Praying the Promises #008

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).

This is another often quoted, but seldom really appreciated passage of Scripture. It starts out in the best way imaginable – Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the subject of the verse.  It is to be understood early that everything in this verse is about Jesus Christ, otherwise the verse falls apart.  To make the verse about someone else would be a mistake.  That is also true about our testimony.  If Jesus Christ is not the theme of our lives, nothing else matters.

               The next two words build the verse into a life-changing teaching: the same.  I recently learned that those two words are used here in a masculine sense.  That confused me at first, but when I investigated further, I found that the term is referring to “self.”  It could have been “herself”, “themselves,” or “itself,” but in this passage it is masculine.  It could also be understood as a personal pronoun.  When the writer used the words the same, he literally intended to say “the same Jesus Christ”, or “Jesus Christ, Himself.”  And now the richness of the promise begins to become apparent.  The verse is saying that “Jesus Christ was Himself yesterday, and He will be Himself today and forever.”  Wow!

               Jesus is not evolving, He is the same person yesterday, and today, and forever.  Jesus is not emotional, He has the same passion yesterday, and today, and forever.  Jesus is not enigmatic, He has the same profession yesterday, and today, and forever.  Jesus is not editing, He has the same presentation yesterday, and today, and forever.  Jesus is not experimenting, He exercises the same policies yesterday, and today, and forever.  Jesus is not emulating, He is the same prototype yesterday, and today, and forever.  Jesus is not enterprising, He’s had the same plan yesterday, and today, and forever.

               There is no guesswork when it comes to Jesus Christ.  He is consistent and reliable.  You can count on that.  Keep your eyes on Him.  Pray this promise today, “Lord, I am trusting your unchanging hand.”