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.
Hebrews 6:17
Faithfulness isn’t something that we see a lot of these days. When someone’s popular, they draw a crowd. The rich and famous want to be seen with them. They want to be arm-in-arm, waving to the cameras as they stroll down the red carpet walk of life. Everyone wants their products and names mentioned with whoever’s on top.
But then. let that newly popular person say one small thing wrong. It could be something they thoughtlessly sent out over social media. Or they stumbled over a trick question in some interview.
You can hear the woosh as everybody runs away. They’re abandoned like three-day-old fish. Worse than yesterday’s news, they’re dropped like a bad habit. They’re dumped like last week’s trash. All you can hear are the crickets as they’re abandoned.
I wonder if this is how the Hebrews who received this letter felt. After all, they have a long and rich heritage of being God’s chosen people. He picked them instead of anyone else. They were his treasured possession[1]. He led them and protected them. He gave them the Promised Land. He gave them prophets and priests to guide and instruct them. He gave them kings to lead them.
As they saw and accepted Jesus as their promised Messiah, they a great, new reputation. This new group of Jews had a lot of instant success. Their numbers grew rapidly[2]. They loved one another, even selling their possessions to help others[3]. Even lots of professional priests started following Jesus[4].
My, how things have changed. No one likes them. Even their own people hate them. They’re treated like scum that’s to be scrapped off the bottom of their shoes. In an instant they’ve become the dirty, mangy dogs of humanity. They’re being driven out of cities[5]. They’re being persecuted throughout the world.
It’s in the middle of all this persecution that the writer brings up the truth and promise that God never forgets. He never makes a promise that he doesn’t forget. God never abandons his people.
To put it in today’s terms, God never flip-flops on anyone or anything. He’s never had to walk back something he’s said or promised because his words last forever[6]. He’s never had to backpedal on anything. He’s never retreated from his people. He’s never tried to distance himself from a position or people. God has never become a turncoat; he always remains faithful. Period.
God will never, ever, never change or tweak his position. Having made promises, he will always stand by them. He’s not a turncoat. He will not change His position or promise because it sits and depends on who he is. He is unchanging and unchangeable[7]. This means that we can always, always, always trust God. He will never leave us or forsake us[8]. He will continually hold us in his powerful right hand[9]. He will give us cool shade when the sun’s beating down on us[10]. Like a mighty bird, he will cover us with his wings for protection[11].
How comforting this must have been for the persecuted Hebrew Christians of the first century. They felt abandoned by their nation and people, but God hasn’t moved an inch. In one way, God’s even closer now that they’re going through all this pain and suffering[12]. He treats us with goodness for his reputation[13].
But this isn’t some old, dusty story that’s only about some people long dead and gone. Absolutely not. God’s comfort and promises are as fresh as the next breath we take. They are as new every morning[14].
So, we can take it to the bank that God’s never going to flip-flop on us. His commitment to us is so deep and powerful that it sent Jesus to the cross. To pay our eternal debt and bring us back as his sons and daughters.
I know that there are people who have hurt you deeply. The pain may still be hot and the deep cut remains wide open. Or there is a scar that you see and feel each and every day from some old wound. There may be an emptiness from someone who abandoned you. But God’s never like that. Not at all. Though your pit and pain may be deep, God’s love is deeper still.
Noodling Questions
Describe a time when you’ve been quickly abandoned by someone?
When life is hard, how does God not flip-flopping give us hope and strength?
How does God’s promise that his love is deeper still comfort you?
[1] Deuteronomy 7”6
[2] Acts 2:42,
[3] Acts 4:32-35
[4] Acts 6:7
[5] Acts 18:2
[6] Isaiah 40:8
[7] Malachi 3:6
[8] Deuteronomy 31:8
[9] Isaiah 41:13
[10] Isaiah 16:3
[11] Psalm 91:4
[12] Psalm 46:1
[13] Psalm 109:21 NLT
[14] Lamentations 3:22,23
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