When God changed His mind.
- What God acknowledged about His works at the beginning of the creation.
- And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (Ge 1:4 KJB)
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. (Ge 1:10 KJB)
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Ge 1:12 KJB)
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. (Ge 1:18 KJB)
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Ge 1:21 KJB)
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Ge 1:25 KJB)
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Ge 1:31 KJB)
- What God acknowledged about mankind’s work after sin was introduced into the world.
- And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Ge 6:5 KJB)
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. (Jon 3:10 KJB)
- What God acknowledged about the needs of individual people, or response to His presence.
- And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. (Ge 29:31 KJB)
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. (Ex 3:4 KJB)
And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. (De 32:19 KJB)
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. (2Ki 14:26 KJB)
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. (Lu 7:13 KJB)
- What God acknowledged about individuals hearts after responding to His words of judgement communicated through a prophet etc.
- And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. (2Ch 12:7 KJB)
Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. (Isa 59:15 KJB)
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house. (1Ki 21:28-29 KJB)
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, (Jer 7:1 KJB)
Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? (Jer 7:17 KJB)
But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause. (Jer 20:12 KJB)
Observation of the text: God looks to the ‘the reins and the heart’ of people. When God sees that individuals or nations humble themselves before Him in a judgement He has pronounced upon them through one of His prophets, or by personally communicating with them Himself; God can choose to change His mind concerning His original intent of proposed judgement as He sees fit. God can change His mind wheresoever people respond to Him with a heart of humility and faith to believe Him, and respond to His word accordingly.
- What God acknowledged about the secrets of mens actions, or the sincerity of mens hearts.
- And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. (Eze 8:4-6 KJB)
And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel. (Eze 40:4 KJB)
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. (Lu 7:44 KJB) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. (Lu 7:47-48 KJB); And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Lu 7:50 KJB)
- How our works demonstrate our faith- whether in unbelief or belief in God; our works manifest the motivation of the heart.
- Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? (Jas 2:22 KJB)
- God acknowledges the good in certain individuals, and for their sake He can choose to forebear future judgments He’s pronounced against a person, people group or nation etc.
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people. (1Ki 14:2 KJB)
And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman. (1Ki 14:5 KJB)
Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. (1Ki 14:12-13 KJB)
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. (Ec 2:26 KJB)
Observation of the text: God found some ‘good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam’; and therefore prevented His life from suffering the future consequence of the evil that He’s pronounced against His descendants in the future. Rather than letting him suffer in the future, He chose to take his life earlier to paradise, as a demonstration of His grace, for the good that was in his heart towards God. It’s possible that God could forbear judgement upon individuals of certain catastrophes which lie ahead of them in life according to His foreknowledge, whereby He can help prevent that individual from succumbing to those things as He sees fit, for the good found in them. Clearly, all based off His infinite wisdom for His private purposes He sees fit for His glory etc. Because obviously this doesn’t happen to all people at all times etc. God can clearly see beyond the realm of our limited human nature, as we naturally judge others according the flesh.
Other verses to consider and ponder on this topic:
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1Sa 16:7 KJB)
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2Ch 16:9 KJB)
God looks to the heart of all men. Therefore there might be some good things found in men where we cannot find them; or there might be some evil things found in them where we cannot see them. We would do best to look at people and judge them off the their outward conduct and works, for we cannot judge the heart of men; that is to say their intent etc.
Verses to consider and ponder on this topic:
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Tit 1:16 KJB)
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Mt 7:17-20 KJB)
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. (1Jo 3:18-19 KJB)
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. (1Jo 2:9-10 KJB)
- And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers. (2Ch 19:1-4 KJB)
What are the ‘good things found Jehoshaphat the king of Judah’? He ‘prepared his heart to seek God’! There you have it. A list of verses and comparisons of statements found in the Holy Bible where God ‘sees, or saw’ something in individuals, people groups, or nations that caused Him to change His mind about a future judgement He has pronounced up them due to the humble state of the condition of their heart etc. In love- Brother Carlos.
