“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” ( Hebrews 13:8 )
If there was ever a scripture to draw encouragement from, this would be it. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” ( Hebrews 13:8) . This is a foundational truth written in heaven, Jesus does not change. He will not recant His words. He will not revoke His offer of unconditional love and grace. As the world gets increasingly worse, Jesus is the anchor that keeps us safe until the end.
In fact, one of the main points in the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is the guarantor of God’s promise of redemption. Chapter 6 speaks volumes about this, “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” ( Hebrews 6:17-20 ).
God promised our redemption on oath and swore by Himself to make it absolutely certain (Hebrews 6:13-14). Jesus ratified this oath by His blood shed on the cross (Matthew 26:28, I Corinthians 11:25, Hebrews 6:16-20, 7:21-22, 13:20). Now we are reminded that Jesus never changes, He will be the same throughout the ages. This is an encouraging word for us whose entire faith and hope rest on Him.
Scripture tells us over and over that God will not change His mind, “I the Lord do not change” ( Malachi 3:6a ). James also spoke of this, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” ( James 1:17 ). He does this to make His intentions very clear to us so we can rest in those promises. In fact, in Numbers 23, when Balaam was paid to curse Israel, God did not allow it, instead He pronounced a blessing on them through the oracle and this was part of it, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” ( Numbers 23:19 ). What was meant to harm them, turned out as an encouraging word to them because God wanted them to know He will not change.
In the same way, we can let this truth penetrate deep into every thought process we own. Jesus is the same, He will not change. He will not recant His Word. He will always prove Himself faithful from beginning to end with every moment in between testifying to it. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” ( Hebrews 13:8 ), what an amazing truth!
