Grazer
Member
- Jun 22, 2012
- 1,955
- 1
On another thread, it was said that God does not react and that he foresaw everything. I'm not sure I totally agree with this view. Looking at some verses in the Old Testament, it seems apparent that God has changed his mind, he has reacted to events/argument:
Example 1
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ” - Genesis 22:12
This passage only makes sense to me if the test was a real test. God needed to know how far Abraham would go, whether he would follow any command God gave him. This test was not to prove anything to Abraham but prove to God. Abraham passed the test which led to God saying "Now I know" meaning he didn't before.
Example 2
The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them. ” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord - Genesis 6:5-8
The flow of the passage clearly implies that God is reacting to the worlds wickedness. He created everything good but wickedness and evil enter so God reacts by intending to wipe out his creation. Now you could say he knew what would happen so the wickedness doesn't take him surprise but I don't think that is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage as it is written.
Example 3
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Here God changes his mind as a result of Moses appeal. Moses reminds him of Gods own promises to Israels first ancestors (Exodus 2:24-25) and this convinces God not to do what he had earlier (Exodus 32:10) But Moses seems quite adept at getting God to change his mind. In Exodus 32:35 he punishes the Israelites who had sinned. But he refuses to accompany them into Canaan:
Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way. - Exodus 33:3
God essentially repeats himself in 33:5:
For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’"
The word "might" strongly suggests God does not know what he will do. So Moses appeals;
Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” - Exodus 33:15-16
In verse 17, the Lord has a change of mind;
And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
The above don't make any sense in the context that God does not react to events. He clearly has reacted to events and I see no problems with a God who changes his mind and adapts to the situation. He is able to make all things work for his good and glory, that requires a certain amount of adapting. I once postulated aspects of God are like a decision tree. He know every single choice we will ever face either as a direct result of previous choices or events in our lives. He knows us so well that he can predict which path we will take with 100% accuracy but we can still choose the path we want. God can put things in place if he needs us to go elsewhere for whatever reason.
God is capable of anything, changing his mind can't be beyond him and even if he has changed his mind, doesn't change the nature of who he is, doesn't mean he won't protect us. It's not about our best interests, its about his.
Example 1
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ” - Genesis 22:12
This passage only makes sense to me if the test was a real test. God needed to know how far Abraham would go, whether he would follow any command God gave him. This test was not to prove anything to Abraham but prove to God. Abraham passed the test which led to God saying "Now I know" meaning he didn't before.
Example 2
The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them. ” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord - Genesis 6:5-8
The flow of the passage clearly implies that God is reacting to the worlds wickedness. He created everything good but wickedness and evil enter so God reacts by intending to wipe out his creation. Now you could say he knew what would happen so the wickedness doesn't take him surprise but I don't think that is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage as it is written.
Example 3
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Here God changes his mind as a result of Moses appeal. Moses reminds him of Gods own promises to Israels first ancestors (Exodus 2:24-25) and this convinces God not to do what he had earlier (Exodus 32:10) But Moses seems quite adept at getting God to change his mind. In Exodus 32:35 he punishes the Israelites who had sinned. But he refuses to accompany them into Canaan:
Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way. - Exodus 33:3
God essentially repeats himself in 33:5:
For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’"
The word "might" strongly suggests God does not know what he will do. So Moses appeals;
Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” - Exodus 33:15-16
In verse 17, the Lord has a change of mind;
And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
The above don't make any sense in the context that God does not react to events. He clearly has reacted to events and I see no problems with a God who changes his mind and adapts to the situation. He is able to make all things work for his good and glory, that requires a certain amount of adapting. I once postulated aspects of God are like a decision tree. He know every single choice we will ever face either as a direct result of previous choices or events in our lives. He knows us so well that he can predict which path we will take with 100% accuracy but we can still choose the path we want. God can put things in place if he needs us to go elsewhere for whatever reason.
God is capable of anything, changing his mind can't be beyond him and even if he has changed his mind, doesn't change the nature of who he is, doesn't mean he won't protect us. It's not about our best interests, its about his.
