Wonderful verses revealing the nature of God. But, do these verses actually say that God cannot take on human form?
"God is not a man."
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind...
1 Samuel 15:29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind."
Hosea 11:9 I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man...
Examination of each verse background and content.
CASE 1
Numbers 23:19 GOD is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
REFERENCE: Numbers(Bemidbar) Chapters 22,23,24.
CHARACTERS: Moabite King Balak, Prophet Balaam and Israelite people
SUBJECT: attempt to make GOD change His mind.
METHOD: By bribing the GOD of Israel with sacrifices in elevated places
Numbers 22:10-12 Balaam said to GOD, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’ ”But GOD said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”
The Moabite king, offered sacrifice, and when the outcome was unsuccessful at the lower lands, he tried again, this time by offering much better bribes, by sacrificing at higher and higher locations.
Numbers 22:39/23:2 Then Balaam went with Balak to "Kiriath Huzoth". Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,... The next morning Balak took Balaam up to "Bamoth Baal", and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp. Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Numbers 23:13-14 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp. And from there, curse them for me.” So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah, and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Numbers 23:27-30, 24:2 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.” And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland. Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.” Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar... …When Balaam looked out and saw Israel encamped tribe by tribe,...
YET, instead of CURSES... there were BLESSINGS.
Numbers 23:11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but you have done nothing but bless them!”
Numbers 24:10 Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam. He struck his hands together and said to him, “I summoned you to curse my enemies, but you have blessed them these three times.
GOD is not like man, because He is faithful.
Numbers 23:19 GOD is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
CONCLUSION: This reference is talking about GOD's nature verses human nature. GOD keeps His promises.
CASE 2
1 Samuel 15:29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a human being, that He should change His mind."
REFERENCE: Samuel Chapter 15.
CHARACTERS: King Saul and Prophet Samuel
PLAN: to get GOD to change His mind.
BACKGROUND: "King Saul" changed his mind and chose to be disobedient to God.
Saul feared his men, more than he feared GOD. So Saul chose to listen to his men rather than to GOD.
1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.
Saul changed his mind, rejected GOD's Authority (rebellion) and built a monument to self (pride)
1 Samuel 15:10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”
1 Samuel 15:12 …“Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor...
1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
Saul tried to make GOD change His mind by lying.
1 Samuel 15:20-21 “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to GOD, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your GOD at Gilgal.”
GOD is not like man, because He does not lie or change His mind.
1 Samuel 15:27-29 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a human being, that He should change his mind."
CONCLUSION: This reference is talking about GOD's nature verses human nature. GOD does not lie.
CASE 3
Hosea 11:9 I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am GOD and not man, the Holy One among you, and I will not come in wrath.
REFERENCE: Hosea Chapter 11, 2 Chronicles 28
CHARACTERS: The Tribe of Ephraim
BACKGROUND: The Ephraimites were about to be judged for their constant rebellion.
The "Tribe of Ephraim" were guilty of bloodshed and idolatry
Hosea 12:14 But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger; his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed and will repay him for his contempt.
Hosea 13:1-2 When Ephraim spoke, people trembled; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and died. Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen.
It is said of these people, “They offer human sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!”
The "Tribe of Ephraim" had no compassion and no mercy.
2 Chronicles 28:9 … Because the LORD, the GOD of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, He gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven. And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the LORD your GOD?
GOD is not like man, because He has compassion and mercy.
Hosea 11:8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? …
… My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
Hosea 11:9 I will not execute the full fury of My anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you, and I will not come in wrath.
CONCLUSION: This reference is talking about GOD's nature verses human nature. GOD is merciful.
CONCLUSION:
These three verses are commonly misquoted to make the case; that "GOD cannot take on human form". On closer examination, it can be clearly seen, these verses are comparing GOD's NATURE with man's nature.
There is no Scripture that says that GOD cannot take on human form if He so desired. In fact, GOD actually looks human in appearance. This is not surprising, for humans were made to look like HIM.
Genesis 1:26 Then GOD said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...