I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Malachi 3:6
Judah has been unfaithful to their covenant with God. And it is only because God doesn’t change... in His covenant faithfulness and in His longsuffering mercy for His people… that they have not been destroyed altogether.
Theologians call this the Immutability of God. And it can be defined in this way. God does not change in the essential attributes of His nature or in His eternal purposes. Take the essential attribute of God’s holiness for example. God is perfectly holy and good. He always does right and never does wrong. That cannot change. God cannot suddenly begin loving sin. He cannot embrace evil. That would be a fundamental change in who He is, and God does not change.
In fact, God can’t change. Think about it this way. God is perfect.… and perfection doesn’t change. Any change in the Lord would have to make Him either better or worse. If He were to change for the better, then that would mean He wasn’t perfect before and therefore wasn’t God before He changed. Alternatively, if He were to change for the worse, then that would mean that He is no longer perfect and therefore is no longer God. So, God cannot change.
Now, you may not realize it, but this aspect of God’s character is something you should be incredibly thankful for. Imagine if God was everchanging and unpredictable? Imagine the nightmare of an all-powerful God with the temperament of a toddler... a God who might strike you dead in the midst of a temper tantrum.
I’m so thankful God is not like that. I’m thankful that I don’t have to worry about God changing His mind about my salvation or about how He feels about me. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to hope that God is “in a good mood” when I die. I’m so thankful that I can live my life according to His Word without having to worry about Him suddenly changing the rules of the game by changing what it is He wants from me.
So, take a moment and consider just how blessed you are by this attribute of the Lord... and praise God that He doesn't change.
