CHaNgE

PART TWO

Back in the 1980's, I was working fulltime at a Christian radio network in New Zealand. The music format was made up of a totally Christian music mix - Praise and Worship, General Christian and some instrumental tracks. As a Christian, I was greatly blessed and edified and built up in my spirit by the music played.

One of the many anointed Christian artists featured on Radio Rhema at that time was a man named David Ingles. He wrote and recorded a large number of Scripture-inspired songs. One of the songs which I still enjoy listening to and have played on my current radio program on community radio is a song called "Unchangeable Lord."

The chorus says: Unchangeable, unchangeable Lord,

                         Unchangeable, Unchangeable Lord,

                         He's all He ever was, and all He ever did

                         He's still doing today,

                         Unchangeable, unchangeable Lord.

The verses of this song list some of God's Covenant-keeping names, as follows:

                        JEHOVAH JIREH: The LORD will PROVIDE Genesis 22:14

                        JEHOVAH RAPHA: The LORD my HEALER Exodus 15:26

                        JEHOVAH NISSI: The LORD is my BANNER Exodus17:15

                        JEHOVAH SHALOM: The LORD is my PEACE Judges 6:24

                        JEHOVAH TSIDKENU: The LORD our RIGHTEOUSNESS                                                                                       Jeremiah 23:6

As well as these, there are other designations of JEHOVAH God as follows:

                        JEHOVAH ELOHIM: SUPREME GOD Genesis 2:4

                        JEHOVAH SABAOTH: The LORD of HOSTS Psalm 24:10

                        JEHOVAH SHAMMAH: The LORD is THERE Ezekiel 48:35 

                        JEHOVAH RAAH: The LORD is my SHEPHERD Psalm23:1

Sometimes when people hear the name Jehovah, even some Christians, they shudder, thinking perhaps this is an endorsement of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect. The name Jehovah is in fact a Latinization of the Hebrew YHWH, or YAHWEH, and was first popularized in the English speaking world by William Tyndale and other pioneer English Protestant translations such as the Geneva Bible and the King James Version.

The psalmist wrote: His name shall endure forever: His name shall continue as long as the sun. Psalm 72:17

The Jehovah's Witnesses have hijacked this name for the Living God, a name that is used to highlight aspects of His redemptive character - but they are in serious error, denying Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory is the name above all names, as the apostle Peter states in Acts 4:12 "There is no salvation in any other [but Jesus Christ], for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." MEV

Several other names for God in the Old Testament are:

                        

                        EL ELYON: The LORD MOST HIGH Deuteronomy 32:8;                                                                             Genesis 14:18-20

                        EL SHADDAI: The ALMIGHTY GOD Genesis 17:1

                                     ADONAI: LORD, MASTER Exodus 34:23; 

                                                               Deuteronomy 10:17

As our Unchangeable LORD, the Living God can be fully trusted to be faithful to perform His Word. He is not a capricious God, who is unpredictable in His moods and temperament. He is a God who is TOTALLY GOOD. He is always a good God. The Bible says in 

Romans 2:4 Do you despise the riches of His goodness, tolerance and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Our God is the God of LIGHT, with no darkness in Him at all. 

God is LOVE personified. So many times the Bible tells us about God's unchangeable love for His people - in verses such as 

Psalm 103:17,18 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting

On those who fear Him, 

And His righteousness to children's children,

To such as keep His covenant,

And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

1 Corinthians 13:13 So now abide faith, hope and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love.

Although the nature and character of God is unchangeable, in His plans and purposes for His people - concerning the nation of Israel, and the Christian Church, the Body of Christ - Change is ordained of God.

More about this - NEXT TIME.

If you have read this blog, and would like to know more about how to become a Christian, check out www.vision.org.au This is the home online of Vision Christian Media in Australia, which also includes Vision Christian Radio. On their home page, click on the "Grow your faith" tab at the top of the page, then "Looking for God?" God Bless.