Q21. Relenting

[Pastor Ralph]

Q21. (1 Kings 21:27-29) How does Ahab’s humbling himself affect God’s response? Do you think Ahab truly repented? How does God relenting in his judgment trouble some people’s view of predestination?

[Siphoñ]

Q21(Kings 21:27-29)How does Ahabs humbling himself affects Gods response?Do you think Ahab truly repented?How does God  repenting in his judgement  trouble some people view of predestination?

Humbling of Ahabs to God changed the mind of God and forgive him his sins.

Yes, because if he was not truly repented I don't think God will forgive him.

God  forgives those who come to Him and humble themselves because God can see inside the inner man.

[Katy]

Q21.God is pleased when Ahab changes his prideful ways and instead goes about dressed in sackcloth and adopts an attitude of humility. God decided to put off Ahab’s punishment, it did not happen in his lifetime but in the next generation’s lifetime.

Unfortunately Ahab repentance was superficial and did not last as is seen with his encounter with the prophet Micaiah, Ahab was only interested in hearing what he wanted to hear and not what God wanted to say to him.

When God hears sinners prayers and repentance He can change His mind about punishment and death. To some God should not change His mind because it does not fit in with predestination. We must be open minded and accept that there are things about God that we don’t understand and won’t understand until they are explained in the New Heaven. 

[hanks]

Q21. (1 Kings 21:27-29) 
How does Ahab's humbling himself affect God's response? Do you think Ahab truly repented? How does God relent in His judgment trouble some people's view of predestination? 
In response to Ahab humbling himself God shows him some mercy, and the judgments on his family would not take place until after his death. Our God is a God of grace and mercy: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live” (Eze 33:11). We note God’s readiness to have compassion on the wicked and to withhold immediate destruction, even when their repentance is shallow and short-lived. Giving them the chance to repent in faith. No, Ahab did not truly repent, so the destruction would come on Ahab’s dynasty later. Jezebel showed no sign of remorse whatsoever and she suffered all that God promised without mercy. I’m so glad that God is absolutely sovereign and that He ordains all events and circumstances for the good of His people and the glory of His name. That my life is in His hands, and not my own. That He predestined me before creation; if not, I would only make a mess of it. From Scripture we know that God is gracious and compassionate, and does relent from sending calamity. “Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing - grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God” (Joel 2:13-14). At other times He states He “will not relent” (Amos 1:3-13). 
 

[Krissi]

Ahab is a type of leader who scares me. He knows ...  he really knows God, but still can't bring himself to follow Him. He brings on his own destruction through his weak character in spite of having strong leadership abilities in other areas. God's condemnation of Ahab comes after he stole the vineyard for which he lusted and then indirectly killed it's owner -- Ahab's was a heinous sin.

I'm mentally comparing Ahab and David, right now, because both murdered indirectly because of ****. David was forgiven. Ahab was condemned. Why? I think Ahab was sincerely humble after hearing God's condemnation which is why God relented, at least in part, but don't think Ahab had the character or fortitude to truly change his ways as did David. It takes more than repentance -- God wants both repentance and a turning of the heart or a determined changing of character. David had both. Ahab had only the first.

Regarding predestination, I, too, am a firm believer that all things are determined in advance, according to His plan and purposes. And, yes, I have a difficult time merging human free will and responsibility with God's foreknowledge and power. This is one of those theological issues that I cannot get my mind around, so let it go. Just give up. If God wants me to understand this, He'll illumine my mind. For now, it's a mystery.

 

[lighthouse2014]

God through his mercy has compassion on Ahab after seeing that he humbled himself before the Lord. The destruction of his heirs would not come during Ahab's life time, only after his death all family generations would come to an end and there will be no one from this family line to rein over Israel. 

It appears Ahab was genuinely repentant, as time passed he was back to his old ways of life and belief.

God's relenting of his judgement to man or nations maybe be diverted by prayer and fasting. God shows his mercy and love to those who humble themselves and are truly repentant of their evil ways.  

It is man's predestination to be with the Lord, however, it is up to the individual to decide whether to chose life and follow the Lord or to chose eternal damnation from the Lord.   

    

[Christopher Olamiji Taiwo]

Q21. (1 Kings 21:27-29) How does Ahab's humbling himself affect God's response? Do you think Ahab truly repented? How does God relenting in his judgment trouble some people's view of predestination?
Ahab humble himself by tore his clothes and walk in meekness affect God's response.

Yes Ahab truly repented.

God relented in His judgment trouble some people view of predestination by changing His mind towards Ahab and shift the punishment over to his children. 

[Irmela]

Q21. (1 Kings 21:27-29)

How does Ahab's humbling himself affect God's response?

Do you think Ahab truly repented?

How does God relenting in his judgment trouble some people's view of predestination?

What God promised would happen only happened after Ahab's death.   I think God saw his heart and truly is able to read character better than we can. He saw that Ahab repented, who am I to then say he didn't repent. Yes, I do believe that he was genuine in his repentance.

If we fully understood everything about predestination, and about prayer moving the hand of God etc., then we would truly be in a position where we could say that we understand God, but this is not so, because God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts.

People try to put God in a box. He nor His actions belong nor fit into it.  By trying to do that people have trouble with predestination.

Allow God to be God and act as He sees fit for He indeed is God  and His ways higher than my ways and his thoughts  higher than my thoughts. 

[Jonathan Edwards]

 

God heeded to the sincere confession of King Ahab.   God heard the cry of repentence.   King Ahab's repentence was not profound nor enduring.

The sentence of doom was deferred for King Ahab.   Tragic that his wife didn't repent.   We see the mercy of God illustrated during the aftermath of Nabith's murder. If Ahab's repentence was lasting, the sentence would have been reversed.  Ahab subsequently sinned eventually and do did his sons.  We cannot have careless presumption upon final perseverance dogma; we have to work out our salvation in trembling and fear.  Though we have been foreordained and predestinatinated, we cannot have superficiality in our spiritual lives.

Postponement of judgment was to give King Ahab time to make a more genuine confession.   We don't read that he gave up his idols, restore Naboth's property nor forsake his self confidence.   His character was still tarnished; there was no change of heart nor life.

[blezed]

How does Ahab’s humbling himself affect God’s response?

Ahab's humbling himself cause God to change his mind.  God decided that he would not bring this disaster in his day, but he would bring it on his house in the days of his son.

Do you think Ahab truly repented?

No, Ahab did not truly repent.  For the moment he was serious but it was only temporally.

How does God relenting in his judgment trouble some people’s view of predestination?

It can be difficult to view predestination if God chooses to change his mind about judgement.  I look at it as, if God does changes his mind, that that was predestined too!

[JOLLAM BANDA]

Ahab humbled himself by tearing his clothes, putting on sackcloth, and fasting. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. This shows that he truly repented and this was noticed by God himself who knows everything including our hearts. Our God Jehovah is a sovereign Lord and does whatever he wants and therefore people need not be troubled with predestination.

[Kym Nixon]

God forgave him, delayed His judgment against Ahab, and changed His mind. No, he was just sorry he got caught and threatened. Some people think God had made a decision - this one will go to hell and this one heaven. I think God just knows, doesn't cause.

[Old Jerry]

Ahab humbling himself effected God’s response by not letting the things that He told him about to happen but at a later time. Only God know if he truly repented but to me it doesn’t look like it. I think that God relenting in his judgment does trouble some people’s view of predestination because they think that everything will happen at the time that they think it will.