nacham-revised110712 by Micah Sewell

““nacham” nacham” A Study in God’s Responsiveness and Interactivity

“nacham”(5162): 109 OT uses Approx. 70 “comfort” or “console.”

Remainder: About 5 references to humans. – Regret resulting in action. Jud 21:15 – Change of mind: internal decision

action. Ex. 13:17 35 refer to God “nachaming.”

“nacham”(5162): 109 OT uses Approx. 70 “comfort” or “console.”

Remainder: About 5 references to humans. – Regret resulting in action. Jud 21:15 – Change of mind: internal decision

action. Ex. 13:17 35 refer to God “nachaming.”

The “repentance” of God “In

the Old Testament, God never repents of sin; all of God*s actions are considered appropriate and justifiable. Rather, divine repentance is the reversal of a direction taken or a decision made.” Fretheim, Exodus, p. 286.

Questions for nacham verses: 1.

What is “nacham-ing” for God – what happens with God? 2. Why does God change, what is involved? 3. Implications for NoG study?

Genesis 6:5-7 5

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5-7 The LORD was sorry nacham that He had made man

on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry nacham that I have made them."

Meant by nacham, â&#x20AC;&#x153;sorryâ&#x20AC;?? 1.

Evaluation of present situation, radically changed & unacceptable from Gen. 1:31. 2. Emotional response, world not as God intended. 3. Reconsideration of a previous completed action (creation). 4. Choice of new, irrevocable, irreversible course of action (flood).

The “repentance” nacham of God Seems to involve both:

– An internal aspect of God, “regret or sorrow,”

a “change of mind.” – An external action of God, to “relent” or to “change direction, course of action.”

Winners of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;I look like my dogâ&#x20AC;? contest...

Exodus 32:10-11 NAU

Exodus 32:10 "Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation." 11 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said,

Exodus 32:12 "O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your

people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 "Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth' Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind nacham about doing harm to Your people.

Exodus 32:13 Ex. 32:13 "Remember Abraham, Isaac,

and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

Exodus 32:14 Ex. 32:14 So the LORD changed His

mind nacham about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

Basis 1.

for God to change His mind?

Moses â&#x20AC;&#x153;intercessionâ&#x20AC;? - identification w/God (32:11-13) & commitment to the people (32:11, 32). Trusted Moses enough to start over with him. Now trusts & works w/Moses for possible future good w/Israel.

Basis

for God to change His mind?

2. God’s concern w/the value & integrity of His

relationship w/Moses. – “Consults” with Moses. Gen.18:16-21. – Unwilling to override Moses in this matter, values what Moses desires. – “It is not a matter of Moses winning an argument, but of a relationship that God takes seriously.” Fretheim, Exodus, p.286.

"The

picture of God presented to us throughout the Old Testament is that of a God who has chosen to work with, rather than just upon human beings, so that humans (in this case Moses) are given the chance, if they will accept the responsibility, to contribute to a future that will be different from what it would have been, had they remained passive." Donald Gowan

Judges 2:18 NAU Judges 2:18 â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the LORD

raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity nacham by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.â&#x20AC;?

Judges 2:18 Historical

situation: Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on againoff again relationship with God. Context: 2:11-23.

2 Samuel 24:16 When the angel stretched out his

hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented nacham from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough! Now relax your hand!"

Psalm 90:13 Psal 90:13 (YLT) Turn back, O Jehovah,

till when? And repent nacham concerning Your servants.â&#x20AC;? Psal 90:14 (YLT) Satisfy us at morn [with] Your kindness, And we will sing and rejoice all our days. Context: Prayer of Moses

Psalm 90:13 “Do return, O LORD; how long will it be?

And repent nacham for Your servant.” – 90:7-12. Period of “no favor.” – 90:13. Change course with us! – 90:14-17. Appeal for favor. Moses believed God might change.

Psalm 106:45 â&#x20AC;&#x153;And He remembered His covenant for

their sake, And relented nacham according to the greatness of His lovingkindness (steadfast devotion or love).â&#x20AC;?

Psalm 106:45 “And He remembered His covenant for

their sake, And relented repent nacham according to the greatness of His lovingkindness (steadfast devotion or love).” – Context: Perhaps Babylonian captivity. – Rehearses God’s change of mind judgment to mercy. – God’s faithfulness to His faithless people.

nacham in Jeremiah Prophet to Judah BC 625 to 586 and

beyond. Nation far from God. Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last call â&#x20AC;&#x201C; events accelerating toward conclusion. Most uses of nacham here in Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 18:8 â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śif that nation against which I have

spoken turns from its evil, I will relent repent nacham concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.â&#x20AC;?

