Welcome, all.
If you haven't got one, let me tell you that there's a handout.
Deb, are you here?
Yes.
Deb's here.
I'm legally blind, and I can see some things, but not a lot.
Like, could everybody raise their hands?
Yeah, I only see about half of them.
So anyway, please bear with me.
I know you see half of them if you don't have any.
Because I thought I asked everybody to raise their hands,
and I only saw the left side of the room raise their hands.
So I don't know for sure.
You're absolutely right.
But such is life.
I will never tell.
Okay, okay.
Now, as we go through the class today, we will read some, not all, of the scriptures that are on the handout.
And I'm going to ask those of you who are able and willing to do so.
So when I ask for a scripture to be read, please don't wait for somebody else if you're able and willing.
You know, just dive right in there and say I will or something.
And I'll appreciate that very much.
Well, let's pray.
Heavenly Father, as we gather together in the name of your Son, Jesus,
we ask you to fill us with your Spirit and speak to us.
May we get to know you better and love you better, trust you more,
and live as your faithful children.
Make us, conform us more into the image of your Son, we ask.
Amen.
Several weeks ago, Tyler asked me to teach this class on God's immutability,
one in a series of classes on the attributes of God,
a subsection of what we might call systematic theology.
And a little bit later, I told a friend that I was going to teach on the immutability of God.
And he responded with something like,
oh, that is, can you get God to shut up?
And he made that attempt at humor, you know, thinking of mute, you know,
and those of us who have phones or, you know, participate in Zoom meetings.
And somebody maybe not familiar with systematic theology, you know,
when you speak of immutability, no, I can't mute that person.
And I wish I could.
But what that indicates to me is that the meanings of words change over a period of time.
If you ask somebody in the United States 150 years ago, you know, what immutability means,
they would say, well, it means that whatever you're describing does not change.
But today, that's less clear to a lot of people who we live with.
So much so that the author of the systematic theology that I recently got,
because I can't read much anymore, I got an audible book.
And the author of that book changed the topic in his systematic theology from immutability to unchangeability,
which I think is not a bad thing to do.
And I'm even taking it one step further, changing the title of the class from unchangeability or immutability
to the question, does God change?
Well, however you'd like to think about it, as we go through this study together,
you might be expecting that I will give you a concise and clear conclusion about the subject.
Clean and clear.
And when I got assigned the subject, I thought I'd be able to do that.
Hey, does God change?
No.
You know, how much more simple can it be?
But as I studied it and looked at what the Bible said,
though I think I learned some important and good things,
the goal that I had of tying up, you know, all the loose ends didn't happen.
So, today's lesson might be described better as an exercise in systematic theology that we'll do together
rather than just the presentation of my clear and complete study.
Well, as we talk about change, just to give it some thought context,
as we think about our world, there are some things that don't seem to change much,
like the sun or the stars or a mountain.
And then there are things that seem to change quite a bit, like weather or the news.
People, for the most part, are somewhere in between those.
You know, if we look at our bodies over a period of days or even a few years,
maybe somebody wouldn't detect any change.
Or in our personality over a period of time, they might not detect any change.
But somebody's opinion about something or how they react to a certain impulse, input, might change.
And because the Bible describes God as a person,
that might help us a little bit think about,
when we speak about the question, does God change?
You know, as a person, you know,
does he change in some ways?
Does he not change in any way?
I suggest that that would be a helpful idea to keep in mind.
Well, with that in mind, let's read the first two scriptures that you'll find on your handout.
And would somebody be ready to read the Numbers passage, 2319?
And again, the proper response is yes, if you're able and willing.
Good.
And would somebody else be willing to read that second passage,
several verses, Isaiah 38, 1 through 5?
All right.
Ralph, please read.
Verse 19.
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?
Very good.
Thank you.
I've read the Numbers.
Very good.
Yes.
Feel free to use whatever version you have available to you.
But thank you.
And the other, please read the Isaiah passage.
Sure.
So this is Isaiah 38, 1 through 5.
In those days, Hedekiah became sick and was at the point of death.
And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Nema,
came to him and said to him,
Thus says the Lord,
Set your hearts in order, for you shall die,
and you shall not recover.
