Have you ever asked yourself how Adonai could regret something he did? I mean, if he knows everything, including the future, then shouldn’t he have known what would happen, to begin with?
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One example of Adonai regretting doing something is right at the start, when he says in Genesis 6:6, that he regretted making mankind. And later, in 1 Samuel 15:11, he tells Sh’mu’el that he now regretted making Shaul the king.
This would seem to be a major issue; I mean, if God regrets doing something, doesn’t that mean he didn’t know how it would turn out? And if so, that means he doesn’t know the future!
Oy gevalt! Is the Bible wrong?
I considered this for a while, and finally I came to what I think is a viable answer.
Even though there are many verses in the Bible that indicate God knows the future, I think God knows what will happen because God has two things going for him:
- He knows our hearts and minds, and as such, he can accurately predict what we will do; and
- Because he is God, whatever he wants to happen will happen, one way or another.
There are several references in the Bible that tell us that he has plans for us, that he knows the beginning from the end, etc., all indicating that the future is known to God.
But isn’t it possible God knows what will happen simply because he can make it happen?
God gave each and every one of us Free Will, so we can decide what we are going to do, or not do. Take Jonah, for example: when God first told him to go to Nineveh, isn’t it possible that God expected him to go? Maybe God was a little surprised that he went in the opposite direction, or maybe God wasn’t the least bit surprised because he knew his heart! God knew that Jonah’s hatred for the Ninevites would cause him to refuse, and that is why God called him, in the first place- to give him the chance to show his obedience.
And when Jonah disobeyed, God sent the storm to give Jonah another chance to repent, which he did (good for him!). Maybe, just maybe, if Jonah had not repented, he would have died with all the men on board that vessel, and God would have sent someone else.
But let’s not go there- it is never a good idea to postulate.
I believe God is able to regret doing something because of Free Will, which adds a certain amount of uncertainty, and God will not override our decision. If he did, then we wouldn’t really have Free Will, would we?
However, God can influence our decisions, such as sending a terrific storm to prevent us from doing what we intended.
Maybe there has been an event in your life where you realized the conditions you were in were so terrible that you needed to change your decisions or lifestyle? Perhaps you realized, or maybe now are first realizing, that this was God regretting what you were doing and influencing your decisions for the better?
Now, the other side of that coin is how the Devil can do the same thing by causing events in your life that might influence you to turn away from God.
This is why it is so important to know the Bible, so we know what God wants us to do. We need to always weigh our decisions against the way God says to live, which is not found in a religion but in the Torah, and constantly ask God for discernment and insight so we are always doing what God would want us to do.
It sounds simple, but it isn’t- there are so many ungodly influences (and influencers!) in our life, many of whom are found in social media, as well as the news media, and especially in WOKE Hollywood!
My advice? If the world loves it, God probably hates it, so stay with God. You may lose friends, family, jobs, and in some places in the world, maybe your life! But you will gain eternity.
And when it comes down to it, this life lasts for a moment, and eternity is forever. I truly believe that when we are resurrected, if we do remember anything of this life, if won’t matter to us at all.
After all, when we are in God’s presence, fully joyful and forever at peace, who cares about this life?
Thank you, as always, for being here, and please remember to share these messages with everyone you know, even non-believers. After all, you never know how fertile the soil is until you plant a seed in it.
That’s it for this week, so l’hitraot and (an early) Shabbat Shalom!
