The Calvinism Debate - Way of Life Literature

epent or change His mind in relation to man’s actions inmany ways, and that is the mystery of prayer.What about 1 Sam. 15:29, which says, “And also theStrength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man,that he should repent”? is statement was made by Samuelaer God had rejected Saul and chosen David as the newking. Saul was pleading with Samuel to change his mindabout that decision, and Samuel replied that God’s decisionsin such matters are unchangeable.ere are times in which God’s mind can be changed andthere are times when it cannot. At one point, God told two ofthe prophets not to pray for Israel (Jer. 7:16; Ezek. 14:4), butthat was aer Israel had gone too far in rebellion and Godhad determined to judge them. Aer other times, prayer,such as that of Moses in Exodus 32, drove back God’s wrathand gave Israel more time.Neither Num. 23:19 nor 1 Sam. 15:29 change the fact thatGod repented of His plan to destroy Israel in Exodus 32 inresponse to Moses’ earnest intercession.e fact is that man is an amazing creation. He is made inGod’s image, and he is not a robot or a puppet. God is stillGod, but God has ordained that man has a will and can sayyes or no to Him. Men can even change God’s mind throughearnest entreaties! at is the wondrous power of prayer.Consider another prayer scene in Scripture. In Isaiah 38 weread that King Hezekiah was sick unto death and God toldthe prophet Isaiah to go to him and say, “Set thine house inorder: for thou shalt die, and not live” (Isa. 38:1). Hezekiahturned his face to the wall and wept and “prayed unto theLord.” e Bible says that aer this, God sent Isaiah back tothe king to say, “us said the Lord, the God of David thyfather, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, Iwill add unto thy days fieen years” (Isa. 38:5).In response to earnest prayer God gave him 15 more yearsof life on earth. Prayer changes things!41