Then Hezekiah sent his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,
and said, Please, O Lord,
remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness,
and made a whole heart,
and have done your good in your sight.
And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah.
Go and tell Hezekiah,
Thus says the Lord,
the God of David,
your father.
I have heard your prayer.
I have seen your tears.
Behold, I will add 15 years to your life.
Thank you.
Now,
as some people would look at these two passages,
they would see a tension or a paradox.
Others may not.
But let me tell you what I see.
In the Numbers passage,
it is said of God,
Does he speak and not act?
And I think that means,
Does he say he's going to do something,
and then not do it?
But in the Isaiah passage,
God makes clear to Hezekiah
that he's going to die soon.
He's not going to recover from the illness.
He speaks.
But then,
his action is something else.
He does not,
in a sense,
do what he said he was going to do.
So,
this is an example of the challenge
of doing
systematic theology.
Systematic theology can be thought of
studying
what
all of the Bible
teaches
about a particular topic.
In this case,
the unchangeability of God,
or does God change?
And so,
sometimes,
you have passages in Scripture
which seem to be
in tension
with one another.
For those and other reasons,
systematic theology
is a really good idea
because if you
don't look
at all of the,
what the Bible says
about a topic,
you'll have
unorganized theology
instead of an organized
or systematic
theology.
So,
doing systematic theology
is a good thing,
but unless
you are a genius
and have lots of time
to study the Bible,
you're going to be
at a great disadvantage
if you don't
stand on the shoulders
of the giants
who have gone before you
with regard to
the study of the Bible
and systematic theology.
And so,
I
certainly recommend
when you're studying
a topic like this
to see what others
have said.
And again,
the book
that I
have listened to
on this topic
and was a foundation
for my study
is
Systematic Theology
by Wayne Gruden.
And here
is his
summary statement
about
the unchangeability
of God.
And as I read it,
I'd like you to think
about this question.
Do I think
this is right?
You know,
based on my knowledge
of the Bible
such as it is,
does this sound
like a good summary
of what all of the Bible
teaches
about God
and change?
God is unchanging
in his being,
his perfections,
purposes,
and promises.
Yet,
God does
act and feel,
feel emotions.
I should probably
have somebody else
reading this.
Tyler,
would you be willing
to pick up on this?
Yet,
God does act
and feel emotions
and he acts
and feels differently
in response
to different situations.
Thank you.
All right.
So,
how does that sound
to you?
Do you find yourself
in
strong agreement
with it?
You know,
maybe agreement
or,
nah,
I think there are
some significant errors.
strong agreement
based on your
present thought.
Strong.
I have no idea
how many hands
are up now.
Were there a few?
Are there any for,
you know,
not sure?
I'll ask Deb
to tell me.
One.
Okay.
And how many,
no,
I think there are
some real problems
with this.
And I'd almost
raise my hand
on this
at this point
because
when I first read it,
I thought,
yes,
this is good,
but as I
started reading
through scriptures
that Gruden
presented
and others,
I thought,
ah,
boy.
And maybe
the biggest
problem I have
is the word
promise
because,
again,
the meanings
of word
changes
in a culture.
And,
but,
in any case,
whatever your
initial impression,
why don't we
take this
as somebody
who's studied
a lot
and who has
studied other
people who've
studied a lot
and go through
the parts
and see what
we think
the Bible
teaches
about this.
So,
let's start
with
God
does not
change
in his
being.
So,
would somebody
please read
Psalm 102,
25 through
27?
I will.
Yes,
thanks.
No one else's?
Okay.
Feel free.
Somebody else
is going to
surely want
to beat you
next time,
but you
have it.
In the
beginning,
you laid
the foundations
of the earth
and the heavens
out of the
work of your
hands.
They will
perish,
but you
remain.
They will
all wear
out like
a garment,
like clothing.
You will
change them
and they
will be
discarded.
But you
remain the
same and
your years
will never
end.
The children
of your
servants
will live
in your
presence.
Their
descendants
will be
established
before you.
Thank you.
So,
to me,
that sounds
like a clear
statement.
God
remains the
same.
