What does it mean that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)?

Response

Hebrews 13:8 states, “Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday and today and forever.” Our God is immutable; meaning, He is unchanging.

In Hebrews 13, the author encourages readers to behave in a manner that demonstrates an acknowledgment of the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Previously, the author urged readers to focus on Jesus and persevere in the race (Hebrews 12:1-2). By fixing their gaze on Him, believers can endure without losing heart «Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. », (Hebrews 12:3). Believers can take comfort in the fact that He will never abandon or forsake them «Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ », (Hebrews 13:5), and believers are encouraged to follow the examples of those who have had faith in Him «So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’ », (Hebrews 13:6). However, all this guidance and instruction are only beneficial if it is true that God remains consistent yesterday, today, and forever. If God capriciously alters His nature, how can we trust that He will fulfill His promises? Without the assurance that He will keep His word, we cannot have faith and assurance, making it challenging to persevere in the race.

Hebrews 13:8 provides us with the comforting affirmation that Jesus Christ remains unchanged throughout time. This declaration allows us to reflect on the past

God is consistent and reliable, yesterday and today. Jesus was not a passing trend but has always existed as God (John 1:1;John 8:58). He came in human form to pay the price for humanity’s sins (Philippians 2:5-8;1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and now intercedes for His people until His return (John 14:1-3;Romans 8:34). He will come back in glory “When Christ appears, you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4), to reign as King forever with humanity (Revelation 22). His consistent and trustworthy nature is evident in His faithful execution of His plan. Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Psalmist beautifully expresses God’s eternal nature “I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: Thy years are throughout all generations.” (Psalm 102:24), as the Creator of the heavens and the earth “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: And the heavens are the work of thy hands.” (Psalm 102:25). Despite the changing creation, “They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.”

They shall be changed: “But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”, (Psalm 102:26), God does not “But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”, (Psalm 102:27). Because of those universal truths, the writer can be confident that God will keep His promises “The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee.”, (Psalm 102:28). As Samuel once put it, “The Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind. He is not a man that He should change His mind” “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”, (1 Samuel 15:29). Even when the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, became a man, He did not lie or change His mind about those things that had been spoken. Jesus remained faithful to His word, even modeling by example that the means to withstand temptation and testing is by holding fast to the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11). This is further evidence that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Even in passages of Scripture in which we read that God “changed His mind,” those instances do not reflect a change of character or a rewriting of promises. They typically relate to conditions that changed. In Genesis 6:6–7 God was grieved at what mankind had become, and, though He would judge humanity through the flood, He would not violate His promise of redemption, and humanity would subsist. In Exodus 32:10 God tests Moses, saying that God would destroy Israel and start again with Moses. Moses remembered that God had promised to work through a specific lineage and that He couldn’t “start over” with Moses.

God is faithful and always keeps His word. When Moses asked God to “change His mind,” He did so. This was an important lesson for Moses, demonstrating God’s faithfulness. In Jeremiah 26:13, God indicated that He would “change His mind” regarding judging Israel once their punishment was complete. In Amos 7:2–6, Amos witnessed visions of God preparing to destroy Israel, but God “changed His mind” in response to Amos’s intercession. This taught Amos that God remains true to His word and would not allow Israel to be completely wiped out. These instances illustrate how God employs instructional methods and adjusts His plans only in alignment with His existing commitments.

Remaining consistent yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus Christ is immutable and unwavering. No sin, hardship, or complexity can lead Him to forsake us. His love is enduring and “as strong as death” (Song of Solomon 8:6). Therefore, we can be fully assured that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” «being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: », (Philippians 1:6).