Lesson 3, Part 4

Malachi 3:6 NLT [6] “I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.”

God had just told Israel He was eager to judge the ones who were rebelling against His laws.  His next statements are that He is the Lord and He does not change.  His lordship and constant character contribute to the reason Israel had not already been destroyed.

Let’s consider these two statements for a moment.  First, God states that He is the Lord.  The concept of lordship carries with it several meanings, not the least of which include providing for, protecting and ruling in justice those who fall under the lordship.  God is letting Israel know that His lordship over them includes judging them as much as it does providing for them.

Israel had drifted far from serving God in holiness.  Their character as a nation had become defiled, just like their sacrifices.  God, in stark contrast, does not change.  His holiness and position as creator and God had not diminished and never would. 

His covenant with Jacob was ongoing, and that covenant to bless the descendants of Jacob was what kept Him from completely destroying the nation that had strayed from His paths.  Israel had broken their part of the covenant.  God had not.

In the next session, we’ll begin looking at another of the ways Israel had strayed from God’s commandments and His promise to them if they would return to living like He wanted them to live.