06/05/2026
God Doesn't Change. People Don't Either.
I am so excited for our Vacation Bible School to begin on Sunday! In preparation for the week that we will spend together thinking about how seasons change but Jesus does not, we will spend some time on Sunday morning considering the words of Malachi 3:6: “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” We will zoom out in the book of Malachi to explore some ways that God remains unchanging.
As I studied through the book of Malachi, I was struck by an idea that I would like to dwell on in this article. God doesn’t change. We understand that. But I also think it is true that people do not really change either. Malachi was written thousands of years ago to the people of Judah who had come up from captivity in Babylon to address the sins with which they were struggling. When we see God describing their sin, we begin to realize that it is not so different from our own. Throughout thousands of years, the world has changed in a lot of ways. But the ways that people struggle spiritually, while they might have taken on different forms, really have not changed that much. Let me show you what I am talking about.
First, the people of Judah were questioning God’s love (1:2). The very first thing that God tells them in the book is that He has loved them. They antagonistically responded to that by asking, “How have you loved us?” Sometimes, we might ask the same. Failing to see all that our God has done and continues to do for us, we doubt His care, concern, and love.
Second, the people of Judah were questioning God’s justice (2:17; 3:14-15). The people of Judah claimed, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.” They asked, “Where is the God of justice?” They said, “It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and they escape.” Sometimes, we think that we know what is right, good, and just. We assume that if God goes against that, He must be wrong.
Third, the people of Judah were not giving their best to God (1:8). In their sacrifices to God, they were offering animals that were blind, lame, and sick, which God had told them not to do (Leviticus 22:22). What they were offering to God would never have been accepted by their governors. We fall into the same problem. Sometimes, what we give to God would not be accepted by our spouses, bosses, employers, family, or friends because we are not giving our best.
Fourth, there was false teaching among the people of Judah (2:8-9). Those who were supposed to be messengers from God, who guarded knowledge and were trusted for accurate instruction, had turned aside from the way and caused many to stumble by their instruction. What we teach matters. It impacts both ourselves and those whom we are seeking to teach. Instead of helping people by our teaching, it is possible to hinder people by our teaching.
Fifth, the people of Judah were unfaithful to one another as members of God’s covenant (2:10). Even though they were united under one God and Father, they were faithless toward one another. Instead of love, unity, and loyalty, there was division, treachery, and betrayal. How do we treat one another as members of the new covenant of Jesus Christ today? Are we faithful in our relationships with one another?
Sixth, the people of Judah were unfaithful in their marriages (2:13-16). The Lord stood as witness to these marriages. He made them one with a portion of His Spirit. Marriages that should have reflected covenant faithfulness had become corrupted by selfishness. Sadly, the same struggles still exist today. God still cares deeply about how husbands and wives treat one another.
Times change. Technology changes. Cultures change. But God doesn’t change. As we see in the book of Malachi, people don’t really change either. The human heart still struggles with the same kinds of sins. Thankfully, the God who confronted Judah in Malachi is the same God who patiently calls us back to Him today. If we have fallen into these six problems, or any other problem for that matter, we must make the decision to change our ways and turn to God, His Word, His love, and His grace. Will you make that decision today?
