Jesus, the Consistent Saviour (Hebrews 13:8)
This letter was written to people who were experiencing profound change in their circumstances. There were at least two changes taking place in their lives. First, they were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Second, the religious system that they had been used to was no longer of much use for them, and indeed it was about to pass away shortly when the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed. Those changes had brought about a sense of weariness. After all, persecution would make it difficult for them to provide for their families, to live steady lives, and there would be a real sense of uncertainty.
Troubles don’t always bring spiritual blessings. We have to respond to them by faith, seeking to go through them by faith in the Lord. Yet we also need motivations and reminders to help our faith. So what does the writer of Hebrews do? He points his readers to Jesus. In the previous chapter he had said these words:
‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted’ (Heb. 12:1-3).
And in chapter 13:12-13, he writes: ‘So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.’
The words of our text are probably a summary of everything he said about Jesus in his letter. Of course, when he says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, he does not mean that Jesus is in the same place and doing the same things that he did when he was here on earth. It is not possible for us to have a physical encounter with Jesus today while we are on earth. So what is the writer indicating that we should think about when he writes this verse. Here are some suggestions.
Jesus is fully God
When the author says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, he is describing the divine attribute of immutability or unchangeableness. If God could change for the better, it would mean that he possessed some defects, and that is impossible. If he could change for the worse, and become weaker, what would be the point of trusting in him? In the Old Testament, the Lord referred to this attribute in order to encourage his people. So he says in Malachi 3:6: ‘For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.’ Those words were said to Israel at a time when their conduct was such that they could expect God to punish them.
Of course, when we are reminded by the author of Hebrews that Jesus possesses the attribute of immutability, he is also saying that Jesus possesses all other divine attributes. It is impossible to have only one divine attribute. A divine person must have them all. So here we are given a wonderful reminder of how amazing the person of Jesus is. He is the eternal God, constantly worthy of our worship.
Jesus is fully man
This statement also reminds us of the humanity of Jesus. After all, why is the Son of God called Jesus? We find that answer in the Gospels where his birth is described and where it says that he was called Jesus because he would save his people from their sins. Often we limit that description of Jesus to what he did on the cross, and there is no doubt that his atoning sufferings are an essential part of the salvation that he would provide. But he is going to do more for his people, because he is going to provide them with a complete salvation. In addition to making atonement for their sins, he was going to provide them with a perfect righteousness, he is going to bring them as the good Shepherd through life to the heavenly home, and he is in the future going to raise them from the dead. It is important to remember that this name states he is going to be a complete Saviour.
Connected to him being a real man is the fact that he understands what it is like to go through trials and temptations. This does not mean that when Jesus was on earth that he experienced every trial and every temptation we will face. But it does mean that he understands distress, isolation, the necessity of faith in order to proceed, the stigma of being derided, the contempt that can come our way, the fickleness of others at times, disappointments and many more such things. He does not only sympathise, he can emphasise. Although he is now in heaven, he remains a man with strong feelings.
Jesus is devoted to his role
If we wanted to describe a person who is devoted to a particular task, what words would we use? We could use words like reliable, loyal, dependable, faithful. If we were asked to use a phrase that summarised a person devoted to a task, could we find one that is better than the phrase used here by the author of Hebrews to describe Jesus as the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever. That phrase basically includes the whole of time and the whole of eternity. Yet we don’t have to use it in such a grand way because we can limit it to our own individual experience and say that in our experience Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
We can look briefly at our individual experience and mention some details connected to the Saviour. How did he deal with us who are now Christians? Recall what he was like before you were converted. How did he deal with you? All believers can say that he did not deal with them the way that their sins deserved. Each of us had committed numerous sins, and among those sins for some of us was repeated rejection of his offers of forgiveness. I suppose we can say that we dismissed glibly his offers of mercy. Some of us may have preferred a religious lifestyle or a quiet lifestyle, and others of us may have preferred a lifestyle marked by all kinds of excessive behaviour. Whatever it was, we were rejecting his loving overtures. How did loyal, faithful, reliable Jesus act? He kept coming to us with offers of mercy until we repented of our sins and entrusted our souls to himself.
