Our Steadfast God

[0:00] Numbers 22, and we're going to read the account of the prophet for hire, Balaam, being sought out by the king of Moab.

[0:17] Now, Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people.

[0:42] Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, this horde is going to lick up everything around us as an ox licks up the grass of the field.

[0:55] So Balak, son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Pethor near the river in his native land.

[1:07] Balak said, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people because they are too powerful for me.

[1:20] Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.

[1:32] Then we turn to verse 13 of chapter 23. Chapter 23. And we'll read Balaam's second oracle as he comes on this request to curse the Israelites for Balak, king of Moab.

[1:52] Chapter 23, verse 13. Then Balak said to him, come with me to another place where you can see them. You will see only a part, but not all of them.

[2:03] 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.

[2:15] Balaam said to Balak, stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there. The Lord met with Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, go back to Balak and give him this message.

[2:28] So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering with the princes of Moab. Balak asked him, what did the Lord say? Then he uttered his oracle.

[2:40] Arise, Balak, and listen. Hear me, son of Zippor. God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind.

[2:53] Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless. He has blessed and I cannot change it.

[3:04] No misfortune is seen in Jacob. No misery observed in Israel. The Lord their God is with them. The shout of the king is among them.

[3:17] God brought them out of Egypt. They have the strength of a wild ox. There is no sorcery against Jacob. No divination against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel.

[3:30] See what God has done. The people rise like a lioness. They rouse themselves like a lion that does not rest till he devours his prey and drinks the blood of his victims.

[3:43] Then Balak said to Balaam, neither curse them at all or bless them at all. Balaam answered, did I not tell you? I must do whatever the Lord says.

[3:56] Now let's behold our God again this evening. Pastor Jason. Well, if you just finish the sentence for me.

[4:09] Many a man claims to have unfailing love. But. How's the end? But a faithful man.

[4:21] Who can find. This is one of those sermons where I'm very happy to preach it because it is so full of good news. And it's not so full of good news because of that verse that I just said.

[4:34] It's full of good news because tonight we are not looking at faithless men. Instead we are looking at our faithful, steadfast God.

[4:48] Steadfast men are few and far between. So the Proverbs could say a lot of men claim it. But. They're hard to find.

[4:59] But our God is the rock eternal unmoving. And you can count on him. And that's why I'm happy to preach this sermon. Our God is steadfast. We're always in motion.

[5:11] We're always changing. You can't count on us. Practically anything. You say tomorrow I'll go shopping with you.

[5:23] And you intend to. You feel like it. When you go to bed. And then you wake up the next morning. And how do you feel?

[5:34] Well now you don't feel so keen on going shopping. And you know she's been looking forward to it. And you know she's hoping that it happens. You want to bless her in that way. But you wake up and you feel different.

[5:46] Than how you went to bed. And suddenly shopping with your wife. Is the last thing you want to do. So you go to bed saying. I want to do this. And you wake up saying.

[5:57] I don't want to do this. You go to bed. Saying I want to do this. And you wake up saying. Really? Or.

[6:08] Or sometimes it's the opposite. Isn't it? You say. No I don't want to do that. I can't do that. I don't feel like doing that. Whatever the case might be. But then. You wake up and you say.

[6:19] No. You know what? I think I can. I think I can change my schedule around. This is what I want to do. I want to do this. And so. Let's do that. And. Then what does she say?

[6:31] Well she says. I don't want to do it anymore. Well. That's us. We change. Our love. Our desire.

[6:43] Our commitment to bless. Waxes. Grow stronger. And it wanes. It goes down. Among.

[6:55] My wife's Valentine's decorations. There's one that says this. I love you more than yesterday. Yesterday you got on my nerves. And that's.

[7:07] Us. That's us at our best. And sometimes at our worst. We just downright. Lie. That's what we saw. This morning. We.

[7:18] We promise things. We promise blessing. That we have no ability. Or actually no. Even intention. Of. Keeping. And I could say.

[7:29] Isn't that. Politics. Today. I think it would be the height. Of. Childishness. To listen. To a political ad. And say. Yeah. I think that they're going to promise.

[7:40] They're going to do everything that they. Are saying. That they're promising. Most of the time. It seems that. They say things. Just to get elected. They say it because it's what people want.

[7:52] Them to say. Or that's what they want to hear. But it's not just politics. It's. I know some of you. Are working for companies. Who have salesmen. That promise things.

