Does God Ever Change His Mind?

Isaiah warned King Hezekiah that he would soon die and that he needed to get his affairs in order. He said, "Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live."

Sobering words, to be sure.

E.M. Bounds (in The Classic Collection on Prayer published by Bridge-Logos Foundation, Inc.) writes, "What can set aside or reverse that divine decree of Heaven? Hezekiah had never been in a condition so insurmountable, with a decree so direct and definite from God. Can prayer change the purposes of God? Can prayer snatch from the jaws of death one who has been decreed to die? Can prayer save a man from an incurable sickness? These were the questions that his faith now had to deal with. But his faith does not pause one moment. His faith is not staggered one minute at the sudden and definite news conveyed to him by the Lord's prophet. No such questions that modern unbelief or disbelief would raise are started in his mind. At once he gives himself to prayer. Immediately, without delay, he applies to God who issued the edict. To whom else could he go? Cannot God change His own purposes if He chooses?"

So, Hezekiah prayed, "I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight." Hezekiah then began to cry.

Bounds writes, "Hezekiah had hardly finished his prayer, and Isaiah was just about to go home when God gave him another message for Hezekiah, this time one more pleasant and encouraging. The mighty force of prayer had affected God, and had changed His edict and reversed Him in His purpose concening Hezekiah. What is there that prayer cannot do? What is there that a praying person cannot accomplish through prayer?"

As a result of Hezekiah's prayer, God healed him and gave him an additional fifteen years of life! There is great power in prayer. We know that prayer changes things, but did it change God's mind in this case? Our God knows the end from the beginning, so I doubt that He changed His mind, but He did use this situation as an opportunity to show His people the importance of prayer and faith.

Tennyson wrote, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."

Let us pray, pray, pray, pray. Let us believe, believe, believe, believe. Let us receive, receive, receive, receive.

Our God hears and answers prayer.