The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Malachi 3:6,
"I the Lord do not change."
This comment the Lord makes of himself is in reassurance that although Israel has yet again wandered from him, the Lord will maintain his commitments to the patriarchs of Israel. Had the Lord not been unchanging, the implication is he would destroy the lot of them, "So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed."
I am reminded of Paul's observation, "As far as the gospel is concerned, they [Israel] are enemies for your [believer's] sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." Romans 11:28. Many who sport a theology these days that says otherwise may want to avail themselves of the total counsel of Scripture and include this thought in their theology about God's current relationship with Israel. God does not change, and yes, his "gifts" and his "call" are irrevocable! Even his covenants he entered into with the patriarchs of Israel!
I love the fact that God never changes. I work as a programmer: there are always changes coming around. Our cultural norms are always shifting and changing. What was right yesterday is wrong today and what was wrong yesterday is right today! We have a president who "evolves" on the most basic of issues, like what is marriage! I can't begin to tell you how baffling it is to someone born in the forties to see our culture twist and spin on issues like marriage, like homosexuality, like slaughtering infants still in the womb!
The reality is that no one ever really changes. Mankind still runs amok in sinful ignorance and refuses to follow its Creator, let alone even acknowledge him. Homosexuality was condemned by God in Moses' day three and a half millenia ago! Nothing new here.
Knowing that God never changes provides tremendous assurance for me. What if the Lord told us one day that he had reconsidered this "redemption" thing and decided he wasn't interested in us any more? What if the Lord decided twelve years into eternity that he no longer wanted us around and kicked us all out of his family? Seriously! What if God had a propensity for change? Where would we be?
Of all of the manifold wonderful qualities that make up the Lord's many-splendored perfections, he, in fact, is ever unchanging! What we learn of God today will be "operational" years, generations from now. There really is no need for updates on who God is or what he is like because he has already told us of himself and since he never changes, what was written in the past is still as good, as fresh today as the day he revealed those things to us in his Scriptures!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"I the Lord do not change."
This comment the Lord makes of himself is in reassurance that although Israel has yet again wandered from him, the Lord will maintain his commitments to the patriarchs of Israel. Had the Lord not been unchanging, the implication is he would destroy the lot of them, "So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed."
I am reminded of Paul's observation, "As far as the gospel is concerned, they [Israel] are enemies for your [believer's] sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." Romans 11:28. Many who sport a theology these days that says otherwise may want to avail themselves of the total counsel of Scripture and include this thought in their theology about God's current relationship with Israel. God does not change, and yes, his "gifts" and his "call" are irrevocable! Even his covenants he entered into with the patriarchs of Israel!
I love the fact that God never changes. I work as a programmer: there are always changes coming around. Our cultural norms are always shifting and changing. What was right yesterday is wrong today and what was wrong yesterday is right today! We have a president who "evolves" on the most basic of issues, like what is marriage! I can't begin to tell you how baffling it is to someone born in the forties to see our culture twist and spin on issues like marriage, like homosexuality, like slaughtering infants still in the womb!
The reality is that no one ever really changes. Mankind still runs amok in sinful ignorance and refuses to follow its Creator, let alone even acknowledge him. Homosexuality was condemned by God in Moses' day three and a half millenia ago! Nothing new here.
Knowing that God never changes provides tremendous assurance for me. What if the Lord told us one day that he had reconsidered this "redemption" thing and decided he wasn't interested in us any more? What if the Lord decided twelve years into eternity that he no longer wanted us around and kicked us all out of his family? Seriously! What if God had a propensity for change? Where would we be?
Of all of the manifold wonderful qualities that make up the Lord's many-splendored perfections, he, in fact, is ever unchanging! What we learn of God today will be "operational" years, generations from now. There really is no need for updates on who God is or what he is like because he has already told us of himself and since he never changes, what was written in the past is still as good, as fresh today as the day he revealed those things to us in his Scriptures!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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