[8:03] That are nigh on impossible. For your company. To keep. But they want to sail. They want to promise something. They want. To do that. But it's more than they possibly could deliver.

[8:15] And it's a lie. At the worst. Or it's hopelessly optimistic. Even at the. At the best. But either way. The promised blessing.

[8:27] Comes up. Short. Fails. And that's us. That's mankind. But. Thankfully. We can. Turn our eyes away.

[8:37] From. Mankind. From politics. And salesmen. And ourselves. And we. We ask. Who can show us. Blessing. And that's what we want.

[8:49] Don't we. At the very. Bottom of things. Is there a solid hope. For blessing. Is there a solid hope. A solid expectation.

[9:00] Of future good. And there's only one person. In heaven. And in earth. That can. That does promise blessing. And can always.

[9:12] Deliver. And it's our God. On these Sunday evenings. We've been looking at. Who our God is. His attributes. And.

[9:23] Tonight. We are looking. At. Our God's. Steadfastness. Is what I call it. Unchangeableness. Immutability.

[9:33] Is. The theological word. He doesn't. Change. Like. Shifting shadows. His intentions. His attitudes.

[9:46] His. Abilities. He is. Unchangeable. And he is. Steadfast. And he says. I know. The plans. I have. For you. Plans. To do you. Good. And not harm.

[9:57] He has. Plans. And he has. Promises. To bless. Us. And because. He doesn't. Change. And his abilities. To. To keep those. Promises. Don't change. We. Do have. Blessing.

[10:09] So. Maybe. You guys. Have been. Watching. The Olympics. And. It's probably. The only time. In. Every. Four years. That I'm. Interested. In watching. Cross-country. Skiing.

[10:19] But. So. Now. I'm. Watching. Cross-country. Skiing. And. It's. Always. Amazing. Isn't it? These. Norwegians. And. These. Austrians. Are.

[10:30] Just. Going. And. Going. And. Going. And. You. Can. Tell. By. The. End. How. Exhausted. They. Are. But. But. They. Have. This. Goal. They. Have. This. This.

[10:40] Thing. That. They. Want. To. Do. And. They. Just. Keep. Going. It's. Ironclad. Self. Discipline. And. In. Some. Ways. That's. Our. God. He. Has. Plans.

[10:51] And. Nothing. Can. Detour. Him. Nothing. Can. Stop. Him. He. Doesn't. Get. Tired. He. Doesn't. Get. Distracted. He. Does. What. He.

[11:01] Says. He's. Going. To. Do. He. Steadfast. It's. Immutability. And. That's. What. We. See. Here. In. Numbers. 23. In. Verse. 19. And. You. Can. Look. At. It. Again. This.

[11:12] Is. The. Word. Of. The. Lord. Through. Balaam. To. Balak. And. He. Says. God. Is. Not. A. Man. That. He. Should. Lie. Nor. Son. A. Man. That. He. Should. Change. His. Mind. Does.

[11:23] He. Speak. And. Then. Not. Act. Does. He. Promise. And. Not. Fulfill. So. Why. Can. You. Have. Hope. And. Confidence.

[11:35] Dear. Brother. Dear. Sister. We're. Talking. About. Your. Future. We're. Talking. About. You. We're. Talking. About. What. God. Is. Going. To. Do. For. You. And. To. You. And. Through. You. God. Is. Going.

[11:45] To. Bless. You. And. The. Day. After. That.

[11:55] And. A. Week. From. Tomorrow. And. A. Month. And. Ten. Years. And. Forty. Years. And. Down. Into. Old. Age. Down.

[12:07] Into. The. Final. Sickness. Through. The. Gates. Of. Death. And. Clear. To. The. Other. Side. Can. God.

[12:17] Bless. You. All. The. Way. Well. We're. Always. Changing. Our. States. Are. Changing. But. Why. Can. We. Have. Hope. That.

[12:28] God's. Grace. And. God's. Mercy. Will. Follow. Me. All. The. Days. Of. My. Life. And. Then. I. Will. Dwell. In. The. House. Of. The. Lord. Forever. And. Then. Afterwards. Eternal. Life. Well. It's. Right.

[12:38] Here. In. Numbers. Chapter. Twenty. Verse. Nineteen. Because. God. Has. Promised. And. He's. Not. A. Man. That. He. Should. Lie. And. He's.

