Even when our world today is changing fast
Two years ago we were just beginning to hear about the Covid-19 virus which went on to cause a worldwide pandemic.
In our lockdowns, many jobs and businesses have already gone bust, many families have lost loved ones and many with health concerns cannot get access to the proper medical treatment.
New types of vaccine have been developed at a pace never seen in human history. Most people do not know where to look for security and safety and yet during our most difficult times in our lives God is saying to us today
“For I, the Lord, do not change... Malachi 3:6
There are several scriptures in the bible which tell us that God does not change.
In the new testament we see Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
It is part of God’s being to be eternal and unchanging. It is difficult for us to imagine what eternity is exactly or indeed what an eternal being is like. Eternity is not a long, long stretch of time but rather eternity is timeless.
We should note that, whatever is going on the world today has not caught the Lord by surprise and even if we cannot see what his plan is, be assured that he does have a plan.
He is carefully weighing everything.
God has ever been and will always be entirely consistent to his word as written in the bible. His character and approach to the unfolding of history is entirely consistent.
His love and protection of his old covenant people and his new covenant people is permanent.
The God of old testament that opened the Red Sea for Moses and his people to cross over, is the same God for the church today and tomorrow.
The seasons in our lives change but God is the same.
God is immutable.
Our God is a God of the ‘big picture’ in terms of what is going on in the world.
I want to give you an example of this from the book of Daniel whose main message is ’Heaven rules’.
We pick up the story in Daniel 5 the infamous Belshazzar’s feast. The king and his drunken guests toasted the false gods and had the impudence to use the holy vessels from the holy temple in Jerusalem.
5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
D5:7-9 As with his grandfather before him, none of the astrologers, Chaldeans, or soothsayers (wise men) were able to interpret this message from God.
D5:10-11 The queen tells Belshazzar to send for Daniel, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him. Daniel had been chief over the groups of wise men under Belshazzar’s grandfather Nebuchadnezzar.
The king summoned Daniel offering great rewards including be promoted to the third ruler in the empire. Daniel declines all rewards and reminds Belshazzar how the Lord God had to humble his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar by driving him mad for seven years. Daniel points out that despite Belshazzar knowing all this and much more about the God of Daniel, he was lifted by pride, and had insulted the Living God, by toasting idols using the vessels from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Daniel now interprets the writing on the wall, and it is extremely bad news for Belshazzar.
D5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.
25 And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.
26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.
27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Whilst the banquet was still in progress the Medes and Persian troops had captured the city of Babylon and King Belshazzar was put to death that very night.
He had mocked the Lord.
Learning points: How is this relevant to us today?
1. No matter how powerful kings, presidents, and rulers are, God carefully weighs their actions in his balance. It is a sobering thought that God weighs the actions of mankind. Thank the Lord, we can get ongoing forgiveness through 1 John 1:9.
Proud people seldom change and revert to their sinful ways all too quickly.
God gave Nebuchadnezzar a second chance but not Belshazzar. God really looks at the the human heart.
Now here is the good news:
God is saying to each one of his people today…
I am the Lord I change not.
No matter what is going on in your life with the pandemic, the failing economy, your family, your job, your health concerns and other worries, no matter what life throws at you...God will have the last word.
So remember heaven rules, remember God rules.
He will get you through everything that the world, the flesh, and the devil can throw at you and even when this life is ended …underneath are the everlasting arms.
He has got you covered in life and He has got you covered in death.
He has got your loved ones covered.
Prayer Unchanging Father, in Jesus name, we cast all our cares and fears upon you today because we know you care about every detail in our lives, even the number of hairs on our heads!
We put all our fears, cares, worries and the like into your barrel and roll them over to you.
Lord we take one hand off the barrel now we take the other hand off the barrel.
As we take both our hands off the barrel, we hand over all our fears, cares, worries and suchlike for you to deal with in the full confidence you genuinely care for each one of us. Lord we rest in you.
Amen
Personal Prayer
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