Our God does not change! This week, before we contemplate God’s immutability, let’s consider how God reveals these things in Scripture.

Interestingly, at first glance, the Bible may not seem to support this doctrine. The Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck provides two helpful lists. We read that God:

  • relents (Gen. 6:6; 1 Sam. 15:11; Amos 7:3, 6; Joel 2:13; Jonah 3:9; 4:2)
  • changes his plans (Ex. 32:10-14; Jonah 3:10)
  • gets angry (Num. 11:1, 10; Ps. 106:40; Zech. 10:3)
  • sets anger aside (Deut. 13:17; 2 Chron. 12:12; 30:8; Jer. 18:8, 10; 26:3, 19; 36:3)

And yet, the Bible also tells us that God:

  • remains himself (Ps. 102:26-28)
  • is as the first as with the last, remains the same (Isa. 41:4; 43:10; 46:4: 48:12)
  • is who he is (Deut. 32:39; cf. John 8:58; Heb. 13:8)
  • is the immortal one who remains the same (Rom. 1:23; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16; Heb. 1:11-12)
  • does what He says He’ll do (Num. 15:28: 1 Sam. 15:29)
  • does not change (Mal. 3:6)
  • has no change in Him (James 1:17)

So, what’s the deal? How can we conclude that God never changes when His own scripture seems to contradict itself? The answer lies in recognizing this: the Bible is a creaturely book through and through.

What does this mean? It means that the transcendent God who created all things visible and invisible, who is not bound by anything in creation, condescended—stooped low—to reveal Himself and to communicate His truth through inspired authors using human language in a human way.

For example, when we read in Genesis 6:6 that “the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (ESV), we cannot conclude that God regretted and experienced a change in will the way a human would. Other texts in Scripture forbid us from making such a conclusion.

We will never be able to fully grasp what it means for God to be all that He is—and that’s okay. Our great God came near to us not just so we might examine Him, but that we might enjoy Him more and more as we grow in our knowledge of Him. I’m reminded of Lucy’s conversation with Aslan when she meets him again after a long separation in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Aslan, Aslan. Dear Aslan,” sobbed Lucy. “At last.”

The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face.

“Welcome, child,” he said.

“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”

“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.

“Not because you are?”

“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

 

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • What is God’s immutability?
  • What does it mean for the Bible to be a creaturely book?
  • How does understanding that the Bible is a creaturely book help us understand passages that seem to contradict other passages?

Church Reading Plan: Isaiah 56; Matthew 4