[12:48] Not. A. Man. That. He. Should. Change. His. Mind. And. So. Why. Can. We. Have. Hope. Well. First. You. See. That. God. Is. Not. A. Man. God.

[13:00] Is. Not. A. Man. Remember. Martin. Luther's. Words. to. Erasmus. Erasmus. Your. View. of. God. Is. Too. Human. We. Need. To. Remember. That.

[13:10] Our. God. Is. Not. A. Man. We've. Already. Talked. About. Our. Willing. To. Bless. Changes. Sometimes. We. Go. To. Bed. Willing. To. Bless. Someone. And. We. Wake. Up. Suddenly. Not. Willing. To. Well.

[13:21] That's. Not. Our. God. God. Is. Not. A. Man. His. Willing. Isn't. Like. That. He. Doesn't. Get. Tired. And. Get. Grumpy. And. He. Doesn't. Go. To. Bed. And. Feel. Refreshed. And. Suddenly. Feel. Happier. But.

[13:32] It's. Not. Just. Our. Willingness. It's. Our. Ability. To. Bless. People. Changes. Doesn't. It. Our. Ability. To. Do. That. All. Through. Our. Life. Is. Changing. A.

[13:43] Couple. Weeks. Ago. Mike. Haas. Called. Me. And. He. Asked. Me. If. I. Could. Help. Him. Move. Some. Furniture. From. The. Basement. Upstairs. And. I. Said. Yes. I. Could. Do. That.

[13:54] And. So. I. Did. That. Now. 30. Years. Ago. I. Would. Been. Eight. And. I. Would. Have. Been. Unable. To. Help. Him.

[14:04] Or. At least. Not. Much. Help. To. Him. And. 30. Years. From. Now. Mike. Is. Probably. Not. Calling. Me. To. Ask. Me. To. Move. Furniture. He. Moved. Brother.

[14:18] All. Of. His. Furniture. Is. Upstairs. Now. 30. Years. From. Now. I. Am. Not. In. Any. Shape. To. Be. Moving. Furniture. Up.

[14:31] Our. Strength. Comes. And. Goes. God's. Does. Not. God. Does. Not. Change. In. His. Strength. He.

[14:42] Doesn't. Lock. Lack. Power. To. Bless. Us. He. Doesn't. See. You. In. Your. Need. And. Say. I. Wish. I. Could. Do. Something. About. That. That. Has. Never. Been. Something.

[14:52] That. Has. God. Has. Ever. Had. To. Say. Or. Think. To. Look. Upon. Us. And. Say. I. Wish. There. Was. Something. I. Could. Do. But. I. Just. Can't. Remember.

[15:03] When. Jesus. Had. A. Man. Said. If. You. If. Can. And. Jesus. Said. If. I. Can. If. I. Can. We.

[15:15] Need. To. Take. Our. Needs. To. That. Question. If. I. Can. Of. Course. God. Can. Our. Financial. Ability.

[15:25] To. Bless. Grows. And. Shrinks. I. Can. Afford. To. Bless. In. Ways. That. I. Used. To. Not. Be. Able. To. Or. Or. Now. I. Can't. When. I. Used. To. Be. To. I.

[15:36] Have. More. Or. Less. Money. To. Bless. But. The. Earth. Is. The. Lord's. And. Everything. In. It. When. Some. People. Get. Some. Things. And. Then. All. And. Money.

[15:46] Gets. Moving. Around. All. God. Is. Doing. Is. Moving. His. His. Own. Stuff. Around. God. Has. All. The. Money. In. The. World. It's. All. His. It's. Always. His. He's. Not.

[15:57] A. Man. That. Needs. To. Change. His. Mind. Our. Budgets. Change. Bills. Come. That's. Unsurprised. And. So. We. Have. To. Say. No. I. Can't. Do. That. I. Thought. I. Could. But. Now. I. Can't. God.

[16:07] Doesn't. Have. To. Do. That. And. Then. There's. This. Time. Ability. I. Have. Time. To. Bless. Now. But. Now. I. Don't. Have. Time. To. Bless. And. I. Wish. I. Is.

[16:31] Like. A. Thousand. Years. For. Him. So. Think. About. That. A. Day. Is. Like. A. Thousand. Years. To. God. He. Has. More.

[16:41] Than. Enough. Time. He. Never. Has. To. Say. I. Wish. There. Were. More. Hours. Than. Day. God. Is. Not. A. Man. God. Is. Not. A. Man. Because.

