Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/7/2007

Question
Hi,Ive been studying the bible seriously for a year or so now,and Im finding some things very troubling,such as these two questions I read in an article by Ken Harding

Does God change his mind?

Malachi 3:6 "For I am the Lord; I change not."
Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent."
Ezekiel 24:14 "I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent."
James 1:17 " . . . the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
VS.
Exodus 32:14 "And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people."
Jonah 3:10 ". . . and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."
Jeremiah 15:6  "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary of repenting."

Genesis 6:6,7-- "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth . . . And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth . . . for it repenteth me that I have made him."

also....does god tempt people?

Does God tempt people?

James 1:13 "Let no man say I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man."
VS.
Genesis 22:1 "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham."

Answer
Hi Chris,

Thank you for this great question.  It appears that scriptures contradict themselves... but we know that this cannot be, because the Bible is perfect.  Therefore we must endevor to learn what exactly these passages are teaching.

1.  God himself does not change.  His character does not change.  The Bible tells us that He cannot lie, He will never be able to lie.  God is Holy, He will always be Holy.  That does not mean that He cannot have His mind changed through prayer.

Ki 20:1  In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
2Ki 20:2  Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
2Ki 20:3  I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
2Ki 20:4  And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
2Ki 20:5  Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
2Ki 20:6  And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.


2.  Notice that verse 6 tells us that God ADDED years...  THat does not mean that God Himself changed in Character, but it does mean that He changed His mind regarding the time of the king's death.

3.  God tested Abraham ( same hebrew word) but he does not tempt anyone to sin.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don