Can God really change his mind?

[ScottEmerson]

In Exodus 32:7-14, there is a passage that states that God is planning to annihilate the Jewish people. Moses prays earnestly for them. God repents and decides to spare them.

1. Should we read this literally?

2. It not, what are the reasons for doing so - is it a matter of doctrine that tells us this or something in the passage itself, or something else?

3. Dod God really change his mind?

4. Had Moses not prayed, would God have destroyed the Israelites?

5. Does the reading of this have anything to do with our prayer life - that is, are there things in our life that we are missing out on because we do not pray for them...can we, in fact, "change" God's mind, through fervant prayer?

 

[debs]

Well Im just recently experiancing the power of persistant prayer...somehow its like the pennys just dropped for me. I think Gods always looking for intercessors and it certainly got Moses busy...what it says to me is that sometimes God has to reveal the seriousness of a situation before we really get the message and get on our knees..well thats my slight on it anyway...be blessed

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

I think God wants to be worshipped and that prayers can make a difference, else why would He want us to pray?

Good post though.

 

[rkbo]

You must understand the term "repent" . It can mean to pity or just to turn in another direction. Look at these verses
Jonah 3:10
10 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.
(KJV)

Joel 2:13
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
(KJV)

5162 nacham (naw-kham');

a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):

KJV-- comfort (self), ease [one'sself], repent (-eringself,-,).

 

[Gerry]

Of Course God cannot change His mind! If God is Perfect in everyway, which is what we as Christians profess to believe, then why would God change His mind? That would indicate a faulty thinking process.

I think God wants to be worshipped and that prayers can make a difference, else why would He want us to pray?

Prayer does not change anything. Prayer changes things only insofar as it changes our attitude, and perception of a situation. Right prayer changes our heart.

 

[LouisBooth]

hmm..well think about it like this. Some of God's promices are conditional. the depend on what we do. Do you think this could be the same thing?

 

[findtbax]

[GLOW=skyblue]this is a very interesting topic, and yet i do not know what to think[/GLOW]

 

[Defender of the Faith 777]

God is immutable, and is firm in His decisions. It's my conviction that He had not decided to destroy the people. He wanted Moses to pray and spare them. Perhaps they would think twice next time. Perhaps they'd feel lucky and spared. I dunno. I don't think God had intended to kill His people. God, being omniscient, knew Moses would pray to spare them, and fit that into His plan.

In Genesis, with the first prayer, Abram said to God, "Please, spare the cities if I can find 10 righteous." His heart was crying, "Please, spare Lot and his wife." God granted Him his prayer, yet did not go back on His word to destroy the cities. So Abram change His will? Ultimately, no, the cities of wickedness were destroyed. But Lot and his wife, wait, scratch that, Lot managed to escape.

Lot's wife received a rather dry personality from all the excitement. LOLOLOL... pum pum chhh!

...nevermind.

 

[ScottEmerson]

Originally posted by Defender of the Faith 777
God is immutable, and is firm in His decisions. It's my conviction that He had not decided to destroy the people. He wanted Moses to pray and spare them. Perhaps they would think twice next time. Perhaps they'd feel lucky and spared. I dunno. I don't think God had intended to kill His people. God, being omniscient, knew Moses would pray to spare them, and fit that into His plan.

In Genesis, with the first prayer, Abram said to God, "Please, spare the cities if I can find 10 righteous." His heart was crying, "Please, spare Lot and his wife." God granted Him his prayer, yet did not go back on His word to destroy the cities. So Abram change His will? Ultimately, no, the cities of wickedness were destroyed. But Lot and his wife, wait, scratch that, Lot managed to escape.

Lot's wife received a rather dry personality from all the excitement. LOLOLOL... pum pum chhh!

...nevermind.

There must not have been 10 people who were righteous - otherwise God lied. My Grandfather often wondered what GOd would do if Abraham asked to spare the town if there was but one righteous.

I don't think it's about God changing his character. Immutability refers to character - as far as his interactions with us - they are just that...interactions. He chooses to devclop a personal relationship with us. He hurts when we hurt and rejoices when we rejoice. He is able to do this with all men.

If you say that God knew Moses would pray the prayer, his statement "I will destroy the Israelites" would have been a lie. Either that, or a cruel "just kidding" joke.

Perhaps instead of the phrase, "changing his mind," we should say that God changes his plans based upon our response to Him.

 

[LouisBooth]

"If you say that God knew Moses would pray the prayer, his statement "I will destroy the Israelites" would have been a lie. Either that, or a cruel "just kidding" joke.
"

No I would disagree here. It was an action of God with a stipulation that God would change his action based on the action of moses. Its a very logic conclusion.

"we should say that God changes his plans based upon our response to Him."

Exactly.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by s0uljah
I think God wants to be worshipped and that prayers can make a difference, else why would He want us to pray?

Good post though.

Ok, this is a first. I am now refuting myself.

I reconsidered and I do not believe that God changes His mind. He already knew that Moses would pray.

 

[ScottEmerson]

Originally posted by LouisBooth
"If you say that God knew Moses would pray the prayer, his statement "I will destroy the Israelites" would have been a lie. Either that, or a cruel "just kidding" joke.
"

No I would disagree here. It was an action of God with a stipulation that God would change his action based on the action of moses. Its a very logic conclusion.

Then it would have to be a very implicit thing (which from the text is hard to extrapolate) or the writer forgot to add the "if" statement.

 

[LouisBooth]

"Then it would have to be a very implicit thing (which from the text is hard to extrapolate) or the writer forgot to add the "if" statement."

So now you're saying God always has to share every thought he has with us? Using the text and what the bible says, its very easy to extrapolate this idea.

 

[GraftMeIn]

Actually some of the people were destroyed, when Moses came down from the mountain he seperated those that were for God, and had them destroy those who weren't. He gave it as a command from God.

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by ScottEmerson
In Exodus 32:7-14, there is a passage that states that God is planning to annihilate the Jewish people. Moses prays earnestly for them. God repents and decides to spare them.

1. Should we read this literally?

2. It not, what are the reasons for doing so - is it a matter of doctrine that tells us this or something in the passage itself, or something else?

3. Dod God really change his mind?

4. Had Moses not prayed, would God have destroyed the Israelites?

5. Does the reading of this have anything to do with our prayer life - that is, are there things in our life that we are missing out on because we do not pray for them...can we, in fact, "change" God's mind, through fervant prayer?

Why wouldn't God be allowed to change his mind?!? 

You change your mind about things, why would you think that you are able to do something God cannot do?

 

[LouisBooth]

lamb..thats not the best logic

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Originally posted by lambslove


Why wouldn't God be allowed to change his mind?!? 

You change your mind about things, why would you think that you are able to do something God cannot do?

Because God knows everything in advance.  Changing ones mind is to say, "Oh, I made a mistake." An all powerful/ominscient Creator can't make mistakes by definition.

 

[Job_38]

If God can do what he wants, then he could.

 

[findtbax]

 i still agree with tim mo