Relent נחם

We are in chapter thirty-two of Exodus with our word for today. נחם regret, be sorry, console oneself, comfort. It is used 108 times in the Old Testament, twice in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense to be caused to feel sorrow. What is interesting about this is the course of action that is taken after feeling sorrowful. God acts both in judgment and compassion because of our word. Genesis 6:6-7 And the Lord וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for נִחַ֖מְתִּי I am sorry that I have made them.” Judges 2:18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord יִנָּחֵ֤ם was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. Our word is used in the sense to cease a particular activity, often with the implication that the relenting is a gracious act. Joel 2:13-14 Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and וְנִחָ֖ם he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn וְנִחָ֑ם and relent, and leave a blessing behind him. Jonah 3:9-10 Who knows? God may turn וְנִחַ֖ם and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. This is how our word is used twice in our chapter today. Exodus 32:12-14 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” And the Lord וַיִּנָּ֖חֶם relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. Notice the shift from burning anger to relenting which also has the meaning of being consoling or comforting oneself, being sorry. This has a lot to do with compassion. God hears Moses prayer who specifically asked God to stop his action and go from burning anger toward comforting himself or we would say calming oneself down. What does Moses say that calmed God down? He reminded him of his promises. This is a great thing for us to remember when we are praying, especially when we pray for others and their relationship with God as we see Moses doing here. Praying God’s word and reminding ourselves and God of his love for us and appealing to his mercy is seen throughout the Bible. Nehemiah is a great example. Nehemiah 1:4-9 I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments ... hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray ... confessing the sins of the people of Israel ...  Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them ... I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ I’ll close with this great passage in Psalms that sums up our word well. Psalm 106:44-45 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, וַ֝יִּנָּחֵ֗ם and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.