Ezekiel Kimosop Supporter

Does God change His mind? 

Yes He does. Scripture reveals that God did change His mind on several occasions. God changed His mind when He determined to destroy the Israelites in the wilderness after they persistently rebelled against Him. He had a side plan, to raise a nation out of Moses. 

Deuteronomy 9:13-14 says " And the LORD said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! 14 Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they."

Moses pleaded with God and He graciously changed His mind. He spared His people and they journeyed to the promised land. 

We learn from Isaiah 38:1-4 that God decreed that King Hezekiah would die. When the king wept and supplicated before God, the LORD changed His mind and graciously added Hezekiah 15 more years. Was God prepared to take his life? Absolutely yes! This was the plain message from the prophet. Numbers 23:19 says God is not a man that He should lie. 

What led God to change His mind? The tears of this righteous king touch the heart of God and He commanded the prophet to return to the palace and proclaim God's grace to Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:1-4). This is what God does to us when our hearts are broken before Him. Notice David's brokenness in Psalm 51. Bible scholars say David's remorse concerned his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah. 

In Jonah's day, the people of Nineveh were spared by God when they sincerely repented for their wickedness. Their king of Nineveh had proclaimed a fast and God was touched by their genuine repentance (Jonah 3:5-8), 

Jonah 3:10 says "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." 

Was God prepared to destroy the Ninevites? Certainly yes! What turned away His wrath? Was it not the people's remorse?

Prophet Jonah knew that God was merciful. On his own admission, Jonah declares in Jonah 4:2 "I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity." Does this imply that God does not send pestilences for rebellion and sin? Of course He does! He drove Israel into exile and destroyed Jerusalem in His righteousness wrath.

In Hosea 11:8-9 God laments "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. 9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city."

God would have been justified in destroying the city because of the sins of His people but His mercies overturned His wrath and He changed His mind. Did the people deserve God's judgment? Absolutely yes! 

To declare that God does not change His mind is to misrepresent his nature as a loving and merciful God who in His indignation and burning anger is full of compassion. The God of Scripture is touched by our sincere cry when we reach out to Him with broken hearts.

February 19 2015 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

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