Genesis 6:5-6 - God "regrets" us?

[Boomer_Sooner]

Hey All,

In reference to Genesis 6:5-6, which reads:

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.

6 The LORD was sorry [other translations: “regretted”] that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Here is a question I’ve recently been asked:

In the story of Noah, there is a point where God regrets creating man because man became very sinful. So why would an omniscient God would regret something he knew was going to happen anyway.

Off the top of my head, I immediately think about our free will…

That God did not create programmed robots, but rather, free thinkers with the ability to choose right/wrong, the ability to choose God or choose to turn from Him, etc. That sin is ultimately a consequence of our actions that God doesn’t like, something God probably “regrets”, but that he ‘allows’ it to happen in order to grant us free will. But that doesn’t really answer the question very well.

Thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

 

[NotWorthy]

I think the problem originates in the Hebrew language. The language was limited in scope and didn’t have some of the more defined terms that the Greeks had developed.

Hence, to describe that God loved Jacob, but loved Esau less, became “And God loved Jacob and hated Esau”.

Also, you couldn’t describe that something is “more-so” than another. You could repeat an adverb (i.e. holy) to show that some is very something (i.e. very holy). And if you repeated the adverb a third time, it meant that something is the most it can be (i.e. the holiest).

For example, to describe that God is the Holiest being on Earth, the angels in Isaiah sang, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God almighty”.

This works all and good among Hebrews, but as soon as you translate the text into something more specific, like Greek or English, you start getting things like this happening.

In today’s world, think of it like having a printed picture with 200x200dpi resolution. If you run it through a copier that has a finer resolution, you’re still never going to get a better crispness than 200x200dpi. And as you make a copy of a copy of a copy, you will only further lose the original crispness of the picture.

 

[Donna_P]

Hey All,

In reference to Genesis 6:5-6, which reads:

Here is a question I’ve recently been asked:

Off the top of my head, I immediately think about our free will…

That God did not create programmed robots, but rather, free thinkers with the ability to choose right/wrong, the ability to choose God or choose to turn from Him, etc. That sin is ultimately a consequence of our actions that God doesn’t like, something God probably “regrets”, but that he ‘allows’ it to happen in order to grant us free will. But that doesn’t really answer the question very well.

Thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

Dear Boomer Sooner (great name!)

May God be with you.

If you are a parent or think from a parent’s perspective, you might understand a little bit better. God loves us - He always will. But just as you have a child which may cause you heartache so much so that you wish that he wasn’t there. So God must feel the same for us.

For example, I have a nephew who has done drugs, stolen, molested a girl, run away countless times, been in jail countless times all by the age of 21. He is 21 now and in a special program. He also has fetal alcohol syndrome. So there is a double whammy of wanting the child you thought you adopted and dealing with a delinquent. My brother and sister-in-law have gone through the emotions of not wanting him and yet still loving him.

That is what I think God must feel about us all the time.

God bless you.

 

[Verbum]

Hi Boomer,

Any passage of the Bible that attributes human feelings to God must be taken as analogy, that is expressing a divine reality in human terms. God does not get “angry”; he has no “regrets” or any of those human emotions. God is one, eternal and unchangeable. It was decreed from all eternity that should men behave in such and such a way, there would be these and these consequences.

It is very difficult for us to grasp this, but we must remember that God is infinite and we are very, very finite. Trying to put all the oceans into a teacup does not even begin to come close as a comparison.

Verbum

 

[Gill79]

This really does ask for in depth stuff! but since i think bible to take literlly in all possible just as you read it.

often bible do appear to be condratly to each other.

wisdom( knowleadge of good and evil)
like a sentence go, " wisdom from beginning and had no beginnig" in one full stop verse, but that real contrity to us, of course for us it would be but but see it from God and understand what wisdom is and do. wisdom of God his knowledge in him so hence no beginning. but had beginning as verse said the knowledge in creaton so in the beginning of wisdom whose source she had no beginning in God. our wisdoms had it beginnings merly a knowleadge to life created by God but it source from God who forever.

same as all knowing God. Father body. Jesus body take it literually as it is but dont forgot God got more abilty and living way high up. like we see moon from thousands miles apart no doubt God bodily can see better as he higher above. not counting on angels his messagers to contially constantly their every day work reporting back froth etc. now apart from these, all knowing is where Holy Spirit come in. as he not body in literally sense but take shape and like wind. so God everywhere

God all knowing as fact alway are one step ahead them us. in action of good and evil just the no matter what people choose the end result will go accroding to God`s plan ever people got free will. cos as evil go, naturelly will fail itself one way or other. i think u should take it literally as God regret. yes he do get angry (read rightous) all feelings just as man do. just as we in image of God (in some cases corcening free will, it seem some people as Paul and Jerminah few are chosen appointed long before birth but it not as widespread as people would understandable aumtomically assume. some questions that simple doesnt occur to christians with all knowing and not agree calvin yet find them in agreement with calvin belivers when trying to think stuck on understanding not view of humanpoinrt but Godpoint.
freewill
elect chosen
predestion
Jesus is chosen and a elect yet he God from forever.
Jesus had beginning yet he had no beginng.
jesus is begotten of God yet he was not begotten etc

this really does need more evdenices. I know this alone not enough. ask if u like I see if i can help with bible and it verses.