I have turned to the Lord and His word several times in my life when the Lord has revealed to me step “D” and when I take steps “A” and then “B” the revelation changes to go a different route and what I thought was the final destination, “D” never materializes. I have thought that maybe I did something wrong or was unworthy. Yes, that is always true, I am a sinner, but He knew who I was and who I’d be while pursuing the path towards “D”. Did someone else’s agency affect what God was going to have me do? Then I’d ask, “well, if God is omniscient, which He is, then He knows the end from the beginning and someone else’s agency wouldn’t affect a revelation He had given me. But, several times I know He has prompted me to move forward towards “D” only to redirect my path. So, what happened? I have noticed that feeling or knowing “D” helped me take the necessary steps that would help me get somewhere else He wanted me to go or to learn certain lessons to mold me into more and more of His character. “D” moved me from my perch and then once I had moved He could redirect me. The laws of physics would indicate that it’s easier to redirect a moving object than a stationary one. Did the Lord change His mind or did I just not understand the total mind of God when I received the revelation? The answer is clear. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Even though His thoughts and ways are higher than mine, He still speaks according to my language. Nephi said this, “For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding“ (2 Nephi 31:3).
So, this appears to be one answer to the question, “Does God change His mind?” So, the next question is, does my answer above fully work for all the times in our lives the revelation from God seems to change? Experience and scripture have taught me that there is further light and knowledge on this subject that merits more pondering and pleadings to God. Some answers have come.
I think there are some very clear scriptures that give some very interesting insights as to why God might change the course of action from a previous decree from Him. Where it appears He says one thing and then does another. Look at what God decreed to Moses concerning the children of Israel He had freed from bondage in Egypt.
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people” (Exodus 32:7-14).
Here God was wrath with the people and wanted to consume them (v. 10) but Moses interceded for his people and reminded God of the covenant He had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After hearing His servant, Moses, it reads, “the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people” (Exodus 32:14). In the New Testament we learn that the Greek word for repentance is a change of heart or mind...a new perspective. In this experience with Moses and the children of Israel, God changed the manner in which He was going to deal with them. He would extend a grace period to them in which they’d have more time to repent and turn unto Him before deciding to destroy them. The Joseph Smith Transation says this, “And the Lord said unto Moses, If they will repent of the evil which they have done, I will spare them, and turn away my fierce wrath; but, behold, thou shalt execute judgment upon all that will not repent of this evil this day. Therefore, see thou do this thing that I have commanded thee, or I will execute all that which I had thought to do unto my people” (JST Exodus 32:14). It’s clear that He will spare them if they repent. The Lord would change His word that He was going to “consume them.”
Over and over in scripture the phrase is used that the Lord repented of the evil that He had decreed. The Lord’s character, perfection and attributes don’t change, but what He does changes according to our faith and repentance. Samuel the Lamanite declared what would happen to the people if they didn’t repent. They didn’t repent and many were destroyed. Abinadi told the people if they didn’t repent than they’d be placed in bondage. He is commanded to go back and this time he says if they don’t repent then they’ll be destroyed. The second time Alma repents and so do several others. Limhi’s people eventually repent too. Later, Limhi’s people and Alma’s people are both put in bondage because neither they nor those that followed them repented the first time Abinadi delivered his message from the Lord. Both groups repented after Abinadi’s second message and both were preserved and freed from the bondage justice demanded. But neither group was destroyed because they repented. Some valuable lessons in these principles.
We need to be careful not to put God in a box. He prompts the fathers of the stripling warriors to bury their weapons of war and then the stripling warriors are miraculously preserved as they take up their weapons of war. He commands us not to kill and then He tells Nephi to kill Laban. Instead of being frustrated with the laws of God, we must learn the laws of God, live them with exactness that we might receive the Holy Ghost. As we become more and more familiar with His voice of revelation, we will be ready to follow every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.
President Nelson has encouraged us to come to live by revelation. I believe it is because He knows the way is getting more treacherous and we will not know what to do unless we know how to communicate with Father. He said this, “In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity” (The Price of Priesthood Power, President Russel M. Nelson, April 2016 General Conference).
He said this in our last general conference. I thought it was incredibly significant that there were several talks about following the prophet and then what did the Lord’s prophet tell us to do...receive personal revelation from the source of light and truth.
He said, “Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”
Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!” (Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, President Russel M. Nelson, April 2018).
Some would fear that they might get the wrong answer and kill Laban and break a commandment of God when they simply misunderstood the revelation. How do we know we are following revelation from the correct source? President Nelson answered this too, “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work” (Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, President Russel M. Nelson, April 2018).
As we diligently seek Him, we become familiar with light. Alma taught this, “...whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good...” (Alma 32:35).
The Lord also shared these pearls, “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.
69 Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:67-69).
As we seek the Light of the world, we will learn to love light and seek it more and more where we can discern revelations that come from God. Live by faith in Him and all things will work for thy good. I testify that when we go forward with our faith in Him, He opens the way and delivers us. I have seen it in my own life, even though I am imperfect. His grace is real. If we give our hearts to Him, He will honor us. It is vital that we seek to know Him. He will teach us of His ways and lead us to perfect peace, His Son.