Jeremiah 18:10 “…if it does evil in My sight by not

obeying My voice, then I will think better repent nacham of the good with which I had promised to bless it.”

Potter & the Clay Analogy (1-6) defined (7-10)

applied (11-17). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Word pictureâ&#x20AC;? must be understood by context. Main point of the analogy? God, like the potter, is responsive to the clay, has a right to change. Future has possibilities, not fixed.

Jeremiah 18:7-10 A course of action already declared -

spoken (7, 9), not simply considered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Repentsâ&#x20AC;? or changes plans according to human response. 18:11-17. Applies principle to Judah. Why the appeal? So He can change his declared intention to bring judgment (11).

Jeremiah 18:7-10 God’s

declared course of action

Change

in the people

Change God’s

in God

new course of action

To Change or Not? Jer. 4:28

Jer. 15:6

"For this the earth

"You who have

shall mourn And the heavens above be dark, Because I have spoken, I have purposed, And I will not change My mind, nor will I turn from it.â&#x20AC;&#x153;

forsaken Me," declares the LORD, "You keep going backward. So I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am tired of relenting!â&#x20AC;?

To Change or Not? Jeremiah 4:28 Jeremiah 15:6 Date: BC 625?,

early in Jeremiah’s ministry.

Date: BC 598? God has been

“relenting” for 27 years of Jere’s ministry.

Fall of city, final judgment, not until BC 586, nearly 40 years after Jeremiah 4:28. Whole of Jeremiah is God’s appeal to avoid this.

Jer 15:6: God’s Ongoing Mercy Jer 14:10-12. Current judgment of drought – “I will

make an end of them…” 14:19-22. Jere appeals. Why? 15:1-2. “Even if Moses and Samuel…” 15:6. “I am tired of relenting!” Yet, 13 years remain…

Jeremiah 26:3 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Perhaps they will listen and everyone

will turn from his evil way, that I may repent nacham of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.â&#x20AC;? BC 609

Jeremiah 26:13 "Now therefore amend your ways and

your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind nacham about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.â&#x20AC;?

Jeremiah 26:18-19 Jere 26:18 "Micah prophesied in the days of

Hezekiah, saying, `Thus the Lord of hosts has said, "Zion will be plowed [as] a field, And Jerusalem will become ruins . . . , â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did Hezekiah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and the LORD changed His mind nacham about the disaster which He had pronounced against them?â&#x20AC;?

Jeremiah 42:10 'If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I will repent nacham concerning the calamity that I have inflicted on you.â&#x20AC;? BC 586

Amos 7:1-3 Âś This is what the Almighty LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts when the second crop was being harvested. It was the harvest that followed the harvest for the king. 2 When the locusts had finished eating every plant in the land, I said, "Almighty LORD, please forgive us! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? There are so few of them.

Amos 7:3 The LORD changed His mind nacham about this. "It shall not be," said the LORD.

Amos 7:4-6 This is what the Almighty LORD showed

me: The Almighty LORD was calling for judgment by fire. The fire dried up the ocean and burned up the land. 5 Then I said, "Almighty LORD, please stop! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? There are so few of them."

Amos 7:6 The LORD changed His mind nacham about this. "This too shall not be," said the Lord GOD.

Joel 2:13-14 13 “And rend your heart and not your

garments. Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and repents nacham from sending calamity. 14 Who knows whether He will not turn (7725 shub) and repent nacham and leave a blessing behind Him…”

Joel 2:13-14 With repentance, God suspends

judgment currently in progress. 1:1-7. Ex. 34:6-7 600 yrs earlier God’s “self-revelation.” Many OT refer. Joel: BC 840. By this historical period, God’s “change of mind” a clearly understood aspect of God’s character. Now becomes revelation to us.

Jonah 3:9-10 9

(The king said) "Who knows, God may turn and repent nacham and withdraw His burning anger . . .

When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God repented nacham concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

Jonah 4:2 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, "Please

LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness (hesed), and one who repents nacham concerning calamity.â&#x20AC;?

Jonah (BC 790) & Joel (BC 840)

Both make “God’s repentance” explicit

statements of God’s character. Reflect what God had done in Israel’s history. Now revelation to us, declare Who God is. "So dominant is this loyal love, so steeped

in grace... and mercy...that it encourages Yahweh to stay open to changes in his plans...God's openness to change his course of action . . . is virtually one of his attributes.” David Allen Hubbard

Other Passagesâ&#x20AC;Ś 2 Kings 20:1-6. 1 Samuel 2:27-31. 1 Samuel 13:13

Other Passagesâ&#x20AC;Ś Passages indicating God did not nacham: --

Zech 8:14 "For thus says the Lord, `Just as I purposed to do harm to you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath,' I have not relented, -- Jere 20:16 (NASU) But let that man be like the cities Which the Lord overthrew without relenting, â&#x20AC;&#x201C; past judgments where God did not change His mind.