[16:52] Men. Live. And. Die. And. That. Is. The. Ultimate. Change. Isn't. It. I'm. Alive. To. Bless. Someone. But.

[17:02] Then. I'm. Not. And. I. Won't. Be. Able. To. Reach. Back. To. The. Other. Side. To. Do. Anything. Good. Or. Bad. I. I'll.

[17:12] Be. Dead. Or. The. People. That. I. Want. To. Bless. Perhaps. They'll. Die. And. If.

[17:23] They. Die. I. Can't. Do. Anything. More. For. Them. I've. I've. Stood. At. A. Graveside. And. I've. Said. To.

[17:33] A. Surviving. Wife. You've. Gone. As. Far. As. You. Can. Go. You've. Done. All. That. You. Can. Do. God. Never.

[17:44] Has. That. Said. About. Him. God. Is. Not. A. Man. He. Doesn't. Die. And. People. To. Him. Really. Never. Die. Remember. When. Jesus. Said. To. The. Sadducees. Who. Were. Arguing.

[17:54] Over. Life. And. Death. And. Is. There. A. Life. After. This. And. The. Resurrection. And. Jesus. Answer. Was. A. Grammatical. One. He. Said. God.

[18:05] Is. Not. The. God. God. It. It. Says. The. God. Is. The. Is. The. God. Of. Abraham. Isaac. And. Jacob. And. Then. His. Answer. Is. God. Is. Not. The. God. Of. The. Dead.

[18:15] But. Of. The. Living. And. What. Jesus. Was. Saying. Was. Abraham. Isaac. And. Jacob. Are. Still. Quite. Alive. To.

[18:25] God. Right. Now. God. Is. Blessing. Abraham. Isaac. And. Jacob. Right. Now. He. Is. Your.

[18:37] Friends. Your. Relatives. Perhaps. Even. Your. Spouse. And. So. Take. Heart. You. Can. Rejoice. In. That. God. Is. Not. A. Man.

[18:48] He. Not. Bound. By. Strength. Or. Weakness. Or. Finances. Or. Time. Not. Even. Life. And. Death. God. Is. Boundless.

[18:59] In. His. Ability. To. Bless. And. He. Doesn't. Change. In. Any. Of. Those. Things. So. Nothing. Can. Change. His. Mind. Nothing. Can. Get. In. The. Way. Nothing. Can. Turn. Him. Into. A. Liar. Nothing.

[19:09] Can. Challenge. His. Plans. Or. His. Purposes. And. So. With. Paul. And. Romans. We. Say. Well. Then. Who. Or. What. Shall. Separate. Us. From. The. Love. Of.

[19:19] Christ. For. I. Am. Convinced. That. Neither. Life. That. Neither. Death. Nor. Life. Neither. Angels. Nor. Demons. Neither. The. Present. Nor. The. Future. Nor. Any. Powers.

[19:30] Neither. Height. Nor. Depth. Nor. Anything. Else. In. All. Creation. Will. Be. Able. To. Separate. Us. From. The. Love. Of. God. That. Is. In. Christ. Jesus. Our. Lord. God.

[19:40] Is. Not. A. Man. He. Is. Steadfast. In. His. Willingness. And. He. Is. Steadfast. In. His. Ability. To. Do. You. Good. We.

[19:51] All. Need. Blessing. Hope. Healing. Forgiveness. And. God. Is. Steadfast. To. Bless. Us.

[20:01] And. That's. What. You. See. In. Numbers. 23. That. Is. The. Question. Of. This. Whole. Balaam. Situation. Is. Is. Is. Is. Is. Is.

[20:12] Is. Is. Is. way that this curse from the outside can fall upon Israel? And the answer is not when the Lord has decided to bless. But maybe you say, all of that, all of that is not really my problem.

[20:32] I know that about God. I am confident in that about God. It's not that I think God will lie or that God will somehow not be able to bless me. The problem is my sin. My sin. Isn't my sin going to get in the way? Isn't my sin going to turn his heart away from me? Isn't my sin going to turn his heart away from doing me good? What about my sin? Well, conscience, Satan, sin, it can all say, yes, you know what? All that is true. God is strong. He has everything.

[21:24] He has all the time, all the money. He has everything he needs. That's all true. But it's not true for you. Not true for you. God won't bless you. There's no mercy left for you. Your sin is too much. Your sin is too great. And that's a question that we all have to wrestle with.

