Biblical Stories: The Truth in Perspective

JERIMIAH
CHAPTER 18

THE IMMUTABLE GOD

The question is; can God change HIS mind? What a thought this is concerning, The Everlasting and Immutable (Unchangeable) God of heaven and earth. Does HE ever change that which HE has created or make over that HE has made? In Jeremiah, Chapter 18, we will take a close look at the Word of God, examine it, and then render an opinion as to whether God changes things, while HE absolutely remains unchanged. In the first verse of Jeremiah 18, the word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah, the prophet of God. In verses 2-4, there is the story of the potter and the clay vessel he had made. The vessel was marred (imperfect, damaged, blemished). The potter then took the vessel into his hands and fashioned it into a vessel that was appealing or attractive to behold.

Here is the point of the first four verses of Jeremiah 18. These verses are a paradox relating to the continuing message or word from God to Jeremiah in verse 6, to be recorded in the Holy Bible for all peoples, for all generations, and it reads thus:

“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”

In order to understand why God has made this statement to the prophet for the children of Israel, Jeremiah, Chapters 11-17, will need to be reviewed to bring about clarity of the statement. However, in summation of those chapters, the children of Israel, God’s chosen people had done so perversely, that is, worshipping false gods, the prophets rendering false prophesy; there was deceit, human sacrifice, pastors lying and changing the Word of God, gainsaying for wealth, and much more. There was so much ungodliness that God became unhappy with HIS chosen people. They had rebelled multiples of times over the centuries. HE was fed-up with the disrespect this group of people refused to stop engaging therein. Verses 7-8,


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“At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.”

These people have placed themselves in an awful position. To be very blunt, they have not just upset or angered God, HE is ready to damn them to hell. The words pluck up, pull down, and destroy, represent void, undone, loose oneself, perish, and more. HE is ready to destroy them, one and all. The question is; can God change HIS mind?

Verse 10, “If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”

Can God change HIS mind? Here are a people to whom all good has been promised, “… a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:17) on the verge of having the wrath of God poured down upon them from The One and Only True and Living God. Oh, what a ruinous position to be in! To have all of the promise of God in doing that which is commanded from HIM, and to then go into a backslidden state by worshipping false gods, facing the wrath of The Almighty God. In turning away from God, all the good HE has promised for our respect of HIM, worship, and praise, will be revoked for transgression. Don’t get caught in a trap causing God’s goodness toward you to be turned into destruction.

Can God change HIS mind? Absolutely, yes! God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and HE is The Omni-Everything. Our Supreme Father can do whatever HE pleases. Though it says in the Scriptures, HE never changes. HE can and does change things as HE sees fit to do so. There are behaviors of men that will cause God to turn blessings into curses. One of the greatest of these behaviors is turning away from serving HIM only.