I haven't had a chance to listen to the nashville audios yet so I'm looking forward to that!
I just wanted to add something interesting I found which I believe is in line with what Craig posted.
If you have the Interlinear Scripture Analyzer (
www.scripture4all.org) and you do a search on the word that is translated "repented" or "sorry" in Gen 6:6 it shows quite a few other ways in which this word was used. Some of these variations include:
- he is comforting
he is guiding
he is consoling
he is showing mercy
So for example in this verse:
Psalms 106:45
45
And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.In the ISA it transliterates this word as:
and he is showing mercyThe CLV renders the verse this way:
Psalms 106:45
45
And, for them, He remembered His covenant, So that He was merciful according to His many benignities."What I am seeing in this, is just another angle on God being "sorrowful" at what he must necessarily put his creatures through in order for them to become in His image. It is really His mercy, and thus His love, which is creating beings to be a part of His intimate family. But in His mercy, He will never put His creatures through more than they are able to bear.
I see it kind of like this whole on going process of creating humanity is like an ongoing birth. We know the attributes of both male and female are in God. He understands both parental aspects of raising children....and what is involved in "giving birth to them". For this we have a "physical" example that may reflect what God is experiencing in "birthing" us:
Genesis 3:16
16
To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Is there perhaps a spiritual message here in God expressing what it is for Him to bring forth children out of himself?
This thread got me thinking about this angle, and that His sorrow, or even regret, if you want to call it that, is not in the fact that He has created children, but in
what it is taking to create children in the image of Himself. I'm thinking this whole experience for God might be at least spiritually similar to some aspects of giving birth as we understand it. Most mothers will tell you that the actual experience of child birth is PAINFUL! And it is for the baby too, (we just can't remember that far back thankfully!
But most mothers I know will also tell you that they certainly don't regret getting pregnant and having children. In fact, the pain of child birth is quickly forgotten once the new babe is laid into its mother's loving and awaiting arms. It is always worth it!
So, while experiencing and coming into a knowledge of evil is necessary in this process, I can see that God grieves in His heart that He must by necessity subject His creation to futility (Rom 8:20).
I imagine God is able to endure His suffering and pain for having to put His children through suffering and pain, because He knows for certainty the end result will be successful! All will be saved!
Peace,
Diana