What does it mean that God repented?

Then something consists in rightly apprehending the meaning of the word "repent." In general, in scripture, it does not mean remorse or contrition, as so many think, but simply a change or revolution in the attitude of the mind. "Godly sorrow leads to repentance," but that shows it is not the same thing. There is, indeed, a secondary use of the word repent, as where we are told Judas repented (a different Greek word is. however, used). That is the vain remorse of baffled sin. In any such senses as regret or remorse in reference to His personal actions, we are assured that God "is not a man that He should repent." There is no inconsistency in these statements for people of ordinary intelligence. (The Learned Critic is not included here, of course. His intelligence is extraordinary — whether upwards or downwards who shall say? — At any rate a language has not yet been invented sufficiently explicit for him.)

"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." In cases of repentance, God deals with nations as He does with individuals. Where He sees real repentance in departing from evil, He also repents of the evil,* that is, of His threatened judgment upon the evil, and punishment being no longer necessary, He does not carry it out.

[* God is not a man, that He should repent as to His eternal and unchangeable counsels and unconditional promises, which "are without repentance." But in His grace He may repent of, i.e., not carry out, a threatened judgment, as in the case of Nineveh. We must remember, that the Spirit of God condescends to express Himself after the human way of speaking, on account of our infirmities.]

Perhaps we should make a remark on what Jonah says of God: "Thou … repentest Thee of the evil." We have already pointed out that repentance in man means to "think again," or a change of thought or a change of mind. In another place in Scripture (1 Samuel 15:29), we read: "The Hope of Israel will not lie nor repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent." What then does Jonah mean when he says "Thou … repentest Thee of the evil"? It does not mean a change of mind on God's part, but a change of action caused by a change of mind on man's part. God sends warnings to man, in order that man may change his mind, may repent, so that God may change His action from judgment to mercy. God has not changed His mind. God's mind has ever been toward mercy: "Thou art a gracious God, and merciful;" but man's sin must bring down the righteous judgment of God, even though He is slow to anger. There is only one way of escape, and that is by repentance on the part of sinful man. With this object in view God sends warnings to individuals and to nations. If they hear and repent, then God may act according to the desires of His heart, and show mercy. If man will not repent, there is no other way, and judgment must fall.

The chapter concludes with the action of God consequent upon Nineveh's repentance — "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." We see again what is in the heart of God towards men — that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; and hence, that if He proclaim judgment it is with the object of turning them from their evil way. The people of Nineveh did not know what He would do. They only said, "Who can tell if God will turn and repent?" And God responded to this feeble faith, as He ever does, and spared them from destruction. It is but a human mode of speech, it need scarcely be added, when it says that He repented. His aim was to produce repentance on the part of Nineveh; and this having been done, He could, consistently with His ways in government, show His compassion and forgiveness. What abundant encouragement for the sinner is found in this record.

The message was clear: there was still time for Judah to repent. If so, God would ‘repent’. Otherwise, He would need to chasten and discipline them. God ‘is not a man … that he should repent’ (Num. 23:19) but He does repent when man changes, especially when man repents.

The word is similar in both cases, but bears the meanings given to it, and the context decides that which is most applicable. In the one case it is Jehovah in government, whose thought of cutting off part of the nation, and making of Moses (the faithful remnant) a great nation (Ex. 32:10), is turned aside at the intercession of Moses. In the other it is God in purpose, which is unchangeable. Back

(3) The divine word announces to the prophet the failure of Saul once more. "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my words." God speaks as man that we may understand Him. He would rather have His wisdom called in question than His holiness. His repentance is one of act, founded on His reprobation of sin. The news "kindles" the fervent spirit of the prophet, and he cries to God all night.

Samuel returned to Ramah, and did not come to see Saul again, though Saul saw Samuel once more (ch.19:21-24). The last phrase, "the Lord repented Him that He had made Saul king over Israel," does not infer that God had made a mistake in doing so, but rather His regret because of Saul's proving himself unfit for this position. A similar expression is in Genesis 6:6: "it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth." Certainly there was nothing morally wrong with what God had done, but His regret was because He felt deeply the sorrow of the consequences in both cases. Thank God that He has wisdom, power and grace to bring in afterwards what will far transcend the tragic failure of man and provide infinitely greater blessing in exchange!

God changes His mind, but only as to creation (v. 6) or the like - never when there is a purpose. It is, if the thing totally changes, that God judges differently about it. So it was now, and therefore God would destroy man. It is not as if some change took place in God, but the aspect of His mind is changed towards an object that has itself changed,

350 Verse 11 is the effect of their repentance (v. 10). All the outward things in which repentance shewed itself prove its reality. In verse 8, "repent" is another word in Greek meaning "regret"; so in verse 10 it is, "worketh repentance to salvation not to be regretted." It is not connected with a judgment of the evil, and is sometimes used for remorse. When he says, "Repentance not to be repented of," you get a very different idea from the expression "Repentance not to be regretted." The gifts and calling of God are without change of mind. In the passage "It repented God that he had made man upon the earth," it is not the change of mind in God, but when the thing changes, God does not like it; not because God changes, but because He Himself does not change. The Greek for repentance in chapter 7:9 is used for change of mind; you would not find that with Judas; it is remorse there, regret.