[21:49] Because conscience and Satan, the accuser, will even make us wrestle with that. And so what is the answer? The answer to that is looking at where we meet this attribute, the steadfastness of God?

[22:06] Where do we meet it? Well, we meet it, it's not dangling out in the middle of nowhere. We meet it in Numbers 23. And Numbers 23 has a context. It's not just, it's not dropped from heaven into a theological textbook. It's in a context. And I want you to look at the context. And so if you have your Bibles, take them and turn back to Numbers chapter one. We are going to get the broad, bigger context of where this happens. Where does God say, I am going to bless and I am not a liar and I don't change my mind?

[22:47] Well, Numbers 1, 1. We're going to go through a whole bunch of chapters here very, very quickly. But Numbers is sort of divided into, at least the first 25 chapters are divided into basically two sections. And in the first 10, what you are going to see is Israel obeys. That's the key one. So chapter 1, 1, it says, The Lord spoke to Moses in the 10 of meeting, and then verse 2, and this is what the Lord tells Moses to do. Take a census of the whole Israelite community. And that's what happens in chapter 1. Now, I want you to look at the last verse of chapter 1, verse 54, and this is what it says.

[23:31] The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses. They obeyed, just like God said, all of what God said. So chapter 2, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, the Israelites are in camp around, this is how they're to camp around the tent of meeting, some distance from it. And then he goes on to tell them exactly how they should camp.

[23:59] And now look at chapter 2, verse 34, And so the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses.

[24:11] Chapter 3, it says, the Lord says, now count all the firstborn. And chapter 3 ends with, and so Moses counted all the firstborn.

[24:23] And chapter 4, take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites and the Gershonites and the Merorites, these Levitical families. And chapter 4 says, Thus they were counted as the Lord commanded Moses.

[24:38] In chapter 5, command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with an infectious skin disease. And they did just as the Lord had instructed Moses. Now, I could keep going, but as you look at the rest of the chapters, all the way through chapter 10, it says, the Israelites did just what the Lord said.

[25:01] The Israelites did just as what, just as Moses said. Just as the Lord said. And that sounds good. Doesn't it?

[25:11] Sure. And that's what we want. This is Israel doing exactly what the Lord said. And we would say, well, surely the Lord will bless them then. And he does.

[25:24] He does bless them. But is that how it works? Is that where Numbers 23 lands? No. Is that where Numbers 23 comes in?

[25:36] Israel is faultless in their obedience. And now Balaam and Balak can't do anything against them. Now they're wrapped in this obedience. And God's blessing is going to be upon them.

[25:46] And God will bless them. And their obedience is saying, now God bless us. And that's it. That's the whole story. Well, that's not the whole story. And that's not how that works.

[25:59] Because the Bible is a story of God's grace to sinners. And how we need to get this, how I need to get this into my thick head.

[26:14] It's grace. It's grace. Numbers 23. Where it says, God is not a man that he should lie, or son of man. I have received a command to bless, and he is blessed, and I cannot change it.

[26:28] That is God's unfailing love. That is his steadfast grace. That is his heart full of grace.

[26:40] Because between chapter 10 and chapter 23, there is something completely different. Then, and they obeyed, and they obeyed, and they obeyed.

[26:53] Chapter 11. They complain about their hardships. Chapter 11. They want to go back to Egypt, and they murmur against God, and he sends them manna.

[27:07] And then they get tired of that, and they say, we never see anything but this manna. Bread from heaven.

[27:18] Sick of it. Chapter 12. Chapter 12. Miriam and Aaron, Moses' sister and brother, rebel against Moses. They make this sort of power play, and God is angry with them.

[27:32] In chapter 13, they explore the land. And remember what they did after that? They said, God is against us.

[27:43] He's brought us here just to destroy us. It would have been better for us to stay there. And they rebel, and they want to go back to Egypt. Chapter 16.

[27:55] A group of priests under Korah rebel against God and against Moses. Chapter 20. The people quarrel with Moses about having no water.

[28:07] And in response, Moses strikes the rock when the Lord tells him to speak to the rock. In chapter 21, it's more complaining, and it's snakes biting them.

[28:24] So by chapter 21, who has sinned in Israel? Well, the people, the priests, Miriam, Aaron, Moses.

[28:42] It starts with the rabble. That's how Numbers puts it. The rabble starts this. And then, finally, it works its way all the way to the top.

