Page 18 - Pentateuch

The interaction of God with his creation is vivid in both judgment and salvation. God does not create these
humans made in his image. When they turn from him and discount his goodness, his reaction is not distant
or unemotional. Instead, we see a God actively and personally involved in the ongoing affairs of mankind.

During the days before the flood, “the LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth (Gen.
6:6). How can this be? Didn’t God know what was going to happen? Was he in some way surprised by the
turn of events? Was his creation not good enough, lacking in some essential way, and having a flawed
design?

The word “regretted” describes God’s emotional interaction with his creation. The root meaning of the
Hebrew word may be “to breathe pantingly,” bringing to mind the sight of a horse taking great gulps of
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air. We understand such emotions. We have experienced them ourselves. While we understand that God
does not have lungs, the imagery helps bridge the gap between our experience and God’s. When someone
we love is threatened, we get worked up. Our heart rate goes faster, as does our breathing. So too with
God. He cares deeply about his creation. Already in Genesis, His love for humans involves the possibility of
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divine suffering.

Later in the history of Israel, the prophet Jonah is sent to the pagan city of Nineveh to warn them of God’s
wrath. When they eventually hear the message, they speculate about God’s character. “Who knows? God
may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish” (Jonah 3:9). God
has warned them. Why would he do so? Is mercy part of his nature? Does he “breathe heavily” over the
destruction he would cause?

As the history of Nineveh moves on, God does relent in response to their obvious sorrow (Jonah 3:10).
Jonah does not like this. It seems wrong to him to forgive an entire pagan city. He had been conditioned
through God’s written word to expect God to act in specific ways. He expected God to be “a gracious and
compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah
4:2, cf. Exod. 34:6, 7). But now, seeing God in action forgiving an enemy capital city, Jonah is angry.

The interaction between God and Jonah and Nineveh comes centuries after the flood reference to regret.
We use it here simply as an illustration. Noah is learning about his God, one who is actively involved and
responsive to the decisions of his creatures. Noah learns something about God’s pain over the sinfulness of
mankind. Perhaps he is also learning something about belief in him. The same is true for Noah. He, too, is
learning about God’s grace to a sinful world.

Already, we are invited to think of God as a trinity. The relational words “Father” and “Son” have not yet
been used, but we clearly understand God as someone who is Spirit and who walks about on this earth.
Theologians call this a “theophany” or Christophany.” God takes on a temporary form to communicate
more clearly to humans. He is intervening in the sinful patterns of this world to teach about his way of
salvation. See, for example, the history in Genesis 18. God again appears
(v. 1). His feet are washed (v. 4), and he eats (v. 8). He cannot be fooled
by a hidden laugh (vv. 13-15). He strolls along with Abraham in
conversation (v. 16) and stands for more conversation (v. 23). When
finished, he leaves (v. 33). The entire picture is quite normal, two
humans sharing a day. Perhaps this is why later scriptures refer to
Abraham as God’s friend (Isa. 41:8). Abraham does not find the

20 Wilhelm Gesenius, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, tr. E. Robinson (Oxford: Clarendon, 1975), p.
636.
21 Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1970), p. 266.
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