popsthebuilder
New member
You answered your own question with Jonah 4:2.Wait, let's back up a step there. Since we are confirming agreement and disagreement, where is it written that God's will cannot be influenced by man?
1) If this were true, prayer would be unnecessary, and pointless.
2) This would contradict Christ's own words of how he admonishes us to pray. "Ask, and it shall be given" and his parable of the unjust judge.
3) How would such an interpretation possibly fit with how Jesus responded to the woman of Canaan in Matthew 15:28? He denied her multiple times, except when she persisted. He stated his will, she asked again, and again, and his will changed.
4) Explain why Israel was not wiped out when God said he would destroy them, but Moses spoke to God and asked him to stay his anger?
5) Explain why Nineveh was not destroyed. Forty days, and the city will be destroyed, they were told.
Jonah 4:2 KJV
(2) And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
Truth is that the actions of men do change God's will. It is written, with many examples.
And to be clear; I was speaking of the will of GOD as it pertains to man ultimately and finally. GOD is longsuffering and merciful so HIM exhibiting such isn't equal to man changing the will of GOD. I didn't say prayer was ineffectual or that man isn't free, but that man cannot affect change on the will of GOD. That doesn't mean GOD doesn't hear or answer prayer at all. Don't limit the capacities of GOD. We aren't t talking about three sided squares, we are talking about the will of GOD which would correlate with the nature of GOD. What makes you think that GOD answering prayer is man changing GOD's will? Seems to me that it has always been the will of GOD for man to pray, so GOD answering prayer is not GOD changing his mind or will. To assume such is to limit the intellect of of GOD, removing omniscience from IT'S nature.
Peace
There is a lot of teaching on this Forum that God is something other than holy. A holy God always keeps his promises and his words are like gold. We can rest, trust and believe in what he says and does.
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