Other Passages… Passages where God will not nacham:

– Ezek. 24:14. – Ps. 110:4. – Num. 23:19. – 1 Sam.15:29 w/15:11 & 35.

Ezekiel 24:14 “‘I, the LORD, have spoken; it is coming and I

will act. I will not relent, and I will not pity and I will not be sorry nacham; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you,’ declares the Lord GOD."

Ezekiel 24:13-14 Historical situation: Ez. 24:1-13 2 "Son of man, The king of Babylon has laid siege to

Jerusalem this very day . . . 6 "Woe to the bloody city, 12 "She has wearied [Me] with toil, . . . 13 "In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I [would] have cleansed you, Yet you are not clean, You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again Until I have spent My wrath on you. Date: BC 588, Jerusalem under seige, falls in BC 586.

Ezekiel 24:13-14 Judgment has come, (Jer.38:17-39:7) the exact measure is still open to question. Jere 38:17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, `If you will

indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire,. 18 if you will not go out to the officers of Babylon, then this city will be . . . burned with fire, and you yourself will not escape

Ezekiel 24:13-14 Judgment has come, (Jer.38:17-39:7) the exact measure is still open to question. 39:1 Now when Jerusalem was captured . . .

4 Zedekiah fled. 5 The Chaldeans overtook Zedekiah . . . 6 slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes . 7 then blinded Zedekiah and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon.

Psalm 110:4 The LORD has sworn and

will not change His mind nacham, "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek."

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie,

Nor a son of man, that He should repent nacham; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?â&#x20AC;?

Numbers 23:19 This declaration by Balaam includes a

prophecy for Balak, king of Moab, who wanted Israel to be cursed. However God instructed Balaam to "speak

only the word that (God) shall speak unto you" Thus instead of cursing Israel, Balaam must bless them according to God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and others.

Numbers 23:19 Balaam declared God would not lie

concerning what He was going to do, and He would not repent nacham of His commitment to bless Israel. Balak could never change that, nor get

God to change.

Numbers 23:19 God will never repent nacham

– When it means compromising

His integrity. – In this context: to nacham would be to lie. – God will not lie. What is a lie? “Say one thing but you intend to (or) do another.” – God is consistent in His dealings with His people.

Numbers 23:19 Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to Israel here

will not change nacham and He will not be misrepresented by Balaam. God is not like humans in this respect who do not live in absolute integrity.

Because God is “not a man,”

– does this mean that He cannot change His mind? 1. If Scriptures are taken at face value, God plainly

does change His mind -- repent nacham. 2. Not necessary to “reinterpret” either set of passages to reconcile them & make repent nacham clear. 3. Num 23 “not a man” is about integrity & consistency in relationship. 4. Also, God does change His mind repent nacham b/c He is “not a man.” Hosea 11:9

Because God is “not a man,”

– does this mean that He cannot change His mind? 4.

Also, God does change His mind He repents -- nacham b/c He is “not a man.” Hosea 11:9

Hosea 11:9 â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will not execute My fierce anger;

I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath.â&#x20AC;? Though men refuse to be gracious, God will repent

and extend loving-kindness when people repent.

B/c God is â&#x20AC;&#x153;not a man,â&#x20AC;? does this mean that He

cannot change His mind? 5. No. God under the right conditions, does change His mind. This is totally clear. Jonah & Joel see this as primary attribute. Jonah & Nineveh acted as though this were a real attribute of God.

B/c God is â&#x20AC;&#x153;not a man,â&#x20AC;? does this mean that He

cannot change His mind? NO. 6. Then what about 1Sa.15:29? "Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind repent nacham." What does this refer to?

1 Samuel 15:11 "I regret repent nacham

that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands." And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.

1 Samuel 15:11

It repenteth me that I have made Saul king – “

I intended, if he had been obedient, to have established his kingdom. He has been disobedient; I now change my purpose, and the kingdom shall not be established in his family. This is what is meant by God’s repenting changing a purpose according to conditions already laid down or mentally determined.” -- Adam Clarke Cmmtry

1 Samuel 15:29 "Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or

change His mind repent nacham; for He is not a man that He should change His mind repent nacham."

1 Samuel 15:35 Samuel did not see Saul again

until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted repented nacham that He had made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 15:29 Back to 1Sam. 15:29

"Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind repent nacham; for He is not a man that He should change His mind repent nacham."

