Let's look at our verse in Malachi 3:6:
"I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed."
The nature of the world around us is rooted in change. An easy example is found in the seasons of the year. Life erupts from the soil in spring, then rolls into the heat of summer. We enjoy the brilliance of fall foliage and bundle up as winter’s blast rattles the windows in our homes.
Then, the cycle begins again.
Change. The ever-evolving cycle of the seasons.
What we see out our window now is impermanent, only for today. We’ve heard the old saying that if we don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. It’s bound to change. Yet, even in the changing weather and seasons, we can find stability and security. When storms thunder and rain darkens the afternoon, clear skies will return. When winter blankets the land, the green shoots of spring will indeed break through, the trees will bud with leaves, and the days will lengthen and bring summer’s warmth once again.
The immutability of God’s unchanging nature means that his essence, character, and purpose never change. He consistently fulfills his promises. Isaiah 40:8 tells us that the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. His love for us doesn’t waver no matter what we’ve done. His justice and righteousness consistently align with his written words, and his wisdom, goodness, and holiness are revealed in each of his actions and requirements of his people.
Most importantly, God’s grace is offered to us as a gift. We never have to earn it, and it cannot be lost. God is at work in our lives, and he guides our footsteps into new paths, but HE does not and cannot change. Our children will grow and leave the home; our years of employment will one day come to an end; our place of residence will change from this city to that; but during our seasons of change, God’s unbreakable love never changes.
Abraham’s story is a perfect illustration of God’s unchanging nature and love. He is called to leave his home, and God promises to make of him a great nation. God makes a covenant with Abraham that his descendants will become as the stars, and they will inherit the lands of Canaan. When Abraham fathers Isaac, Abraham’s unwavering obedience invokes God’s unchanging love and God provides a ram for a sacrifice instead of Isaac. Abraham’s legacy of obedience, faith, and trust in God is solidified by the unchanging nature of God as revealed by God’s fulfillment of his promises to Abraham.
We also see this in the biblical narrative of Jesus and his temptation. After being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus enters the desert where he fasts for forty days in preparation for his ministry. During his time of preparation, the devil tries to knock Jesus off God’s ordained path of ministry and eventual sacrifice with three temptations.
First, Jesus is tempted to eat. After forty days of hunger, this seems like a no-brainer, at least according to Satan. “Eat, feast, just turn the stones on the ground into sweet bread. You deserve this treat.” Isn’t that sometimes like us? We feel like we deserve what the devil holds out to us. Jesus stands on the unchanging love of the Father and says, “Man does not live by bread alone but by the word of the Lord.”
Satan takes another approach and appeals to Jesus’ connection with his Father. He says, “Jump from the temple. Angels will catch you, for God will never allow any harm to come to you.” Jesus replies, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” God didn’t have anything to prove. Jesus had confidence that the Father loved him. His trust in God’s promises was rock-solid.
Finally, the evil one promises Jesus power and glory. He shows him the kingdoms of this world and suggests that they can belong to Jesus if he will switch his allegiance from God to him. Jesus rebuffs him, saying, “Back down, Satan. God is the only one I will worship and serve.”
The story of the temptations of Jesus demonstrates how the unchanging love of God helps us to overcome in every situation. It highlights the nature of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God who will bring redemption to mankind. It is a model for Christians on how to overcome temptation and underscores the ongoing battle between good and evil—between God and Satan—and illustrates specific examples of how to resist temptation and live a life pleasing to God
The world may change but God never does. His love is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
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