Malachi the prophet recorded
“the LORD of host's” words as He described what it would
be like when the Messiah and His forerunner came on the scene. Since
the nation of Israel and it's priests were not worshiping as they
should, the Lord was to bring correction to the sorcerers,
adulterers, false swearers, those who oppress their workers, widows
and orphans, and any who turn strangers from the truth, and don't
fear Him. In Malachi chapter three and verse six, the Lord tells them
why He would make such corrections where we read:
The
verse begins, “For I am the LORD, I change not;”
Let us notice the use of the
word, “For” which
means “because, since or as a result of” “I am the
LORD” or “the existing one,
and the proper name of the living God”. “Yehovah” is the
all-powerful, existing and living God, and when he makes a
declaration, it shall be. His declaration was “I change
not” which is “to repeat, do
the second time, be other, divert, or transfer to another place”.
The idea is immutability, constancy, and stationary. The Lord does
not altar or change.
The
verse continues, “therefore you sons of Jacob are not
consumed.” The conclusion the
Lord makes to His immutability is “you sons of Jacob”
which is a reference to the nation of Israel, “are not
consumed” or “ceased,
consumed, ended, failed, finished, completed, or accomplished”. The
Lord at any time could have made the existence of Israel to cease,
but because He is the unchangeable, immutable, and constant God, He
does not bring them to an end.
As
God has been, He always shall be, and when He makes a list of
corrections such as in our previous verse to Israel, it is because it
is the way He has always been, and His word does not change. The Lord
desired fellowship with the nation of Israel, and if there was ever
going to be “Holy” worship towards Him, there needed to be a
refining, purifying and purging of their wicked ways first. As we
think about the constancy of the Lord, how does it apply to our
lives? Are we benefited by His purifying and unchanging ways or do we
turn away from Him as did the nation of Israel? Perhaps as we realize
just how much the Lord desires to have a relationship with us we will
be inspired and pleased to allow Him to purge us in any manner He
desires because there is no greater fellowship than with the
immutable, unchangeable, almighty and Holy God.
Next
time we see the Lord repeat His charge against the people and His
invitation to change,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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