And I
read that
and,
but I
was expecting,
well,
actually,
a number
of other
passages
from the
Psalms
or other
parts in
the Bible
because this
idea that
God doesn't
change was
so,
you know,
firmly set
in my
mind.
I thought
there would
be a lot
of texts
that would
explicitly
say this.
But what
Gruden
presents and
what I
could find
only include
the passages
from Hebrews
about which
Jesus is
described
and this
passage from
Psalm 102
is quoted
and it
refers to
Jesus.
Now,
we who
believe that
Jesus is
God would
certainly say
yes,
with regard
to God's
divine nature,
you know,
this is
reaffirmation
that God
doesn't change
and I would
agree with
that.
And then
the second
passage in
Hebrews
says that
Jesus is
the same
yesterday,
today,
and forever.
So,
I think,
ah,
boy,
I expected
more proof
texts,
that is,
texts that
give evidence,
you know,
that God
doesn't change
for this.
But,
the fact that
I accepted
it so easily
makes me think,
yeah,
all that I've
read in the
Bible,
even if it
doesn't,
you know,
there aren't
many passages
that seem
to be
proof texts
in my mind,
still it
resonates with
me.
Like,
there's an
implication of
this,
you know,
over and
over again
throughout
Scripture.
So,
I say,
okay,
yeah,
I'm willing
to accept
that.
Any thoughts
or questions
before we
move on?
Well,
let's look
at
perfections
then.
And,
I didn't
like this
word,
I thought
characteristics
or character
of God
might
communicate
to us
more clearly.
but,
would
somebody
please
read
the
Malachi
passage,
Malachi
3,
6 and
7.
Yeah,
thanks.
Thanks.
So,
what
perfection
of God
is stated
here that
doesn't
change?
What
characteristic?
Faithfulness.
And,
that may
be a
really good
answer.
But,
can
Josh or
somebody
else kind
of spell
that out?
How does
this mean
that God
is faithful?
Or,
you know,
what,
how is that
at least
implied?
Because
faithfulness,
I don't
think,
does it
appear in
the passage?
No.
I did
get the
same idea.
Yeah,
good.
Yeah,
this idea,
they're not
consumed
because he
has not
changed,
and so his
promises
have,
he's still
going to
act according
to the
promises
that he
made to
them.
So,
his,
as we
say,
faithfulness
is why
he's not
consuming his
people,
even though
they've
disobeyed
him.
But there
is a,
but there
also is
a condition
like,
return to
me and
I'll
return to
you.
So,
it's not
exactly
paradox.
So,
and here's
my systematic,
I think you
guys were all
trying to do
systematic
theology here.
You know,
you're trying
to take this
passage and
put it
together with
all that the
rest of the
Bible says
about this
issue,
you know,
coming to a
clear statement
of the
teaching.
And this
was mine.
God remains
the same
in that
when people
repent,
you know,
he responds
to them.
So,
you know,
by implication
you could say
God is a
forgiving God
and he
doesn't change
with regard
to that.
But there's
some theology
there,
which is fine.
We're doing
systematic
theology.
We're trying
to say,
ah,
okay,
not just
what this
passage
necessarily
states,
but what
it clearly
implies,
what it
means for
us.
So,
and we
have some
other passages
there.
I included
the Lamentations
one,
which again
is not a
statement,
but would
somebody
please read
Lamentations
322,
which is
the basis
in part
for the
hymn,
Great is
Thy
Faithfulness.
Yes.
Yeah.
So,
it doesn't
say it
never changes,
but at
least it
never
disappears.
It never
ceases to
be.
So,
close.
Well,
the next
perfection,
or rather
aspect of
God,
which is
said not
to change
are his
purposes.
And for
this,
I think
there was
lots of
scriptural
evidence,
very clear,
very direct.
I don't
list all
of them
here,
but would
somebody
please read
Psalm
38?
Yeah.
11.
that one.
Yeah,
that one.
Thank you.
Thanks.
All right.
And would
somebody read
the several
verses listed
there for
Ephesians?
Ephesians 1,
verse 4,
for he chose
us in him
before the
creation of
the world
to be holy
and religious
in his sight.
