cubeus19 wrote:Hey guys, I've got a question concerning God's ability to know everything and the passages in the Old Testament mainly in Exodus where God apparently "changed His mind" about His feelings towards the followers of Moses. I think this also had something to do with during the time they tried worshiping the golden calf. But anyway, my question is if God can change His mind, does that mean He isn't completely all knowing or is there something I'm not getting at regarding those passages where God apparently changes His mind? Thanks guys.
Exodus 32:14, “
So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.” NKJV
Exodus 32:14 is the text in question and this occurred right after the golden calf incident when God’s anger was roused. In the previous verses, God made mention that he would make a great nation out of Moses’ progeny. To do so would not have negated God’s promises/oaths made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because Moses was one of their descendants as well. God can keep his word as sees so fit.
God also gave humanity the ability to exercise dominion, name things, take care of things and as such was fashioned as free morally reasoning peoples. When such use of freedom causes God displeasure, he has the right to mold things towards how he intends. Why – God foreknows. If God made Moses progeny a new nation, I wonder how much better things may have turned out?
Fact is, Moses pleaded to God’s own conscience, reminding him of his own character attributes and nature. That if He eradicated the people as he did so to Korah’s group, the heathen world would look upon God foully as God incapable of living true to himself. Remember the goal of the Lord was to first make a people unto himself to work through for the redemption of the entire world, both Jews and Gentiles (note Isaiah 49:6NKJV, Isaiah 11:10NKJV, Isaiah 60:1, 2, 3c, Psalms 22:27c, Psalms 67:1, 2, 3, 4c).
By God relenting his wrath, this principle would be demonstrated amongst all the peoples of the world as Isaiah 60:10 describes: "
The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, But in My favor I have had mercy on you.” NKJV
So God foreseeing a great goal in mind did the following: 1-Tested Moses, 2-tested the people, and 3-shown himself, indeed God who will not deny himself in any manner or shape or form for all the world to see and learn from and that third part I mentioned fitting Isaiah 60:10NKJV principle of God showing mercy is what is important – as that is how he relents.
None of us deserves God’s mercy. Our own righteousness are but like filthy rags and always seeks to warp and twist the ways of God to our own gain and effort (note again Exodus 32:1c). In this, we all make golden calves in our hearts. What did God do? Sent the Messiah, Jesus Christ, into the world, when he did not have too, to save those who believe in him (John 3:16c). God shows mercy, when none is deserved, and thus relents from exercising just judgment against those who plead to His good judgment thru the cross and the blood, of Christ: Mercy.
That is the message of why God relents – repents – changes his mind – to demonstrate his divine mercy or executing of divine wrath upon people whose stubborn/stiff neck hearts refuse the one whom shown forth such mercy of himself.
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