In our last visit we saw the tragic moment when Saul crossed the line of no return. Even though he confessed his sin, the clock could not be turned back. God saw something in Saul’s heart that caused Him to have Samuel declare in 1 Samuel 15:28-29, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors - to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
God is immutable, that is, unchanging. This truth about God is comforting. You can count on Him. He won’t disappoint you or surprise you by changing the rules of the game.
In another sense, His immutability is like an insurmountable wall. He is slow to anger and longsuffering, loving and gracious. But if you spurn His truth and reject His word, arrogance and independence emerge and they’ll harden your heart and mind. You’ll become blind to the issues of obedience and before you know it the consequences of your rebellion will catch up with you. Then, you’ll try making amends. You know the words, but the heart is too callused to repent. You’ll plead for mercy, but your motive is not to see God glorified, it’s to be restored to a position of honor and blessing. The tragic end might be postponed for a while, but it will come. You can count on it.
Chapter 15 ends with the statement that Samuel died without ever again seeing Saul. Respond to God now so that His immutability will be to you a comfort rather than eternal condemnation.