And then
verse 11
is in him
we were
also chosen,
having been
predestined
according to
the plan
of him
who works
out everything
in conformity
with the
purpose of
his will.
And then
did you want
also?
Yeah.
Three,
nine,
two,
three,
nine,
to a letter.
In the
middle of
a sentence
it says,
and to
make plain
to everyone
the administration
of this
mystery,
which for
ages past
was kept
hidden in
God,
who created
all things.
His intent
was that
now,
through the
church,
the manifold
wisdom of
God should
be made
known to
the rulers
and authorities
in the
heavenly realms
according to
his eternal
purpose that
he accomplished
in Christ
Jesus our
Lord.
Yeah.
So,
I think
this teaching
is very
well supported
in scripture.
And maybe
part of the
reason for
that is it
has great
practical
importance for
us.
You know,
what if
God's
purpose
changed?
You know,
yes,
at one
time,
my purpose
was that
everyone in
Christ would
be glorified.
But the
plan has
changed.
And no,
you know,
you experience
the Holy Spirit
in this life,
but then you
die and that's
the end of
you.
That's my
new purpose.
So,
it's good
to know.
I'm so
glad to
have this
knowledge of
God that
his purposes
don't change,
including his
purpose for
those of us
who are in
Christ.
Now,
promise.
I'd like
both of
these passages
read,
the Numbers
passage and
the 1st
Samuel passage.
So,
somebody please
read Numbers.
In fact,
I think we've
read it before,
but bears
repeating.
God is not
man that he
should lie,
or a son of
man that he
should change
his mind.
Has he said
it and will
he not do
it, or has
he spoken
and will
he not
fulfill it?
Thank you.
And,
my
memory is
that at
least in
one translation
the word
promise is
used.
But,
even if it
isn't used,
it's implied
there.
And now,
will somebody
please read
1st Samuel
2.30.
Got it.
Therefore,
the Lord,
the God of
Israel declares,
I promised
that your
house,
the house of
your father
should go in
and out
before me
forever.
But now,
the Lord
declares,
far be it
from me.
For those
who honor
me,
I will
honor,
and those
who despise
me shall
be lightly
esteemed.
Now,
at least on
first reading
to me,
it sounds
like God
made a
promise,
and he's
saying,
no,
not anymore.
And,
there are
various ways
we could
understand that.
one is
what is
meant by
promise.
You know,
that we
might see
different
levels of
a promise,
like an
oath,
you know,
is one
level of
a promise,
or just
saying
something
might be
seen as
a promise.
And,
that certainly
applies to
people.
Does it
apply to
God?
You know,
are there
different
kinds of
promises?
And,
I'm not,
I certainly
don't understand
a lot of
that long
passage,
Hebrews 6
through 7.
But,
as I read
it,
I get the
idea,
you know,
that it's
applying,
it's stating
that there
are promises,
and then there
are promises.
And,
it applies
that,
for me,
in
unexpected
way.
So,
you know,
if I were
editing Gruden
here,
you know,
I'd cross
out promises
because,
you know,
I'm just
not sure
that leaving
that statement
as it is
is the
most helpful
summary for
me of what
the Bible
teaches.
Maybe I'm
wrong.
Very likely,
but,
you know,
that's where I
am in my
current study.
Well,
here we
are,
and we
have,
well,
just before
we leave
the areas
in which
Gruden
says God
is unchanging,
let's talk
about application.
What
difference
does it make
to us,
here and
now,
that God
doesn't change
in the way
the Bible
says he
does not
change.
I think
what's interesting
to us is that
we're able to
orient ourselves
to God.
It's not like
we think that
who God is
today,
and we
orient ourselves
in our purposes
and priorities
to him,
but that,
oh,
man,
tomorrow is
different.
We have to
do this
process.
Because he's
unchanging,
we are able
to orient
our being,
not perfection,
imperfections,
purposes and
promises around
his character
and nature
rather than
around our
own.
We can,
and boy,
we should.
Because it's
the right
thing to do,
because we
have promises
in the Bible
that God
will bless
those who
do just
what was
said.
Yeah.
Matt,
drawing on
something you
said earlier
about we
don't have
to kind
of wonder
whether God's
going to come
through because
of his fixed
purposes.
