Malachi 3:6

For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Ver. 6. For I am the Lord, I change not] I am Jehovah. This is God's proper and incommunicable name. It imports three things: 1. That God is of himself. This Plato acknowledged, calling God το ον, and το ον οντως. Julius Scaliger, by a wonderful word, calleth God αυταυτον, One that hath his being or existence of himself, before the world was, Isaiah 44:6 Isaiah 44:2. That he giveth being to all things else, for in him they both are and consist. He sustains all, both in respect of being, excellences, and operations, Hebrews 1:8. The greatest excellences in us do as much depend upon God as the effigies in the glass upon the presence of the face that causeth it. 3. That he giveth being to his word, effecting whatsoever he speaketh. Hence, when either some special mercy is promised, or some extraordinary judgment threatened, the name of Jehovah is affixed. See Exo 6:3 Isa 45:2-3 Ezekiel 5:17. The ancient Jewish doctors make this distinction between Elohim and Jehovah. By Elohim, say they, is signified Middah din, a quality or property of judgment. By Jehovah, middath Rachamim, a quality or property of mercy. And hereunto they apply that text, Psalms 56:10, In God (Elohim) I will praise the word, in Jehovah I will praise the word; that is, sive iure agat mecum, sive ex aequo et bono, whether he deal strictly with me, or graciously, I will praise him howsoever. But this distinction, as it holds not always; so not here. For, to show the certainty of the judgment denounced Malachi 3:5, is this subjoined, "I am Jehovah," &c. And if Jehovah come of Hovah (which signifies contrition or destruction), as Hieronymus from Oleastro will have it, what can be more suitable to the prophet's purpose? it is somewhat like that in Isaiah 13:6, Shod shall come from Shaddai, destruction from the Almighty, or from the destroyer, as some interpret God's name, Shaddai.

I change not] I am neither false nor fickle, to say and unsay, to alter my mind, or to eat my word, Psalms 89:34. The eternity of Israel cannot lie, nor repent, said Samuel to Saul (and it was heavy tidings to him, as Ahijah said to Jeroboam's wife, I come unto thee with heavy tidings); for he is not a man that he should repent, 1 Samuel 15:29. Men are mutable, and there is no hold to be taken of what they say. Of many it may be said, as Tertullian of the peacock, all in changeable colours; as often changed as moved. Italians all, as Aeneas Sylvius said of Italy, Novitate quadam nihil habet stabile, there is no taking their words. Of a certain pope and his nephew the story is told, that the one never spake as he thought, the other never performed what he spake. But God is not a man that he should repent; or if he do, it is after another manner than man repents. Repentance with man is the changing of his will; repentance with God is the willing of a change. It is mutatio rei non Dei, effectus non affectus, facti non consilii. God's repentance is not a change of his will, but of his work. It noteth only (saith Mr Perkins) the alteration of things and actions done by him, and no change of his purpose and secret decree, which is immutable. What he hath written he hath written (as Pilate said peremptorily), there is no removing of him. If the sentence be passed, if the decree be come forth, none can avert or avoid it, Zephaniah 3:3. Currat ergo poenitentia ne praecurrat sententia (Chrysolog.). Go quickly and make an atonement, as Moses said to Aaron, Numbers 16:46 "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel," Amos 4:12. Mitte preces et lachrymas cordis legatos; meet him with entreaties of peace, agree with him quickly; who knows if he will return, and repent? "for he is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil," Joel 2:13,14. It should seem so indeed by this text; for, even while he is threatening, and ratifying what he had threatened, his heart is turned within him, his repentings are kindled together, Hosea 11:8. And hence the following words,

Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed] A strange inference (considering the sense and occasion of the foregoing words, as hath been set forth), and not unlike that, Hosea 2:13,14 "I will visit upon her the days of Baalim … she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord. Therefore" (mark that "Therefore"), "behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. And I will give her," &c. So Isaiah 57:17,18 "For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly," &c. "I have seen his ways, and will heal him." Ways? what ways? his covetousness, frowardness, &c.; and yet I will heal him. I will deal with him not according to mine ordinary rule, but according to my prerogative. If God will heal for his name's sake (and so come in with his non obstante, as he doth, Psa 106:8), what people is there whom he may not heal? Well may these sinful sons of Jacob be unconsumed; well may they have for their seventy years' captivity seven seventies of years, according to Daniel's weeks, for the re-enjoying of their own country; and God's mercies shall bear the same proportion to his punishments, which seven, a complete number, hath to a unity, Ezekiel 20:8; Ezekiel 20:14; Ezekiel 20:22; Ezekiel 20:44. Provided that they return to the Lord that smote them (as in the next verse), for else he will surely punish them seven times more, and seven times, and seven to that, Leviticus 26:21; Leviticus 26:23; Leviticus 26:27, &c.; three different times God raiseth his note of threatening, and he raised it by sevens, and those are discords in music. Such sayings will be heavy songs; and their execution heavy pangs to the impenitent.