Hebrew Prophecy
“Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” Jonah 3:9
Who Knows – “Hebrew prophecy was not meant to come true.”[1] Before your head explodes, think more deeply about what Kauffman suggests. The startling fact of Hebrew prophecy is that most of it is contingent upon the choices of men. Time and again God delivers a warning of imminent disaster, but each time the disaster can be averted by the return of men to the Lord. The prophecy is only true insofar as it is God’s intention, but the possibility always exists that men may come to their senses, repent and find that God’s forewarning does not come to pass. “Who knows” what may ultimately transpire? The answer is, “No one.” What happens next depends on the choices of men and God.
Mi-yodea says the king of Nineveh. “Who knows.” Anything is possible with a God who is capable of changing His mind. Maybe He will relent (the actual Hebrew word – yashoov – means “to turn back”). Maybe His actions will reflect our actions. If we repent, perhaps God will too.
The operative verb in the phrase, “Who knows?” is yada, the verb with the widest possible umbrella of meanings surrounding knowing. From sexual intimacy to facts about the heavens, yada covers it all. It is the appropriate expression of the king of Nineveh. In whatever way, by whatever means, in whatever possible scenario, someone might know if God will repent. Actually, Jonah knows. That’s why he didn’t want to preach God’s message in Nineveh in the first place. Jonah knows that God will repent and spare Nineveh. Jonah knows that God will change His mind and alter the prophecy. With the proper actions of men, the prophecy was never intended to come true.
Imagine if Jonah had gone to Nineveh and proclaimed that God is immutable, impassible and infallibly omniscient. God never changes. There is no use repenting, the fate of Nineveh is sealed in the inscrutable will of God. God knows before the world began that Nineveh would sin and would be punished. Under this scenario, the king’s question is farcical. There is only One who knows, and He doesn’t change His mind.
Before you get wrapped up in the philosophical and theological implications of doctrines developed long after Jonah’s journey to Nineveh, ask yourself this simple question: Does God relent? What kind of God would He be if the actions of men made no difference at all to the will of the Creator? Maybe, instead of theological constructions, we should just read the obvious story in the text. I for one am very glad that God repents. Are you?
Topical Index: who knows, me-yodea, prophecy, Jonah 3:9
[1] Walter Kauffman, in the introduction to Martin Buber, I and Thou, p. 29.
PS – I sent out an email yesterday (Tuesday November 2) that linked to an audio recording of my testimony, which I gave while in Adelaide Australia a few weeks ago. The link to the audio was broken. It’s since been fixed. If you’d like to listen to it, click here.
“The prophecy is only true insofar as it is God’s intention, but the possibility always exists that men may come to their senses, repent and find that God’s forewarning does not come to pass…. Anything is possible with a God who is capable of changing His mind. Maybe He will relent (the actual Hebrew word – yashoov – means “to turn back”). Maybe His actions will reflect our actions. If we repent, perhaps God will too.”
2 Timothy 2:22-26 (NIV)
22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful (NASB, “patient when wronged”). 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFUHrXfuNU4 4 MIN “Healing Begins” by 10th Avenue North
So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you’re good
And you can’t believe it’s not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside
So let ’em fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We’re here now
This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark
Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won’t disappear
So let it fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We’re here now
We’re here now, oh
This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark
Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don’t fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us
This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you’re broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark
Psalm 74:21 (NIV) Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace;
may the poor and needy praise your name.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXWdhRvNXME 3 MIN “Speak to Me” Aaron Shust
“Walter Kauffman, in the introduction to Martin Buber, I and Thou, p. 29.”
Hi Skip,
The other day, I mentioned reading I and Thou by Martin Buber as an undergraduate at UCSD.
I read Martin Buber because I tried to read everything that Walter Kauffman wrote.
Most of it was “over my head,” but I read it anyway.
From Wiki:
A prolific author, Walter Kauffman wrote extensively on a broad range of subjects, such as authenticity and death, moral philosophy and existentialism, theism and atheism, Christianity and Judaism, as well as philosophy and literature.
We (the created ones) are made in the image of our Creator. We are not G-d, but we are made in His image. Male and female,-both are made in the image of G-d. Yes, YHWH is a mystery, has been from the beginning- and thousands of years, thousands of books and thousands of testimonies later-He still is a mystery. And yet it is possible for us- the created ones- to know our Creator.
But wait!- there’s more!- (always more..). G-d is (not only)Creator, (but) Sustainer,Redeemer,Lover, and Friend- how do we know this? -and yes, we will remember- there are two types of knowing, “eido” and “ginosko.”