Yeah.
I think that
practically that
remains a lot
of fear,
and it really
engenders
faith,
trust,
really.
do you
know anybody
who,
you know,
seems to
have the
habit of
saying they'll
do something
and then
doesn't do
it?
God is
not like
that.
And that
is a good
thing.
Joy,
peace,
as we
meditate on
that.
all right,
well,
we will
move on,
and the
next part
of Gruden's
summary is
that,
hmm,
that's not
what I want.
Okay,
here it is.
God,
hmm,
I'm not
reading this.
Okay,
can somebody
read the
yet?
That's good,
right there.
Now,
you might
wonder,
you know,
what's the
big insight
here?
Why,
in this
section or
description of
God's
unchangeability,
does Gruden
feel that it's
important to
say,
God
acts,
God
feels
emotion,
unchangeable
and I
think,
pretty sure,
the reason
that he
puts that
in there
is because
in the
history of
theology,
including the
present,
there are
people who
say things
like,
you know,
if God
really doesn't
change,
then he
can't act
or feel.
You know,
theologically
or philosophically
speaking,
you know,
if we say
that God
is unchanging,
kind of like
a mountain,
you know,
it doesn't
act,
it doesn't
feel,
it's frozen
in time
or in
space,
and if it
were to do
something,
then that
would change
it.
You know,
if it
experienced
an avalanche,
then it
will have
changed.
So,
what
Gruden,
I think,
is responding
to is
something that
can be
called,
hmm,
does anybody
see?
Process
theology,
which says,
no,
we really
can't say
that God
doesn't
change,
because then
he couldn't
act or
feel.
even some
really good
evangelicals
maybe get a
little bit of
this,
even though,
and they may be
right.
For example,
one of my
favorite professors
at the seminary I
went to many
years ago,
said that God
really never felt
grief.
And so,
when talking about
do not grieve the
Holy Spirit,
that passage,
he would say,
you know,
now God has
things planned
from the
beginning,
he knows,
you know,
the greater good
that's coming
through suffering,
so he really
never feels
grief.
And so,
we could say,
the author
there,
Paul,
you know,
didn't really
mean that God
could feel grief,
but speaking of
God as if he
were a person,
you know,
if we did this
to a person,
they would feel
grief,
so you don't
want to do
it.
And,
you know,
somehow it's
saying,
so we shouldn't
do this either,
even though God
really can't be
grieved.
And it had that
sense that,
you know,
God has the
end plan from
the beginning,
he knows it has
a great good,
and so he really
can't grieve
about,
you know,
the best world,
you know,
that's come to
be.
Well,
there may be
some logic to
that,
but...
doesn't he
express grief
over and
over again
as he interacts
with the nation
of Israel
and the Old
Testament?
Probably.
And then,
also,
with Jesus,
you know,
that,
you know,
we can just
look at Jesus
to see,
you know,
his emotions
and his
feelings
that are
expressed
throughout the
apostles.
so here
was my
favorite
theology
professor
at Gordon
Conwell
Seminary,
you know,
saying something,
and at least
from my
perspective,
he had
this clear
understanding
of God
based on
an awful
lot of
scripture,
and then
he took
those parts
of scripture
that didn't
seem to
quite fit
with that
and conformed
them to
his systematic
theology.
You know,
I agree
with what
Debbie just
said.
Now,
it could
be that
God is
beyond our
understanding,
and that,
you know,
what the
Bible says
about him,
there may be
things,
just like in
science and
in nature,
you know,
as we study,
as I've
studied physics,
you know,
I know there
are things
about the
way the world
works that
just,
don't make
sense,
that we
can't
logically
put together.
It's beyond
us.
And so,
I think it's
good to do
systematic
theology,
but if we
sometimes come
away and
say,
you know,
this didn't
seem to
work out
as I
hoped,
you know,
that may
be all
right.
It may
be that,
well,
it is.
Somebody could
probably quote
the end of
Romans 11,
you know.
Quick comment,
and you mentioned
before that if
you don't have
a systematic
theology,
you're incredibly
imbalanced.
Yes!
