Genesis 6:7
Genesis 6:5-8 (see also Jeremiah 32:35)
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
However, this passage does not work well with Calvinism at all, considering how Hard Determinism teaches that God immutably decrees whatsoever that comes to pass:
John Calvin writes: “We also note that we should consider the creation of the world so that we may realize that everything is subject to God and ruled by his will and that when the world has done what it may, nothing happens other than what God decrees.” (Acts: Calvin, The Crossway Classic Commentaries, p.66, emphasis mine)
Calvin writes: “First, the eternal predestination of God, by which before the fall of Adam He decreed what should take place concerning the whole human race and every individual, was fixed and determined.” (Concerning the Eternal Predestination of God, p.121, emphasis mine)
Calvinist, William MacDonald, comments: “The Lord’s sorrow does not indicate an arbitrary change of mind, though it seems that way to man. Rather, it indicates a different attitude on God’s part in response to some change in man’s behavior. Because He is holy, He must react against sin.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p.40, emphasis mine)
Question: So did God experience regret in creating man?
Answer: “Why did I ever marry this person?” Marital fights can become so heated that one or more sides, ends up regretting that they had ever gotten married. But this is a temporary feeling. Most people who get married, naively expect to be the one couple that never has a fight, and guess what happens? Nevertheless, knowing in advance that difficulties could lie ahead, does not stop them from getting married. Why? Because the benefits outweigh the pitfalls, and the pitfalls, hopefully, are temporary. So did God experience the temporary feeling of regret over creating man? Knowing ahead of time, what was coming, God created man anyway. Why?, for the same reason.
Question: Would it make sense for God to have decreed the very event which had brought Him remorse? Can you imagine a married couple, plotting their own fights? Does that make sense?
Question: If God did not experience genuine regret, then was He merely play-acting?
Answer: Theistic Fatalism of Calvinism is often found at odds with Scripture.
Fallen angels slept with human women (Genesis 6:2), producing a race of giants known as “Nephilim.” (Genesis 6:4) The extent of man’s corruption had broken God’s heart, so He decided to flood the earth. God’s patience was also tested by Israel, when God was ready to annihilate them, and start over with Moses. (Deuteronomy 9:14) God put it to Moses, to make him the new Abraham (of sorts), but Moses interceded, so God spared them. (Deuteronomy 9:20-29) Today, Jesus is our Mediator. (1st Timothy 2:6)
