Chris Edwards' thoughts on my question "Does God his mind"?

Yesterday I asked Chris Edwards the question that ocurred to me from reading Ex 32:14 "Does God change his mind?". This is his reply:

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There are two Hebrew terms that express the idea of a change of heart. Loosely they can be translated “repent” but most modern scholars do not translate them that way. The one that is of interest to us is nacham which means “to lament or grieve”. In Brown, Driver and Briggs’ Lexicon they say it means to “rue” or “repent”. It appears in Genesis 6:6 as well as Exodus 32:14 in relation to God. But it also crops up in Job 42:5-6 in relation to Job so it isn’t a word used only in relation to God – unlike some Hebrew words. It would be easier if it were only used in relation to God! That way I could say it is totally a God-thing. But it’s not.

So, does God change his mind?

Well he was “sorry” he made man (Genesis 6:6) and “sorry” he made Saul king (1 Samuel 15:10). I think “sorry” here is similar, but it’s different. He did add some years to Hezekiah’s life (Isaiah 38:1-6) and as I said this morning, he did refrain from wiping out Nineveh (see Jonah 3:4 and 3:10). These last two seem more in line with Exodus 32:14.

Let’s look at Jonah. God told Jonah to proclaim, “Forty days and you’re gone!” (3:4). The possibility that God’s judgement might be withheld isn’t mentioned in Jonah 3:4 but it is implicit. Why else would he send the prophet? The present situation needed to change.

In the case of Hezekiah it is a response to a specific prayer. “God says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.” Earnest prayer changed the present situation.

In the case of Exodus 32 it is Moses’ prayer that changes the situation. God seems to respond to present situations by withholding what he would otherwise do.

Fascinating that it is in response to prayers, eh?

In the end I think the best way to look at 32:14 is as an anthropomorphism. God’s activity is explained by using human terminology. It actually doesn’t mean that God changed his mind like we fickle humans do. At this point the translations we have are not only unhelpful, but downright misleading! Instead it means he now embarks on a different course of action from that already suggested as a possibility owing to a new factor. You can see this in the book you don’t like – Ezekiel 33:13-16. God’s promises and warnings of certain action are contingent upon man’s response.

Moses’ prayer didn’t change God’s purposes for Israel. In fact, by it Moses carried out God’s purposes for Israel! I think that sometimes God’s purpose is just to get us to pray…

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If you have any other questions you would like Chris to answer, please post them on the blog, and I will try to ensure Chris responds.