mal 03v06 I Change Not

 

"I CHANGE NOT"            

Malachi 3:6

 

The Lord, Jehovah, our great God, encourages our faith, peace, and assurance as his believing people, with this brief description of himself - "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." REAL FAITH MUST HAVE AN IMMUTABLE GOD FOR ITS OBJECT. Were it possible for God to change, it would not be possible for anyone to absolutely trust him. IMMUTABILITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SECURITY IN CHRIST. God's elect are secure, not because we do not change, (we change often!) but because our God does not change.

Here is A CLAIM OF SOVEREIGNTY - "I Am the Lord." There is but one true and living God, He is Jehovah our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here the eternal, triune God claims greatness as the Sovereign of the universe. He is the holy, infinite, all-knowing, all-seeing, almighty, universally present God. Because he is God, Jehovah demands and deserves our reverence; and he shall have it, one way or another. When God says, "I Am the Lord", by that revelation of himself, he demands that all who hear his Word believe him. It is God's character as God that demands and causes our faith. We trust him because he is God.

Our great God reveals AN ASSURING ATTRIBUTE OF HIS BEING - "I change not." Our God is immutable. He is "the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." God is independent. Because he is completely self-existent and independent, he must be immutable. God reaches all things; but nothing reaches God. God touches all things; but nothing touches God. God affects all things; but nothing affects God. God moves all things; but nothing moves God. God changes all things; but nothing changes God. Sitting on his high and glorious throne, in the ease and serenity of his absolute sovereignty, God looks down upon the heavens, the earth, hell, all angels, all men, and all devils, and declares, "I Am Jehovah, I change not!" Can you see it? Satan led a rebellion in heaven against the throne of God, but God changes not. Sin entered into the world, and Adam fell; but God changes not. Nations rise and nations fall; but God changes not. The heavens and the earth shall pass away; but God changes not. A new heaven and a new earth shall be created; but God changes not. God's elect shall enter into the eternal bliss of everlasting glory, and the damned shall be cast into hell; but God changes not.

This great, unchanging God has A FAVORED PEOPLE - "Ye sons of Jacob." The sons of Jacob are God's elect people, chosen by him in everlasting love (Rom. 9:13). The sons of Jacob are those to whom the birthright and inheritance belong. The sons of Jacob gladly give the sons of Esau the goods of this world, because they live by faith and seek the world to come.

To these favored, beloved people of God, PROMISE IS MADE - "Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Were it not for the fact that our God changes not, we would have all been consumed long ago. Because God is unchanging, his purpose is sure and he is faithful to his covenant. His chosen, redeemed, believing people are not consumed - (Ps. 89:29-34). Yet, there is more - Because our God changes not, not one of these chosen, beloved sons of Jacob can ever be consumed. This same God, who says, "I change not", declares, "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish!"