together with
Happy Monday, {{first_name | everyone}}!
This is a special week because we’ve partnered with our friends at Holy Ghost Stories. Holy Ghost Stories is a one-of-a-kind podcast that tells the stories of the Bible beautifully, ushering you into moments with Yahweh.
To be honest, it’s hard to describe but once you experience it, you’ll know what I mean. And this week, we’re memorizing a verse from one of the stories they’ve covered in the podcast: a unique story in the book of Numbers.
You can give it a listen on Apple here or Spotify here.
I’ve gotten to know Justin (creator of Holy Ghost Stories) and his heart for God is unmistakeable. I know you’ll be blessed by this week’s content and the Holy Ghost Stories podcast.
Let’s dive in!
In today’s email…
💍 Does God keep his promises?
📖 The context of the Book of Numbers
🎵 A song on trusting in God’s promises…
MEMORIZE 🧠
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19
CONTEXT 📕
When Israel broke the covenant they made with Yahweh at Mt. Sinai, the people were shocked to discover God’s adamant response: I still love you and I will not let this relationship die. I will keep My promise at all costs.
And so the God of heaven and earth accompanies Israel into the wilderness.
This is where the Book of Numbers begins. According to tradition, Moses wrote it during the wilderness wanderings so the next generation of Israelites would know how Yahweh cared for them after Egypt.
Our passage this week comes from the final section of Numbers, in which the Israelites — decades into their wilderness journey — are camped on the high plains of Moab, just across the Dead Sea from the southern reaches of the Promised Land.
They are so close.
But the king of Moab, Balak, has noticed the Israelites (of course he has — a migrant community one million strong is difficult to miss). He’s heard stories of their shocking military might and is desperate to ensure these transients do not threaten his people.
So King Balak hires a famous pagan sorcerer named Balaam to travel from the north and pronounce a curse on Israel.
The problem is, Balaam knows that the fearsome Yahweh is Israel’s God. And, pagan though he may be, the sorcerer has started asking Yahweh for instructions on how to proceed.
That’s when things go in…unexpected directions.
First, a talking donkey (more on that tomorrow, but you’ll want to listen to a fully immersive telling of this story here). Then the heathen shaman (Balaam) becomes a direct mouthpiece of Yahweh, upending King Balak’s plans entirely.
It’s during this process — as Balaam is conferring with the God of Israel, learning who Yahweh is (and isn’t) — that Balaam speaks the words you’re memorizing this week:
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
Truth-soaked words you’d never expect from an occultist, but a glimpse into God’s character that will edify even the most seasoned believer.
APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃♂
📖 Read Numbers 22-24 this week. Notice God’s intervention throughout the story, how he turns what was meant to curse into a blessing.
📝 Memorize Numbers 23:19. Write it on a sticky note. Put it on your bathroom mirror. Say it each morning.
💡 Ask yourself: What promise am I most worried God will change his mind about?
🙏 Pray
Father, I admit it is hard to believe some of your promises. Others have broken their promises to me. I’ve broken my word to others. Help me understand that you are not like that. When you say you’ll do something, you will. Speak to me this week as I study your Word. Amen.
TOGETHER WITH BRAD’S DEALS
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Get all the deals from Brad’s Deals by signing up for free with your email address. Happy shopping!
SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵
Pay-it-forward subscribers, enjoy the song we created below to help you memorize the verse of the week!
SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵
Pay-it-forward subscribers, enjoy the song we created below to help you memorize the verse of the week!
It looks like you don’t currently pay-it-forward. If you’d like to, you can do that here.
Immediately, my mind went to Promises by Maverick City Music, but I came across the song Man of Your Word on the same album, which feels even more related to this verse! Give it a listen!
ANSWER KEY ✅
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Numbers 23:19
Best,
The Malachi Daily team 🙏
Today’s Contributors
Justin lives in the Ozarks with his wife and their two daughters. He’s the creator of Holy Ghost Stories, a podcast that tells the stories of the Bible beautifully and truthfully.
JL is an editor at Holy Ghost Stories and the creator of The Happiest Saddest People, a serialized audio memoir. She loves helping people see and understand the story God’s written in Scripture and the story God’s still writing today.
Kieran is a husband and father living in NJ. In addition to Malachi Daily, he writes a personal newsletter about the intersection of faith, fatherhood and entrepreneurship.
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Imagine you’re reading your physical Bible and come across something you don’t fully understand. And you have questions like:
What does it mean to “cast lots,” and why did people do it?
What is Jesus trying to teach us in this parable?
What was David going through when he wrote this Psalm?
Imagine you could:
Take a picture of what you’re reading in your physical Bible with your phone
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Would you want something like that?
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