Have we ever read in G-d’s book, these words?- “G-d repented Himself?”- He changed His mind.. or something concerning “the wrath of G-d was kindled against..” He is after all- “the G-d who smites..”We have also read in G-d’s own book-His self-revelation- “G-d was pleased..”. There are “things” that please the LORD and things that upset Him greatly. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh!- G-d laughs? Do we? G-d is jealous? Yes! Have we been made in His image? G-d weeps. Yes, -there are “things” (sin) that cause our Father-(our Father?) great sorrow..
We are little and G-d is big, yet He cares about each sparrow that falls to the ground and have been instructed- the very hairs of each of our heads are “numbered.” -Have you ever wondered, as I have, -why would G-d (after all-He’s only Master of the Universes) “care” about the very hairs on our heads?
When G-d revealed Himself unto Moses (Exodus 34.6), we “see” something amazing. G-d is compassionate. G-d is powerful, yes, and G-d is mighty, yes,- but G-d is compassionate? G-d cares?? and even beyond this- G-d cares for me?
Yes, G-d does know the “end from the beginning.” How do I know that?- after all -I’m just a man. Who am I to make such a statement? You don’t know me from Adam’s housecat- why should you listen to what I have to say? – You shouldn’t. Don’t look at me, look at Him. Listen to His word(s). And where are His words found? Come on now, y’all-give a little grunt and think hard. Focus. Where may we find His words?
“All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations–” (Isaiah 65:2) “But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.”Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, (Why?) “Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord,” they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof: Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.”
Remember, we are made in His image. As a father of a young man in his second decade of life, I can more fully identify with my Abba. -Oh, how I want my son to listen to my instruction. Oh- how I long for my son to heed and to hearken to my counsel and receive instruction when he is reproved. Son, are you listening to me? -Can you hear me now?? He that has ears to hear, let him hear..
Fix my hearing, O G-d. My ears are stopped up, I cannot hear you anymore for all the noise, confusion, and the junk I have filled my life with. The blare of the radio, and the blather of the television.
I have become distracted and eccentric. May I, this day, remember your words to do them. Enable and empower me, my compassionate Father to also live compassionately toward my family and all who I would meet this day. Help me LORD, to speak the truth in love and to give of all my resources to help those who are in need. Thank you Abba, for being a G-d who hears the prayers of your people and for being a G-d who will repent if your people humble themselves and pray and seek your face and turn from their wicked ways. Your are forever able, mighty G-d, to hear from heaven and to heal our sin-sick land. Tune our hearts LORD to listen to your counsel, and to be not only hearers of the word, but doers also. Give unto your children the gift of repentance, that we may learn to walk humbly before our G-d and to do justice and to love mercy. Your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We gladly, fully and freely confess, without You we can do nothing. According to your words-It is not by power, nor by might, but by your Spirit. Cause us this day Father to see you more clearly, follow you more nearly and to love you more dearly. What a mighty G-d we serve! This prayer I offer this early morning because you have invited us to pray and because Calvary made this prayer possible. In the saving name of Jesus, -Amen.
Skip, I’m a little confused relative to the last line of today’s word: I understand and am eternally grateful that God may choose to relent, but does He repent?
Ah, the BIG question. As a language that describes the appearances in the world, Hebrew uses words that indicate God does repent. Of course, theologians call these “anthropomorphisms.” But that’s because they embrace certain metaphysical beliefs that reach beyond the text. I will ask you to hold on for about a week when my next book, “God, Time and the Limits of Omniscience” is released. Ah, so now you are the first to know about the book. It looks at this whole subject is great detail.
This reminds me so much of yesterday’s devotional in Oswald Chambers’ “My Utmost for His Highest.” I am reading a somewhat modified language edition of Chambers’ book, and I am thinking about going back to the original, but nonetheless his focus is on John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” the keyword being “IF.” Chambers says, “Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now.” I dog-eared the devotional just because I felt that it was so powerful in telling me what my role has to be in serving the Lord.
“If my relationship to Him is tha tof love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.”
