Hebrews 13:8 - Another Glimpse at the Immutable Quality of God.
Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV) Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8 (NLT) Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
INTRODUCTION
Jesus Christ is the same, and his Good News
does not change. yesterday: Jesus was the
Fathers agent in creation (1:2, 10). today:
Jesus currently sits at the Fathers right hand
(1:13; 7:26"28; 10:12). He will rule the universe
forever (1:8, 10"12). [NLT SB 2008]
Jesus the Messiah (Christ) is eternally
trustworthy in his position as high priest and as Son of
God - yesterday active in creation (e.g.,
1:2"4), today offering salvation (e.g., 4:7"10),
and forever reigning in heaven (e.g., 10:12).
[ESV SB 2008]
Though human leaders have much to offer, we
must keep our eyes on Christ, our ultimate
leader. Unlike any human leaders, he will never
change. Christ has been and will be the same
forever. In a changing world we can trust our
unchanging Lord. [Life Application SB]
In view of the fact that Christ never
changes, the message about Him can never change.
Teachings that differ from the pure gospel already
proclaimed may be dismissed without further
examination. See on Gal. 1:6"8. [SDA Bible Commentary]
COMMENTARY PEARLS
Reality Check
Avery didn't like to be cold. She
celebrated for a week when her parents said they were
moving to Hawaii. Now she could be warm all the
time. She liked warmth so much that she never put
anything in the refrigerator. What's the big deal
with coldness? Avery thought. Being warm is much
better. Her parents tried to tell her about bacteria
and how food would spoil, but she didn't believe
it. She couldn't see bacteria, so how could it
exist? But one day Avery grabbed the milk from the
counter and poured it on her cereal. To her
surprise, it came out in huge, stinky globs. Then she
decided to make a turkey sandwich. It didn't smell
much better, and the cheese was covered in green
mold.
What happened? Avery discovered an
important lesson: Our beliefs don't change reality.
Avery sincerely believed refrigeration
was a bad thing, and she was sincerely wrong.
Many people have misguided and unfounded beliefs
about Jesus. Paul Copan has studied the claims of
Christ for years and written or edited over a dozen
books, including True for You But Not for Me. "I
can't stress this enough," Copan said. "What we
believe about Jesus doesn't affect who he is.
Whether we choose to believe it or not, Jesus is the
unique Son of God ... So we have a choice: we can
live in a fantasyland of our own making by
believing whatever we want about him; or we can seek
to discover who he really is."
You can't see Jesus, but you can trust
that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Although he
doesn't change, our understanding of him should grow
and deepen. But how do we discover more about
Jesus?
One of the best ways to find out who
Jesus is, what he did, and his true character is
by reading the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John. Choose one of the Gospels to read each
day as you go through this devotional book.
(Hint: Mark is the shortest, but all of the Gospels
contain great facts about Christ.) Write down which
book you want to read here:
Try to read one chapter a day. When you
seek after the reality of Jesus, your
understanding of what's really real will become clearer as
well. [Case For Christ For Kids by Les Strobel]
Committed to the Call
I read that if you want to be a
successful Olympic athlete, you need to work out four
hours a day, 310 days a year for six years to
compete for the gold. Now thats commitment.
In the race of life, the motive that will
keep us going, even when we are at times
discouraged, is Jesus. We keep running for Him, because
one day we will stand before Him and see Him
face to face.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us, Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of
witnesses to the life of faith, let us run with
endurance the race God has set before us (NLT). I
have often said that whenever you see the word
therefore in the Bible, find out what its there
for. Its always drawing upon what has been
previously said.
The author of Hebrews is saying, In
light of what we have just learned from these
heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, because of this
example, let us run with endurance.
All of these great people of faith ran
the race of life so well. They werent
perfect. They messed up. They had flaws. Yet they
changed their world. The world changers of Hebrews
11 opposed the Pharaoh and counseled King
Nebuchadnezzar. They passed through the Red Sea. They
shouted down the walls of Jericho. They shut the
mouths of lions. They called down fire and walked
through fire.
Now, the author of Hebrews is saying, run
like they did. Live like they did. This can be
done. The world changers of Hebrews 11 did not
know all that we know, yet they pressed on. The
same God who was their God is also our God. The
God of yesterday is the God of both today and
tomorrow. [By Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
Remember His Faithfulness
Often, after the mountaintop, there is
the valley. Often, after the blessing comes the
challenge. The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness
took place after He was baptized in the Jordan
River by John the Baptizer. God the Father said,
This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased (Matthew 3:17 NKJV).
The next verse tells us, Then Jesus
was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to
be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1 NKJV).
After the blessing came the temptation. We should
not be surprised when those things happen.
Jesus said in the parable of the sower,
Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed,
some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came
and devoured them (Matthew 13:3-4 NKJV). This
reminds us that the Devil attacks when were
trying to reach people.
When you seek to share the gospel with
someone, expect satanic opposition, because youre
entering into a time of spiritual warfare. Marks
gospel tells us about a desperate father who had a
demon-possessed son. He said to Jesus, Have mercy on us
and help us, if you can (Mark 9:22 NLT).
Jesus had a very strong reaction to this.
He said, What do you mean, If I
can? Jesus asked. Anything is possible if a
person believes (verse 23 NLT).
Effectively Jesus was saying, Of
course I can handle this. Dont forget that
Ive walked on water, healed a blind man, and
raised someone from the dead. You need to have
faith right now.
When were facing trouble in our lives,
its a good idea to remember Gods faithfulness
to us in the past. We may be tempted to think
that God has forgotten about us or abandoned us,
but He hasnt. Jesus is the same yesterday,
today, and forever. [Greg Laurie from Harvest
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
ILLUSTRATIONS
Thanks to my digital software, I have
many different Bible translations at my disposal.