[28:54] All the way to Moses. We just heard from the sole of their foot to the top of the head.

[29:05] The whole mass is rebelling and fighting against God. And now that's when Balak hires Balaam.

[29:17] To curse them. And don't they deserve to be cursed? Don't they deserve it? Haven't they earned it? They've had blessings and they've rebelled.

[29:28] And they've been disciplined. And they kept going. And I'd say shame on them. But that sounds a little like me. Because I've had blessings.

[29:39] And I kept going. And I've had discipline. And it didn't stop me from sinning. And so surely they deserve God's curse. And so now Balaam stands over them.

[29:50] Remember? So you can get a good look at them. And Balaam is looking down upon them. And he is ready to curse them. Paid to curse them. Willing to curse them. And surely their sins are standing right beside Balaam.

[30:03] Saying, let them have it. They deserve it. But instead, what is it? Instead, what is it? What is it, brothers and sisters?

[30:14] It's God is not a man that he should lie. He's not a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? I have received a command to bless.

[30:27] And he is blessed. And I cannot change it. And so what is our hope of blessing? Well, the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.

[30:43] So many a man claim to have unfailing love. But Psalm 130 says, But with our God is unfailing love. This is who he is.

[30:56] Unchangeable and steadfast. So dear Christian, he is steadfast. He has plans to bless you. He has plans to bless you.

[31:08] He has purposes to bless you. And he will not change. In Christ, this attribute of God's steadfast faithfulness is working for you.

[31:23] It's for you. And so Psalm 33 begins with, Sing joyfully to the Lord. Why should we sing joyfully to the Lord, You righteous?

[31:35] Well, it says the Lord foils the plans of the nations, And he thwarts the purposes of the people. But the plans of the Lord stand firm in his purposes through all generations. That God has plans for us and purposes that are sure and will not fall, Is a reason for us to sing joyfully to the Lord.

[31:57] This is an attribute that should make us happy. That our God is like this. He will bless his people. And so just sing joyfully to the Lord.

[32:08] No matter what we face, This is for you. And it says he has a plan to bless. And it stands firm.

[32:18] And so I want you to think for a moment, What goes into a plan? God has a plan. A steadfast plan. What goes into a plan? Well, if I have a plan to throw a birthday party, Or if I have a plan to rob a bank, If I have a plan for anything, It involves a how.

[32:38] How am I going to do this? I have a plan. I need a how. How am I going to do this? Well, did you know that God has all of his hows worked out? His intention is to do good, And he already has the way he's going to do it.

[32:54] The how already figured out. It might be this person. It might be that person. It might be this situation or that situation.

[33:06] It might be a friend. It might be an enemy. It might be a child. It might be a parent. It might be a job. It might be a church. It might be an event. It can be anything. But he already has it all nailed down.

[33:19] All the hows. And so you can look back. If you want to look back over your life. And you can see all of the hows. And you can know that he has hows lined up for your future too.

[33:34] This is how I'm going to do it. So the things that we so much dread are so often the very things that God is using to bless us. And then he has a part of a plan is you have to have a where.

[33:47] Where are you going to do this? Well, plans involve a place. God might move you to bless you. He's moved some of you hundreds of miles to bless you.

[34:01] He moved Sam thousands of miles to bless him. There's a place. And sometimes it's so far from us we don't even consider it.

[34:13] And yet God has that place in mind because that's where I'm going to bless them. So he has a how. He has a place.

[34:25] And he has a when. When am I going to do it? That's part of the plan. Everything is yours in Christ.

[34:40] And it's just a matter of when. That you get it. Some you will get now. And some a little bit later. And some of it all at the end.

[34:54] And it's not willy nilly. There's a timetable. And God is blessing on his own timetable. And there's nothing that can change his timetable.

[35:06] There's nothing that can disturb his timetable. This is not like going to the airport and you hope your airplane is on schedule. All of God's blessings are on schedule. They've always been on schedule.

[35:18] And so you can know the plan isn't going to change. Because nothing in heaven or earth, life, death, anything. Can change God. Can change his intention to do good to his people. And his plans stand firm.

[35:29] And it says the purposes of his heart stand through all generations. So the past. The present. The future.

[35:40] His purpose is to bless you. Stands firm against future attacks. His plans to bless you stand firm against present dangers. Balak and Balaam were a very clear and present danger to Israel.