And if you're,
your ministry
will be incredibly
imbalanced because
you're going to
get to a
Hebrew 6 passage
and you'll say
one thing,
but then you'll
say the
completely opposite
thing when you
get to another
passage and
you need to,
you need to
understand how,
you know,
I like the
thing,
the idea of
New York City,
you have to have a
map of the entire
city to understand
how things connect
together,
you know.
Yeah!
There's no
contradictions in
the Bible,
but when you
are contradicting
yourself week
after week based
on the text
you're getting
to,
I think you're
becoming incredibly
imbalanced.
People are,
you know,
where is this guy
going?
Where is he
going?
I don't know.
Yes!
So systematic
theology I think
helps to see the
entire Bible and
how it all fits
together like a
big map of Europe
and like these are
how it's situated,
but you know,
sometimes the map
has to change if
you understand the
Bible's, you know,
the Bible's an error
and not our
systematic theology
and sometimes our
systematic theology
needs to be changed
based on what the
scripture is saying
and over the world.
Yes!
And I remember
in one of my
philosophy classes,
the teacher said,
now,
you can criticize
an author by saying,
I don't understand
what they're saying
here.
And sometimes
that's a valid
criticism,
except if you're
stupid and,
you know,
other people
understand it,
you know,
but you just use
the excuse,
I don't understand
it.
So with regard to
some of these
tensions,
you know,
there are some
things I look at
and I say,
I just can't make
sense of that.
And for right now,
I just have to
leave it.
And other people
look at it and
they say,
no,
I really think I
understand how
these things fit
together.
And they may be
right.
But,
you know,
if we don't have
it all put
together,
you know,
I think it's,
at least under
some circumstances,
good to acknowledge
that.
So,
that's one of the
challenges.
Now,
where are we
here?
Okay,
the other thing,
the other
reason why
another thing
kind of related
to process
theology is
what was
somewhat popular
in some parts
of evangelical
theology,
like in the
1990s,
the openness
of God.
And with
regard to
passages
like
1 Samuel 15,
10,
that's probably
written down
there several
times,
but could
somebody please
read 1 Samuel
15,
10.
Yes.
15,
10.
Give it a shot.
The word of the
Lord came to
Samuel.
I regret that I
have made Saul
king.
Good.
He has turned
back from following
me and has not
performed my
commandment.
Okay.
Samuel was angry
and he cried
to the Lord
on him.
I'm just
impressed that
Samuel wasn't
ready to give
up on Saul
yet.
Recently,
you know,
I heard
somebody say
about another
Christian,
you know,
they just
aren't doing
what they
should do.
You know,
how can I
get them
to change?
And I
think that's
what Samuel
was praying
or concerned
about.
You know,
how can I
get Saul
to change?
How can I
get God
to change?
I think,
but the
main point
was that
first thing.
I regret
that I
made Saul
king.
This is
how the
openness of
God
treatment
would come.
Now,
God can
know everything,
king,
but he
chooses
not to
know some
things about
the future.
So,
God
chose
to make
Saul
king,
but he
did not
choose to
access his
possible information
about the
future,
and didn't
know exactly
how things
were going to
turn out.
And so,
when Saul
disobeyed God,
Saul regretted it,
or some
translations may
say, you
know, he
repented that
he made Saul
king.
Words, both
of which,
usually for us,
include some
significant change
or lack of
knowledge.
and so,
this is how
the openness
of God people
treated passages
like this.
They dealt
with the
tension by
saying,
well, maybe
God chose
not to know
what Saul
was going to
do, and
then he
really, you
know, this
is a very
plain, accurate
description of
how God
felt when
Saul
disobeyed
over and
over again.
well, that
is maybe a
valid attempt
to try and
do justice
to what that
passage says,
and I think,
you know, to
the Hebrew
that lies behind
it, you know,
and all those
kinds of good
study things.
In my mind,
it, you
know, solves
one problem
and introduces
a thousand
others.
So, you
know, again,
systematic
theology.
I don't think
this is a good
way to go.
It doesn't
really help
us in the
end.
So...
The openness
of God
is not the
good way
to go.
Thank you
for that
clarification.
Yes, yes.
That's my
opinion.
