Open Theists?

[Stripe]

I wouldn't call that "what God predicted did not come to pass," but "God changed his mind."

I can live with that.

It seems like a fairly pedantic distinction, however. The message preached was certain destruction in 40 days:
Jonah 3:4b - Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

So whatever term you want to use, prediction or prophecy or otherwise, God unreservedly said it would happen .. yet it did not.

[Fortigurn]

So whatever term you want to use, prediction or prophecy or otherwise, God unreservedly said it would happen .. yet it did not.

Well no, not quite.

Jonah 1:
1 The LORD said to Jonah son of Amittai,
2 “Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention.”

Jonah 2:
10 When God saw their actions - they turned from their evil way of living! - God relented concerning the judgment he had threatened them with and he did not destroy them.

[Tempo Gain]

It seems like a fairly pedantic distinction, however.

Not to me. To me, your example doesn't say anything about God's foreknowledge or lack of foreknowledge. God merely made a decision to perform an act in 40 days time, and then relented on that decision.

[Fortigurn]

Not to me. To me, your example doesn't say anything about God's foreknowledge or lack of foreknowledge. God merely made a decision to perform an act in 40 days time, and then relented on that decision.

Welcome to open theism.

[sandman]

Ahhh! Good old Fortigurn. Using a jackhammer and cold chisel to carve this poor schmuck a new arsehole, when an old bent teaspoon dug out of the garden would have been ample. Surely you should temper yourself by using a weapon of no more than equal strength to that of your opponent? Give the fellow a CHANCE, for heaven's sake! TALK about taking a gun to a knife fight! Still, its entertaining to see someone being so COMPLETELY owned!
That he appears so completely and blissfully unaware of how far out of his depth he is might be construed as some as somewhat embarrassing, but, still... makes for amusing reading.

[Stripe]

Not to me. To me, your example doesn't say anything about God's foreknowledge or lack of foreknowledge. God merely made a decision to perform an act in 40 days time, and then relented on that decision.

Without knowing what He would do?

[Tempo Gain]

Not to me. To me, your example doesn't say anything about God's foreknowledge or lack of foreknowledge. God merely made a decision to perform an act in 40 days time, and then relented on that decision.

Without knowing what He would do?

Yeah, but he's gotta say something for the punters.

[Stripe]

Yeah, but he's gotta say something for the punters.

Hmmm .. well I don't quite understand what you're distinction is or how it undermines what I've said. Let's try this - what was one of the examples you had of a prophecy that did come to pass?

[Tempo Gain]

Yeah, but he's gotta say something for the punters.

Hmmm .. well I don't quite understand what you're distinction is or how it undermines what I've said.

What I meant was, maybe God knew he wouldn't destroy it after 40 days, but said that so they would possibly (or definitely) change their ways. Or maybe he didn't. I don't think the example makes either possibility clear.

Let's try this - what was one of the examples you had of a prophecy that did come to pass?

With all due respect, I'm the wrong man to ask for biblical examples I have to look them up online

[Fortigurn]

Hmmm .. well I don't quite understand what you're distinction is or how it undermines what I've said.

What he's pointing out is that there's nothing in the text which shows 'God unreservedly said it would happen'. He told Jonah to go and warn the Ninevites of impending judgment. They repented. He didn't destroy them. That's it. There's no unreserved prediction of the future by God here whatsoever. At a stretch you could say Jonah overplayed his hand.