Does God Change His Mind? | Wyatt Graham on Genesis 6:5–8

Genesis 6:6–7 says that God “regretted” making humanity. This seems to imply divine change, sorrow, or even error. But how can God regret anything if he is all-knowing, unchanging, and perfectly wise?

In this episode of What in the Word?, Kirk E. Miller is joined by Wyatt Graham to unpack the theological and interpretive challenges of Genesis 6:5–8. Together, they explore role of anthropopathism in Scripture and answer questions like, Does God experience emotion? Can he change his mind? And how should pastors faithfully teach such texts?

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Outline:

(00:00) Introduction and Theological Questions

(01:01) Guest Introduction: Dr. Wyatt Graham

(03:13) Discussing Genesis 6:5-8

(04:10) Theological Implications of God’s Regret

(06:56) Linguistic Connections in Genesis

(10:11) Salvation Through Judgment: The Flood

(10:49) Tools for Biblical Study

(19:58) Historical and Theological Perspectives on God’s Immutability

(25:42) Understanding Biblical Metaphors for God

(27:15) Jeremiah’s Insight on God’s Unchanging Nature

(29:48) Theological Perspectives on God’s Immutability

(32:39) Synthesizing Biblical Passages on God’s Nature

(34:39) Augustine’s Doctrine of Signs and Biblical Interpretation

(38:38) Practical Implications of God’s Immutability

(45:04) Preaching and Teaching on God’s Unchanging Nature

(55:15) Final Thoughts and Encouragement