Sometimes I gain new insight into a Scripture by
reading it in different versions. But not always.
Last week, I researched an Old Testament verse
and grew more confused with each translation I
compared. Not only had the translators used different
words; some gave the line a positive connotation,
while others translated it in a negative way.
Not so with Hebrews 13:8. The only
difference between the ten translations I typically
compare is whether they include two uses of and, or
two commas and one and. How appropriate for such
a clear declaration of our Lord's unchanging
nature. In an ever-changing world, we can always
count on what matters most. His holiness and
sovereignty. His love and mercy toward us.
Jesus will never change His character or
His plans - no matter what is happening, no
matter what we see going on in the world, and
regardless of our moments of doubt or unfaithfulness
toward Him when circumstances tempt us to question
His goodness.
Many things in life can make us feel
unsettled. Sudden job loss, relocation to an area away
from family and friends, serious illness, the
loss of a loved one, broken relationships, coping
with a permanent disability. We never know when
life as we know it will be disrupted and we'll
face another challenge. Thank goodness for the
rock-solid promise in Hebrews 13:8 that our Savior and
Lord will never change. by Dianne Neal Matthews
Faith Step: Are you facing changes or
uncertainty in any area of your life? Meditate on the
unchangeable nature of Jesus and your relationship with
Him. Ask Him to help your faith stay steady and
strong, unshaken by circumstances. [Mornings With
Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
Yesterday, my fitness trainer asked me
about my summer plans. I was pleased to tell him I
am finally doing something I have been dreaming
of for the past twenty years - writing. Then I
described the type of writing I am doing and explained
to him why I am so thrilled to have the
opportunity to write. I told my trainer that the dream
started years ago after Jesus saved me and I became
aware of the fact that Jesus loved me
unconditionally. It was such a lifechanging revelation for me
that I felt the need to let everybody know. I
started writing about the love of Jesus, adding
Scriptures to my writings so I could show anybody who
didnt know that His love was real, unconditional,
and transformative.
A few years after the love affair with
Jesus started, my world was rocked when the Lord
denied a specific prayer request I had prayed.
Still immature in spiritual matters, I blamed
myself for my request being denied. My shortcomings
became my focus. I couldnt see Jesuss love
for me, and I stopped writing about His love.
Thankfully Jesuss love, just like Him, is the same
yesterday, today, and forever, regardless of what
happens in our lives. As the storm lifted, I
realized that His love is what buoyed me and carried
me through one of the lowest moments in life.
Over the past fifteen years, I have been
repeatedly awed and overwhelmed by the steadfastness of
Jesuss love. The fact that this current writing
opportunity has been placed in my life now is a
tremendous testament to the everlasting and unchanging
love and purpose of Jesus. by Tracy Eldridge
Faith Step: Write down the times in your
life when you couldnt feel the love of Jesus.
Then write about how He showed you love during
those times, even though you didnt immediately
see it. [Mornings With Jesus 2020 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
My mom was right when she said, "You
never stop mothering." Even as a mother of adult
sons, I'm tempted to manage them, but I know I
need to let them figure out their own lives.
Especially as they struggle with adult issues such as
heartbreak, career choices, and financial needs.
As I let go of interfering, which can
stunt their growth, I focus my energy on prayer.
One morning when they were teens and I was
discouraged, I discovered a new way to pray for them. I
searched the Psalms in hopes of finding something
inspirational. That morning, praying the Psalms felt as if
I was praying only for myself: I know God is
my refuge, and He holds my right hand. I cried
out, "I don't care about me right now. I care
about my kids. Show me how to pray for them." I
feel the same today.
Then I thought, If I believe Jesus is who
He says He is, then can't He do for me what He
did for others when He walked on earth? I
searched for encounters in the Bible of parents who
approached Jesus for help. I found several, including a
ruler, two mothers, and a father. Their prayers
expressed my own feelings. I immersed myself in these
stories and imagined myself face to face with Jesus,
making requests on behalf of my children.
I experienced His healing words and
comfort in a new way. Today I'm still praying this
way for my sons as they struggle through hard
times. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and
forever, so I know He's able to handle all of my
concerns. And thankfully, He hears my prayers. Jeannie
Blackmer
Faith Step: Imagine yourself face to face
with Jesus. Talk with Him about specific concerns
for your own children or a friend's child.
[Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
CLOSING THOUGHT
Our Unchanging God
That simple, straightforward statement
holds great riches to be uncovered.
To begin with, consider the qualities of
God that are especially meaningful to you during
this season of your life. Perhaps you think of
His presence with you, His faithfulness, or His
goodness. Maybe you focus on His holiness, justice,
and perfection. You may think of His redemptive
power and His ability to bring beauty out of
ashes. Or you are clinging to the fact that He is
all-powerful, all-knowing, and sovereign over the
unfolding history of this world as well as your own
personal pilgrimage. Whatever divine characteristics
come to mind, know that God has always been that
way and will always remain that way. Find
comfort and peace in that assurance.
Now consider some implications of God's
unchanging nature. The way Jesus led His twelve
disciples is the same way He will lead you The
love Jesus expressed on the cross is the same
compassion He extends to you The power that raised
Jesus from the dead is the same power available to
you today The same discipline He used on
others will be meted out to you if necessary
Count on the certainty that Christ will not change
and then live boldly in light of that wonderful
truth. [Being Still With God Every Day by Henry
Blackaby]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Hebrews 13:8 - A Glimpse at the Immutable
Quality of God.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160228-1624.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