Jeremy, I do not recall reading a comment of yours before, but going back to the original “My Utmost for His Highest”, caught my eye, and I would say, ” YES to that”. I have lived long enough to see several wonderful books with modified language come out, and often compared to the original versions, they are missing something!—
May I write some of the older versions from yesterday’s, Nov. 2,—also, that very important day in the life of our own country, too–so great for most of the Conservative voters.—- And even Monday night, when I agreed to sit with my husband to watch the final game of the World Series. What a day for the Cardinals (yes, the San Francisco ones). My life has been too busy to give very little attention to sports although living with a husband for 58 years that made a living from athletics. And the second most important man in my life, my wonderful father that I have written about before, and lacked four months being 100 when he died–in his right mind, until the day G-D called his name, enjoyed the main sports available to him in a limited life of prosperity: baseball, & TV Dallas Cowboys under coach Landry, and much later local basketball. But as a girl still in his home, I often heard the term, ” New York Giants”, but in 1958 this team was bought and moved to San Franciso, CA, during that time I was given birth to children and moving from Military SF where our son was born in Presido, CA, back to TX; we had no TV or much news for many years later, and I totally never connected “the Giants” with SF, always in my mind they were still New York Giants. But Mon, Nov. 1, 2010, it finally Hit Me, that they were Not New York Giants, but SF Giants!—- slow learner , but did learn that in brillant plays by them, when at first my heart was with TX Rangers. ( just two hours away from us). By the end of the game, I was cheering loud and clear for their pitcher, Lincecum!– If you had watched my life as an adult, this would blow you away! It did my husband , who calmly watched the game.——Now to Chambers older version for Nov. 2, 2010
” Our Lord never insists upon obedience; He tells us very emphatically what we ought to do, but He never takes means to make us do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit. That is why whenever our Lord talked about disicipleship, He prefaced it with an ‘IF any man will be My disciple, let him deny himself’ , let him give up his right to himself to Me. Our Lord is not talking of eternal positions, but of being of value to Himself in this order of things, that is why He sounds so stern (ch. Luke xlv. 26) Never interpret these words apart from the One Who uttered them.
The Lord does not give me rules, He makes His standard very clear, and if my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone else in competition with Him, viz., myself. Jesus Christ will not help me to obey Him, I must obey Him; and when I do obey Him, I fulfil my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small petty incidents, altogether unnoticeable and mean; but if I obey Jesus Christ in the haphazard circumstances, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God, and when I stand face to face with God I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When once God’s Redemption comes to the point of obedience in a human soul, it always creates. If I obey Jesus Christ, the Redemption of God will rush through me to other lives, because behind the deed of obedience is the Reality of Almighty God. “——– L.B. Osawald /Chambers did stand before God, seemingly in the natural, way to early, he was only 43 years old. Check his biography information, and rejoice and THANK the “Great I AM” for each day you live, and that you will make such a difference in the lives God places in your path!. LaVaye
Num 23:18-19 ESV – 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor: 19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
God Bless us all, today my head explodes and I need someone to put it back together. I did understand the fact of God warnings and us choosing to repent will change the outcome, but my question is this does that means that the consequences of my sin will also be forgiven, cause as I understand it He will use mercy and grace over me but I will have to face the consequences of my sin. Even though I am very glad God repent.
It’s fairly obvious that the consequences of sin in this world are not usually abated. Tragedy still happens. Violence is not erased. But we must distinguish between covenant-affecting moral judgment consequences and the natural cause and effect consequences. Sometimes God changes both. Forgiveness usually only involves the first.
I was in 1Kings 21 this morning and the notion that God changes His mind is an indication of His mercy which endures forever, His goodness which leads us to repentance and his steadfast love, that IF we will obey Him with all our heart, He will forgive as we truly repent. This appearance of changing His mind and staying the execution, so to speak, is for our benefit. (It also worked out pretty good for Ahab in 1Kings!) He still knows the beginning from the end and the ultimate outcome is in His sight, yet His knowledge can never be manipulated or otherwise predicted. Ours is to pay attention, hear and obey.
Passages such as these are as provocation toward good works, the work of repentance. We must change course while He is calling, or the hardness of heart will occur and reprobation sets in. Advocates of Calvinism often use the concept of foreknowledge as a manner to judge, or turn away from those who have not repented quick enough; others take personal responsibility for their own actions as opportunity to applaud themselves for their own works. Either camp misses the opportunity to declare the all encompassing sovereignty of YHWH, who is NOT a man, and recognize Him to be the ONLY ONE WHO SEES PERFECTLY.
I see the love of God, and the undeniable justice of the Holy One working like this today. We cry out: “How long O LORD” and He is saying, what is it to you how I deal with everyone else? Ultimately it is not ours to know why…ours is to do or die. But I do thank Him for the glimpses of His Glory.