Daily Reading for Wednesday, Jan. 30: Change

“They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Mark 1:27

Jesus wasn’t the same kind of teacher the Jews had become accustomed to. He actually talked as if He knew what and who He was preaching about—and He did things a traditional rabbi would never have done. When we examine the change processes of God, we understand that although His character, eternal persona, and eternal purpose never change, His methods of expressing Himself and achieving His purpose do. Throughout the Bible we see instances of God revealing Himself. Indeed, the names attributed to Him...Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Tsidkenu, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Nissi, Adonai, Elohim...all reflect the distinct and changing manners in which God has revealed Himself to man. God’s purpose was cemented before the foundations of the world were even spoken and put into place. (1 Peter 1:20) His purpose has always been and will always be the redemption of those enslaved to sin, trapped by their fallen nature. And yet, we see through the ages that God has changed how He has achieved this purpose. Hebrews 7:11-12 states “Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.” There are many things that could be taught about these passages, as they are explanations of the fact that the law was limited in what it could accomplish on our behalf, and that we needed an intercessor who could accomplish what the law could not. But notice in verse 12 the words “of necessity”. God changed the way He did things which necessitated other changes. And so, as we walk in the ways of the Lord, our purpose is the same as His, and we will change what we must, while remaining true to Christ, in order to achieve the eternal purpose of God in our lives.