Hi Booker,
Here is an excerpt from the transcript of the Bible study 'DOES A SOVEREIGN GOD EVER CHANGE?'
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,7714.0.html -----------
DOES GOD “REGRET” MAKING HUMANITY?
Gen 6:6-7 And it repented (Heb. #5162) the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart... for it repents Me that I have made them.
So the Lord repents. But we read in Numbers 23...
Num 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent (Heb. #5162 nacham): hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
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Does the phrase “God repented” in Gen. 6:6 contradict the phrase “He is not a man that He should repent,” in Num. 23:19? Well what saith thou, what do you think? Is that a contradiction? He repented and He doesn’t repent, is that a contradiction? Absolutely it’s a contradiction.
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Now the definition of ‘nacham,’ that’s the word translated (repent).
Strong’s #5162 nacham means to sigh, that is breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, that is… What is? Sorry is. What he is saying is, here’s what we mean by saying what it means to be sorry, do you follow? Here’s what we mean by saying sorry, that is… (in a favorable sense) to pity or console. That how it is used in a favorable sense. Comfort (self), ease (one’s self), repent (-er, -ing, self)
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So we see that this word ‘nacham’ can be used in a favorable sense, to be sorry. Here’s what we mean by sorry - to show pity, sympathy, mercy, comfort etc. So that is how it can be used. The word itself is used 37 times, translated as repent in the Hebrew Scripture. But guess what? It’s translated 70 times on the favorable side; to comfort or be comforted or comforting. That’s double, a hundred percent more times it‘s translated in some form of comfort.
DID MOSES CONVINCE GOD TO “CHANGE”?
Exo 32:10 Now therefore let Me alone (this is God speaking to Moses), that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of you a great nation.
V. 11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth Your wrath wax hot against Your people, which You hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
V. 12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did He bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Your people.
V. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.
V. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people.
So Moses says to God, ‘You can’t do that Lord. You brought them out of Egypt and everybody sees what You did. You set them free and now You are going to be there God. But now they are going to mock and say He delivered them out of Egypt and now He can’t protect them and He destroyed them. You can’t do that, I know they are a mess and they worshipped the calf and all this, but have mercy.’
So God says, okay V. 14 “And the LORD repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people.” Well there it is. Does God repent? They say, ‘absolutely that is what it says, can’t you read, “the Lord repented”.’ The problem I have with that, I’m not sure that’s the word that should be used there.
Are we not all familiar with the fact that many words have more than one definition? Sometimes they are opposing definitions and it is used according to the context. So what processes translators to think that they can translate a verse that will make God out to be a contradiction and a liar? See that is my question.
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God said to Moses “let Me alone.” How many times have I told you that you have got to pay attention to all the words. Pay attention to ALL the words. He said “let Me alone” and then I will get angry and then I’ll do it. Did Moses let Him alone? No he didn’t. So God can’t say He would do what He would do if Moses left Him along, because Moses didn’t leave Him alone. Moses came to Israel’s defense. He didn’t say alright God if that’s the way you see it, let’s get it over with, oh no. He said, ‘no God, please no, some of them are my relatives, my brother Aaron, you know.’ He came to their defense.
Do you believe it when the Bible says the sum of My word is truth (Psalms 119:160)?
Do you believe God when He says I do not lie (Titus 1:2)?
Do you believe God when He says He doesn’t change (Mal. 3:6)?
Do you believe God when He says He doesn’t repent (Num. 23:19)?
Well it says right there that “He repented.” I’m saying it is the wrong word. I know what Greek word was used ‘nacham,’ it means to show mercy or pity and that’s the way Concordance translated it. “So Yahweh showed mercy,” because Moses came to the defense and didn’t leave God alone. But God knows the end from the beginning. Do you believe that verse He knows the end from the beginning? He knew Moses was going to do that, so He never changed His mind.
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mercy, peace and love
Kat