And I
don't encourage
any of you
to study that
unless you
have a special
reason for
that.
Okay, so,
but there
are a number
of passages
in Scripture
where,
especially if
you go to
King James,
you know,
say God
repented,
or God
relented,
or God
regretted,
and those
are dealt
with further
down.
But here
we are,
near the end
of our
class.
So,
how should
we sum
up here?
one,
we have
the
repentance
principle,
as I
describe it,
spelled out
in Scripture
in that
Ezekiel
passage,
and in
Jeremiah,
where it
clearly says,
if I say
I'm going
to punish
somebody,
and they
repent,
then I'm
not going
to punish
them.
So,
in that
sense,
God's not
going to
change,
you know,
if that
happens.
But his
apparent
plans for
a person
seem to
change,
at least
from a
human
perspective.
Or,
he says,
in that
same Ezekiel
passage,
if there's
a good
man,
you know,
and I
say he's
going to
live,
but he
starts
sinning,
then he's
going to
die.
God.
So,
that,
I think,
fits in
very well
with that
next part.
Tyler,
could you
read that
second part
all again
is fine.
With the
change in
response to
prayer?
No,
I'm sorry,
in Gruden's
summary statement.
Yet,
because,
right near
the front.
Okay,
God is
unchanging
in his
being
perfections?
I think
I can
read this.
A little
bit later
down there,
I say,
God acts
and feels
differently
in response
to different
situations.
So,
from our
perspective,
you know,
God's
plans
seem to
change,
because he
says one
thing's going
to happen,
the person
changes,
situation
changes,
and then
he appears
to change
his mind.
And,
let's see
here.
And,
there's a
lot of
interesting
stories about
that.
Likewise,
we have
stories
where,
let's see,
I think there's
a heading that
says something
about change
in regard
to prayer.
And,
there's a
lot of
examples
listed.
Sometimes,
God
changes his
apparent
plans in
response to
prayer.
Sometimes,
he doesn't.
And,
sometimes,
it,
to me,
is clear
why he
does that,
and other
times,
it's not
so clear.
I want
things to
be clear.
I want,
you know,
I want the
Bible to
read like a
physics textbook
where,
you know,
each word
means the
same thing,
you know,
in every
part of the
book.
But,
God chose,
I believe for
very good
reasons,
not to
write the
Bible like a
physics textbook.
you know,
he,
because a
lot of
people don't
like physics,
you know.
But,
anyway.
I have a
quick comment.
Yes.
I agree,
which helps
me,
is a lot
of the
times,
God says
he's going
to do
something,
but there's
an implied
conditional
clause at
the end.
Exactly.
Yes.
I'm going
to do
this unless
you repent.
Yes.
That's what
happened with
Jonah and
Nineveh.
Yes.
Sometimes,
God said,
I'm going
to do it,
but he
will,
he will,
revert his
wrath if
people repent.
Sometimes,
not actually
listed in
what God
says,
but it's
implied.
And Jonah
three is
just a
wonderful,
heartwarming
example of
that.
In my
opinion,
if you
want a
special
blessing
sometime,
read
Jonah
three.
So,
are you
thinking of
that as
a small
print at
the end
of a
contract?
You
could think
of it that
way.
But the
issue is,
in the
Bible at
least,
sometimes the
small print
doesn't seem
to be
there.
You have
to find
it someplace
else.
But that's
okay,
I think,
once I
understand that,
you know what,
you never get
the whole story.
You know,
if somebody
were trying to
record what
happened in
the Sunday
school class
today,
you know,
they probably
would include
how many
times somebody
breathed and
how many
times,
you know,
somebody else
twitched.
And sometimes
those are
meaningful,
sometimes they're
not.
You never
get the
whole story.
You can't.
Because it would
take forever,
or almost,
you know,
to read it.
So everything
is abridged.
But God
has abridged
his description
of reality
in the Bible
in a wonderful
way so that
we are able
to read it
and understand
it and get
truth from it
and apply it
to our lives.
And so
here's where
I want
to
end up.
under
applications
at the
end.
We've
already
looked at
the
Malachi
passage,
which,
you know,
I could
summarize by
saying,
because God
doesn't change,
you and your
present condition
should change,
and in response
to that,
God will
change what
he's doing
in and around
you.
so
that
is good
news,
I would say.
