[HarleyD]

It seems to me that any appeal to foreknowledge or foreordination can be used to change God's simple expression of His concern by explaining it away.

I know that there are verses in scripture where it appears that God changed His mind about something. But then how do you reconcile other verses such as:

Num_23:19 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?

Mal_3:6 "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

I don't believe that God changes His mind. Rather I believe this is creative writing so we can understand Him. It's like God telling us He is a jealous God. Jealousy is a sin so, no, God is not really jealous. Rather it is a way for Him to communicate to us what He is like from our perspective. We know what jealousy is because we have experienced it. God knows what jealousy is because He is God. Therefore, He can communicate to us feelings, attitudes, etc. But I wouldn't subscribe attributes to Him based on this. God has a perfect plan and that plan is unchangeable. And, yes, even before the city of Nineveh repented God knew they would repent.

Mat 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

[xzins]

Do you think it was creative writing that caused God to have concern for Ninevah? Did He send Jonah to preach because of that concern or in an effort to support His creative writing? Did He express what was driving His decision about Ninevah just so we would know He really didn’t mean it?

I take His concern for those people to be real.

It, of course, aligns with “God so loved the world...”