Day 63: Deuteronomy 11-12

We already know that "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) And yet, Genesis 6:6 tells us that "it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him in His heart." In the context of His omniscience and love, He always elects to do what is best and never reverses Himself or changes His mind. But He is also a Person, with mind, will and emotion. Does He not experience the feeling we would call regret, even though He would not change His mind or actions? Likewise, from these two chapters, am I right in seeing both delight and regret in His relationship with Israel? I see His delight in extolling the virtues of the land they're about to inhabit, almost like a father, proud to give his child a gift he has carefully selected and prepared. "A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." (Deuteronomy 11:12) Is it not also right to read into passages like 12:2 and 12:30-31 that feeling of regret? His foreknowledge means that as He gives these explicit commands, He knows the exact path they will take to violate them. He sees the kingdoms of Ahab and Manasseh. Yet at this time, according to Jeremiah 2, He is experiencing "the kindness of their youth," the "love of their espousals." Israel is "holiness unto the Lord and the first fruits of His increase." (Jeremiah 2:3)

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