1 Samuel 15:29 1. “will not change His mind”

– God’s decision concerning Saul:

final non-negotiable. – Regardless of Samuel’s intercession (v 11, Jer 15) – God told Samuel He will not repent nacham of His rejection of Saul as king (24-28)

1 Samuel 15:29

2. “not a man” – God never acts arbitrarily or unreasonably. God is absolutely loving and wise in every decision. . – Though people compromise, God always lives in total integrity. God would have been stupid and evil to have repented of this judgment upon Saul

3. “not lie” – Restatement of Num 23:19. – Makes absolutely clear that this

decision irrevocable & non-negotiable. – Issue of integrity: Could God be true to His character, responsibilities & purposes and still leave Saul king?

4. Whether God “changes His mind” or

“does not change His mind” . . . – God lives out a mutually responsive relationship with us, responds to human situations & choices. – God acts consistently with His character, “truthful, faithful, etc.” – God acts consistently with His overall historical redemptive purposes.

1Sam.15:29 says He is not a man that He should

change His mind. – God will no longer let Saul remain Israel's king. – God holds to principle, not like men who may compromise give in to ungodliness. silly emotions, – God will never violate principle. – Saul's heart was not right God cannot wisely repent.

1Sam.15:29 not a universal statement declaring that

God never repents. Only a few verses earlier, â&#x20AC;&#x201C; v. 11: God says I repent nacham that I have made Saul king â&#x20AC;&#x201C; v. 35: the Lord repented nacham that He had made Saul king over Israel. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In v.11, 29, 35 -- all three verses -- the same Hebrew word.

When we look at the total Bible message,

– we see what these verses mean. – Yet people often divorce them

from their context, – This ignores other Biblical evidence.

A contradiction? The “will not nacham” passages:

– specific in context – – not general in relation to God’s nature. “Will not nacham” passages are fewer

(7 verses in contrast to 25 verses stating that God does repent or is willing to). Therefore, when God chooses not to repent, He says so.

A contradiction? A possible conclusion:

Richard Rice wrote that when God chooses not to repent, -because ‘not repenting’ is the exception to His approach in dealing with men and nations, He states so. – “In general, then, God’s repentance is a genuine possibility, but one that is foreclosed when God pledges Himself unconditionally to a particular course of action.” Rice, Openness of God, p.33.

A contradiction? No passages declare:

– God cannot nacham – But in some passages declare that

He will not nacham under certain circumstances and situations. God is sovereign – He decides when He repents nacham and when He does not.

A contradiction? The “will not nacham” passages qualify or

help define God’s nachaming. – 1. Certain decisions • final • non-negotiable

A contradiction? The “will not nacham” passages qualify or

help define God’s nachaming. – 2. Some are assurances of His eternal purposes Ps.110:4 The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

A contradiction? The “will not nacham” passages qualify or

help define God’s nachaming. – 3. Some declare God’s integrity & consistency: Nu 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent <nacham>: has he said, and shall he not do it? or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Summary Thoughts

Summary recap (1) Openness to change is

God's typical, normal way of doing things. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; "God does not repent in spite of the fact that He is God; He repents precisely because He is God. "Rice, OoG, 31.

Summary recap (2) God is genuinely responsive to us.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Under what conditions

does God change His mind? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; "When a change in human response or circumstance calls for God in His love and wisdom to adjust and choose a new course or direction of action."

Summary recap (3) Divine Repentance occurs in

various circumstances and situations.

(3) Divine Repentance occurs in various

circumstances and situations. – a. God “nachams” something He has already done. Gen. 6. 1 Sam 15 – b. God “nachams” in the middle of acting or doing something. Joel – c. God “nachams” a decision made but not yet acted upon. Jonah & Ex. 32. – d. God’s “nachaming” represents His desire of mercy over judgment, thus delaying an action. Jeremiah.

Summary recap (4) Divine Repentance means that God

is at work with us not simply upon us in bringing about His purposes.

(4) Divine Repentance means that God is at work with

us not simply upon us in bringing about His purposes. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Welcomes human input and interaction.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; "The picture of God presented to us throughout the

Old Testament is that God choses to work with, rather than just upon human beings, humans are given the chance, if they will accept the responsibility, to contribute to a future that will be different from what it would have been, had they remained passive.â&#x20AC;&#x153; Donald Gowan, quoted in Sanders, GWR, 64.

Summary recap (1) Openness to change (2) God is genuinely responsive to us. (3) God Repents (4) God works with us not simply upon

us in bringing about His purposes.