity to His divine mission.
Video: [1,Theological Analysis of the Divinity and Humanity of Christ]
Reconciling These Passages: God and the Incarnation
So, how do we reconcile these verses? For me, the key is in understanding the Incarnation—the Christian doctrine that God entered His creation and took on human nature in the person of Jesus Christ. Numbers 23:19 isn’t negated by Jesus’ self-identification as the “Son of Man.” Instead, it reveals the profound miracle of the Incarnation: the God who is beyond humanity chose to enter human history to draw us closer to Him.
The perfect holiness described in Numbers 23:19 magnifies the sacrificial humility of Christ’s mission. Jesus did not contradict God’s transcendent nature but rather fulfilled it in a way that gives us a tangible example of His love, compassion, and justice. As Philippians 2:6–8 states, Jesus, being in very nature God, “did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.”
Image: [2,Conceptual Art of Jesus as Both Human and Divine]
Understanding God Through Parables and Layers of Scripture
This exploration brought me back to Jesus’ use of parables to reveal deeper truths. Much like the lessons from the Parables of Jesus, scripture contains multilayered meanings that invite us to dig deeper. Numbers 23:19 emphasizes God’s eternal otherness, but with the lens of Christ, we see how He made Himself fully known to humanity through Jesus without forsaking His divine nature.
For me, this tension between transcendence and immanence is one of the most beautiful aspects of faith. It underscores how God, while infinite and unchangeable, is also personal and relational. His incarnation as Jesus allows us to connect with Him in a deeply intimate way while marveling at the mystery of His divine nature.
Deepening Faith Through Exploration
Studying these passages reinforced for me the idea that faith, like learning, is a journey of discovery. It’s easy to encounter stumbling blocks that can challenge belief. Yet, as I’ve come to see, those very moments of doubt lead to opportunities for greater understanding. Just as I’ve examined the intersections of faith and science in works like Human Consciousness: Exploring Beyond Neurology and Embracing Spiritual Dimensions, reconciling difficult scriptures can point us toward deeper truths and new insights.
When we approach the Bible with humility and curiosity, we can discover not contradictions, but harmonious complexity. Numbers 23:19 and Matthew 8:20 remind us of the breadth of God’s plan. Through Jesus, we see not a God who changes but a God who loves so deeply that He enters our brokenness to bring redemption and hope to a fallen world.
Image: [3,Open Bible with Highlighted Verses – Numbers 23:19 and Matthew 8:20]
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Thank you for reading! I wrote this article to share my thoughts and insights. I’d love to hear your feedback and discuss further in the comments!
This was a helpful read. Looking forward to more content like this!