There's always
a way back
to God.
And then
you have
those seeming
examples in
the Bible
where there
aren't.
But if we're
worried about
getting back
to God,
you know,
I think,
well,
anyway,
I'm happy
about it.
Finally,
Psalm 102.
Some years
ago,
I read
Psalm 102,
and I
thought,
wow,
this sounds
a lot
like
Hezekiah.
I wonder
if Hezekiah
wrote this
psalm.
There's no
indication
about who
wrote
Psalm 102.
By the way,
I encourage
you to turn,
all of you,
to Psalm 102
at this point.
But
as I was
doing this
study,
I found it
very interesting
that this
psalm,
which I
think more
clearly than
any other
single passage
in the Bible
says God
does not
change,
includes a
prayer for
God to
change,
and He
did it.
Would
somebody
please read
Psalm 102,
starting with
verse 23.
Thanks.
He has
broken my
strength in
midcourse,
yet shortened
my days.
O my God,
I say,
take me not
away in the
midst of my
days,
you whose
years endure
throughout all
generations.
So that,
whether Hezekiah
wrote this
psalm or not,
that was
Hezekiah's
situation.
God was
cutting short
his life.
And then
he asked
God to
change,
you know,
what he
had declared
would happen.
And how
does he,
you know,
carry on in
his request
to God?
Please continue.
God,
please change
from what
you said you
are going
to do.
Because you
do not
change.
You are
the same.
And so
your people
can count
on you.
And so
I have a
summary statement
at the end,
which I have
since changed.
And I
would probably
rewrite it,
you know,
from scratch.
But my
temporary fix
is this.
Because
God does
not change,
we,
I can't read
it,
so I'll just
tell you,
to stick in
the word
apparent
between
his and
plans.
could
somebody
read it
with that
edit,
like it,
yeah.
Because God
does not
change,
we can
count on
him to
change his
appearance
plans for
us as we
change.
And
particularly
as we
draw near
to him,
we can
count on
him to
change the
current
situation
and the
apparent
plans for
good.
Now,
it may
not be
what we
asked for
or hoped
for,
like Paul's
thorn in
the flesh.
Prayed
three times
that God
would take
that away.
But God
had a
really good
plan.
And Paul
changed.
He changed
from one
who was
complaining
and unhappy,
maybe miserable
because of
his thorn in
the flesh,
to someone
who could
rejoice in
his weakness
because God's
strength was
revealed in
it.
So,
it kind
of gets
the paradox
of prayer,
right?
It does,
it does.
I will do
this,
yet he
commands us
to pray that
God will
accomplish his
purposes.
So,
in a way,
like we're
praying,
but God
is already
ordained that
he is going
to triumph
over our
enemy.
And God
does to do
us both.
And that's,
you need to
just keep
doing,
keep those
intentions.
We're going
to pray,
but also
trust that God's
plan is,
you know,
he's declared
the final victory
and we're going
to rejoice
with him
on that final
day.
But yeah,
we're called
to pray
for this
that's come
to pass.
Come Lord
Jesus,
the last
word of the
Bible.
we are
to pray
a couple.
Yes,
yes.
I don't
understand how
it works,
but I do
know this.
God is
faithful.
He loves
us.
He doesn't
change on
that.
And as we
draw near to
him,
he is going
to do
something
good in
our lives.
and many
times it
will look
like a big
change and
other times
it won't.
But if
we're there
in the arms
of Jesus,
that is a
good thing.
He is
faithful.
Yeah.
So I'm
going to
close with
prayer and
then you
will be
free to
depart or
stay.
Oh Lord,
I,
we don't
understand
you
in
your
entirety.
But we
thank you
for revealing
so much
about yourself
to us.
And we
ask that
we'll put
that which
we know
into
practice.
Today,
may we
abide
in you
that we
may bear
fruit for
you.
May we
please you
that we
may share
in your
joy.
May
you
use us
to be a
blessing
to others.
For the
glory of
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
You're
welcome.
Is that
Chris?
Yes.
Hi,
Chris.
Amen.