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last book in the Old Testament is one full of instruction for us and as we read down this third chapter so many words we can recognize are important and direct to our heart and therefore what a mercy it is if when we read this book indeed the whole Bible We don't read it just as an interesting account, but we read it as God's word speaking directly to our heart.

And therefore may that have a wonderful and blessed influence upon us so that we may be able to truly walk in those ways set before us.

Well, I don't intend going through this chapter tonight. There's really just one verse which is on my mind And I'll just speak a few words on that. And that's the sixth verse. The sixth verse in this third chapter of the prophecy of Malachi.

For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Such a statement is one that should be encouragement to us but also one that should be a sobering influence upon us to realize that you and I stand before this great God, this Lord of hosts, this God who always was, never had a beginning and this God who was and still is and will be throughout all eternity.

And here we have a very solemn and direct statement. He says, for I am the Lord and I change not. That means, therefore, that everything that is written in the Bible that we're blessed to have in our own language, which is indeed the Word of God, is true, And we are not to think, well, I can turn away from that. I don't think that's very relevant to me. read carefully and study carefully God's Word and see as we read it how it applies to us.

And so Malachi tells us, for I am the Lord, I change not. And we have a number of wonderful references really to encourage us to believe this tremendous statement. And if we go to the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, And we can read in the 13th chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews and the 8th verse, this is what we read.

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.

Surely that's a confirming word, is it not, to Malachi's statement? And here it directs us to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, and that again is a wonderful truth, confirming those things which we've already referred to. That He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, the eternal Son of God.

What a great and wonderful consideration that is. And how amazing to think that Jesus always has been. He ever was. He was the creator of this world. He was the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. And he will be indeed. that great judge, that judge that sits on that white throne, and he will be there forever and ever.

So here we have this important statement, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever.

and then also in the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews in the sixth chapter we can read great truths again concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and he tells us in the sixth chapter and verse 17 wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise that his children the immutability of his counsel that means his counsel that does not change the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie.

Just pause there to think of that. We have this great God who has and is and always will be totally truthful. Impossible for him to lie because if it was possible for him to lie then the Word of God would deceive. but thankfully it's true, 100% true. And so he tells us, which it was impossible for God to lie.

We might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. And we think of that, we may have needs, we have difficulties, We wonder, what shall I do? What shall I say? How shall I respond? How shall I act? Well, here's the answer. We flee to that refuge for sinners. The gospel makes known. It is found in the merits of Jesus alone.

And so what a blessing it is when you and I have been able to flee for refuge God knows all about us. He knows our innermost feelings, no one else does. He knows our desires, no one else does. He knows all about it. And therefore we can come to Him just as we are and lay everything before Him. And may He be that strong tower whereunto we may continually resort.

And He goes on. the Apostle tells us in verse 19 which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which entering into that within the veil again put it in nautical terms we're on a journey we're on a sea and the sea is often rough, the waves are often high, and therefore, what does the word tell us here? Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul.

The anchor is cast within the veil, cast upon the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. The anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. The blessed God is immovable, He's the same yesterday, today and forever. He's a rock. What a blessing it is to have such a God.

We change. We change, our minds change sometimes. And we vary from one day to another. But here we have this great and solid rock, this anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. That should be a wonderful consolation to you and me. to realise we have this great and glorious Saviour.

And then it goes on, whether the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, see it spells it out, we know who it is, even Jesus made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Well, what a wonderful blessing it is to have such a great and glorious Saviour to be able to come to to cast all our burdens upon. What a wonderful mercy that is.

Titus is a very lovely short epistle that Paul wrote to Titus. We read this in the very first chapter of Titus. He says, let me read the first verse. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect. You see, every true believer is blessed with living faith. What a mercy that is.

And here we have this statement, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. That gives us a little view of the greatness of God, a little view of the eternity of God. And this is the great and wonderful Savior that we have.

Again, to think of it in these terms, in hope of eternal life. What a mercy that is to look forward to. which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. It wasn't something which was vain, it was something which was so wonderfully true.

And then going back to the Old Testament and thinking about Job, Job was a man of God, he had a difficult life, but God was very gracious to him and he tells us about this great God and it's good to realize this is what he says he says in verse 13 but he that's God is in one mind doesn't change he's in one mind and who can turn him and what his soul desireth even that he doeth for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him.

We see therefore our little life is all planned out, doesn't happen by chance, it's all planned again in eternity past. And so to think here, for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with him.

For I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. And Isaiah encourages us as well. Again, there's many words in Isaiah which are encouraging, but We turn to the 14th chapter in the prophecy of Isaiah and the 24th verse, we will find it tells us this. The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.

You see, the great God has planned everything in every detail, nothing missing. So we should be encouraged tonight as we think of this short verse really in Malachi 3rd chapter and the 6th verse which tells us this so clearly for I am the Lord there is one God the Lord God Almighty who always was and is and always will be and he lives and reigns and this great God tells us I change not he doesn't change there's no variation with our great God.

So what he said, what he's promised, and if you and I are relying perhaps on something, a word that God has lodged in our heart, a word that our hope is based upon, Perhaps our hope of eternal life, perhaps a reference to other things, if God has spoken it, we can understand. He says, I change not. What does that mean? That means it will come to pass in God's time and in God's way.

For I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. My friends, we have a merciful God who doesn't change. We think of ourselves, how sinful we are, and how we sin against God. And sometimes we sin against light and knowledge. But this great God, if he's loved us with everlasting love, He will deal graciously and kindly with us, and at last receive us unto himself, that we may be with him for eternity.

There to sing his praises for ever and ever. Amen.