[35:51] And that's why they're included in this story. But God doesn't change his mind. And then they even stand firm against past sins. Because sometimes our sins resurrect themselves and they come back.

[36:05] Dr. Murray at the ski retreat at one point told his testimony.

[36:16] And he said throughout that ski retreat that even now bad memories come back to him from his pre-Christian days.

[36:28] Things that he did. Places that he was. Where he. All the rest. And regret comes back to him. And we all have that. And in those moments we need to bring our consciences.

[36:40] And our doubts. And our faith. To this truth. God's steadfast love. Endures. Forever. It doesn't change.

[36:52] And even more than that. You can bring your consciences. And your faith. And your doubt. Bring those to Jesus Christ. Christ. And what I mean by that. Is that.

[37:04] You know. God has plans and purposes. Not just for you. But he has plans and purposes for Jesus too. He's promised things to his son.

[37:17] He purposed to give. Jesus. A people. A people. And if God throws away all the sinners. Well then his purposes for Jesus.

[37:29] Will be thwarted. God promised Jesus a people. And if God throws away all the sinners. He'll break his word to his own son. He's purposed to make Jesus.

[37:42] The honored. Savior. Of sinners. So that when sinners. Look to him. He saves them. And they honor him. God has promised Jesus.

[37:53] Honor. From saving people. And so. God rejects sinners. When they come to him. Through Christ. When they come to him. Saying. No. I have nothing.

[38:04] It's all Jesus. It's all of his cross. I have nothing good. For myself. And he rejects. Sinners. Who come to God. Through Jesus Christ. Well he is.

[38:16] Making himself a liar. For one. And he's changing his plan. To make. He's changing his plan. And his purpose. For even his own son. He's lying to his own son.

[38:26] And is he going to do that? And he's purposed. To make Christ. A mediator. And a representative. A go between. But if he then. Turns around. And destroys.

[38:37] And curses. The very people. That Jesus represents. And he's breaking his word. To his own son. And. I guess. I guess.

[38:49] What I'm trying to say is. Your sin. Isn't going to make God. Into a liar. He's going to honor his son.

[38:59] He's going to keep his promises. To bless. All those who come. Through Jesus Christ. And what that all means. And what this all boils down to. Is that if there is.

[39:11] Any. And all. Who. Come to God. Through Jesus Christ. Will surely be safe. To the uttermost. And made eternally.

[39:21] Happy. Forever. More. Because if he doesn't. Do that. Then he's a liar. And he's breaking his own word. To his own son. And so that means.

[39:33] That you. Lost sinner. Repent. Believe. And be saved. Christ is sure. He can carry you. He can carry you. He can. Turn.

[39:44] All the things. That are against you. For you. And so go get him. Go get Jesus Christ. And that means Christian. That because of Christ. You will be safe. To the uttermost.

[39:55] And you will be forever. Happy. Forever. Blessed. And so. In the words of Psalm 33. Rejoice. What's the application.

[40:06] For this sermon. Well. It's two things. One. Rest your soul. In this. God's attributes. Are meant to be sweet.

[40:17] To us. They're meant to make us. Happy. So rest your soul. In God's steadfast love. Trust Christ. And the second is. Be happy in it. Be happy.

[40:30] God is doing you good. And there's a lot more good. That he has planned for you. Let's pray. Our Lord.

[40:43] We surely don't deserve. Your blessing. We surely don't deserve. Your. Your goodness. Or your promises. But we thank you. That you are steadfast. Your love changes not.

[40:58] Your plans. And your purposes. To do us good. Have not changed. In the least. And so. We thank you. We pray that you would help us. To rest.

[41:09] In those. Believe them. And rejoice. Rejoice. Rejoice in our God. Who cannot be thwarted. Help us to rejoice.

[41:20] In your intentions. To do us good. That we would not be like Israel. Always so suspicious. Always so doubtful. Always so quick to judge. But that we would.

[41:33] Trust your loving heart. And lean hard into it. And rejoice in it. And bring you the honor. That you deserve. By being optimistic. About what you have planned.

[41:45] Being hopeful in that. This hits each one of us. In a different place. So I pray for each of my brothers. And sisters here. That whatever.

[41:57] Doubts they are wrestling with. That you would overcome them. With your truth. Take your sword. That makes the wounded whole. And make us whole. I pray. In your son's name.

[42:08] Amen.