If we accept the fact that God is perfection, and that He cannot change, then how do we account for certain parts of the Bible that seem to indicate that God changed His mind? In addition, why does the Bible speak of God regretting that He did something? There are several instances in the Scripture where God seems to relent, or change His mind, about something that He was going to do as well as passages that speak of God having regrets. How do we understand these passages?
1. Was God Sorry He Made Human Beings?
From a passage in Genesis it seems that God is sorry that He made humanity.
And the LORD was sorry that he had made human beings on the earth, and he was grieved in his heart (Genesis 6:6).
2. God Told Moses He Was Going To Destroy The People
When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai after receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32) he found that the people had fallen into sin. They had made for themselves a golden calf and were worshipping it.
God then told Moses that He was ready to destroy the nation. Moses pleaded for the people and the Scripture says,
And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people (Exodus 32:14).
Is this not a clear example of God changing His mind?
3. The Lord Regretted He Made Saul King
Scripture seems to say that God had second thoughts about making Saul the king of Israel. The Lord said to Samuel.
I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not carried out my commands. Samuel was angry; and he cried out to the LORD all night (1 Samuel 15:11).
4. The Lord Told Hezekiah He Was Going To Die
The Lord instructed the prophet Isaiah to tell King Hezekiah of Judah that he was going to die.
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover” (2 Kings 20:1).
Yet Hezekiah pleaded for his life. The Lord then responded to his prayer.
Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: “Go back and tell
have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David” (2 Kings 20:4-6).
God then allowed Hezekiah to live another fifteen years.
5. God Changed Toward The People Of Nineveh
In the Book of Jonah we have a similar situation. God was going to destroy the people of Nineveh. They repented of their sins and God had mercy on them.
Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that he had said he would bring upon them, and he did not do it (Jonah 3:10).
How are we to understand these episodes?
THIS IS FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF HUMANITY
The seeming changing of God’s mind in these, and in other situations, makes people wonder if God is wavering in His word. But this is not the case.
For example, in the situation with Moses God was angry because the people had rejected Him in favor of an idol. His desire to destroy them was not unalterable. Moses’ intercession on behalf of the people kept them from being destroyed. From humanity’s point of view God’s mind was changed but God had known all along what would happen. Moses prayed for mercy and God answered his prayer.
God Did Not Change What He Had Planned To Do
The same is true in the case of Jonah and Nineveh. The people of Nineveh prayed to God and asked His forgiveness. God heard their prayer and granted mercy to them. He did not change His mind for He knew all along they would repent of their sins. Yet from a human point of view this was unknown. The people had not been assured that God would stop judgment if they repented but Jonah had an idea that this might happen. When the prophet realized that Nineveh would not be destroyed he prayed to God and said.
Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, one who relents from doing harm (Jonah 4:2).
The Change Was With Humanity
We see in these instances that a prayer of repentance changed the outcome of the situation. The change was not with God but with humanity. When the conduct of humanity changed towards God, the conduct of God appeared to change toward humankind. Yet God was consistent in His behavior all along.
In the case of Hezekiah, God answered his prayer and extended his life. Again, the change was for the benefit of humanity.
The Change Is Always God Stopping Punishment
When Scripture tells us about God changing His mind of what He said He would do, each instance is in regard to punishment, or in the case of Hezekiah, death. It is never a case of God promising to do something good and then changing His mind. His promises to His people will not be broken. The Bible says.
For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 8:29).
Sorry Has The Idea Of Being Grieved
When the Bible says God was sorry it has the idea of being grieved. It does not have the idea of regret.
Therefore we have no inconsistency in the character of God.
Summary
The Bible assures us of the following things about God’s nature. God will not change toward us with His promises. Any seeming change in God’s dealings is from humanity’s point of view not God’s. Every time God changed His mind it was in favor of humanity rather than against. There is also the possibility that the word translated “repent” has more the idea of being grieved or sorry. If this is the correct translation then there is no issue here with respect to God’s dealings with humanity.