Where did our repentance and faith come from? It is easy to reply and say that they are gifts from God. That is a true answer, but in a sense it is an answer that does not always say all that we need to say about Jesus. Is in not the case that repentance and faith come from seeing him? Think of the words of this hymn:
1 I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agony and blood;
He fixed His loving eyes on me,
As near His cross I stood.
2 Sure, never to my latest breath,
Can I forget that look;
It seemed to charge me with His death,
Though not a word He spoke.
3 My conscience felt and owned the guilt,
And plunged me in despair:
I saw my sins His blood had spilt
And helped to nail Him there.
4 A second look He gave,
which said, “I freely all forgive:
This blood is for your ransom paid,
I die that you may live.”
Refrain:
O, can it be, upon a tree
The Saviour died for me?
My soul is thrilled, my heart is filled,
To think He died for me!
We can say that was Jesus yesterday. But what about him today? Why are you where you are in your journey through life? That day you believed in Jesus you became one of his sheep, and ever since then he has been faithful and reliable to you. Psalm 23 describes your experience, does it not? You have days that were like resting beside a quiet stream, and he was there with you, enabling you to enjoy those experiences. Moreover, he provided you with sustenance in unlikely situations such as in the midst of your enemies, including spiritual enemies. In addition, he was also there when you walked through the valleys of the shadow of death, which is a reminder that there is no situation in which the faithful Saviour will not be present.
It looks as if David has selected three incidents – the place of rest, the provision of sustenance and the protection in danger – to illustrate what he means when he says at the close of the psalm that goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life. I assume he is likening those blessings of goodness and mercy to sheep following their Master. Wherever Jesus is, he is followed by goodness and mercy, so whenever we follow him we experience his goodness and mercy.
What about Jesus in the future? The future includes three periods: (1) the period before we die, (2) the period after we die and our souls and bodies are separated, and (3) the period after the resurrection when our bodies and souls will be united. We have already thought about what will occur in the lives of those who trust in Jesus. Between their conversion and the end of life, they will be led by the Good Shepherd. But the moment will come when they will die. What will they discover on that day? They will discover that Jesus is the same as he always was. He will be there to meet them and greet them. We know that was what occurred when Stephen reached the end of his life’s journey, and as Jesus himself told the penitent criminal, believers then will be with Jesus. Paul assures us that it will be gain, and one of the gains will be a deeper insight into the unchangeableness of the Saviour.
How long will that continue? No one can say, but it will last until the resurrection day occurs at the second coming of Jesus. On that amazing day, bodies and souls will be reunited and those who have trusted in Jesus will be glorified. Each of his people on that day will be a visible example of the unchanging faithfulness and love of Jesus as they see one another glorified.
At that time, there will be two other major events taking place – the judgement and the appearance of the new heavens and new earth. Both events will reveal the unchangeableness of Jesus. How kind he will be to his people on the Day of Judgement! It is true that none of them will have been what they should have been because although they were believers they were still sinners. It is true that some of them will have greater rewards than others. Yet it will be true of all of them that there they will experience the faithfulness and kindness and love of Jesus as he openly acknowledges them and acquits them.
Then there will be his creation of the new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness, as Peter calls it. When Jesus does that, we will see his faithfulness to all the promises of the Bible regarding that divine activity. We will see his kindness as he provides an eternal inheritance for his co-heirs. Perhaps that will be the moment when he says to the Father, ‘Behold, I and the children which you have given me.’
Some applications
We are to remember that while our circumstances have changed, Jesus has not changed. His person has not changed, his promises have not changed, his purpose has not changed. Moreover, his ability to control fully all things, an ability expressed in his providence, has not changed.
Because Jesus is unchanging, we have a stable rock to stand on, we have strong resources to depend on, and we have sweet food to taste continually. All these things are found in him. We should not put anything in the place of Jesus.