Introduction: The Missing Message
In spite of the fact that both the Old and the New Testaments make it very plain that repentance is an indispensable part of salvation, there are two very disturbing trends in the modern church.
Either repentance is largely being ignored, with belief alone being touted as the basis of salvation or the meaning of repentance has either been so watered down or inaccurately explained that it no longer bears any resemblance to Biblical repentance.
Which, of course, leads to the crucial question of how the Bible defines repentance...
Repentance in The Old Testament
Israel The Chosen Nation?
How often does one hear Israel called 'The chosen nation' which title makes it seem that God showed extreme partiality when he singled them out from among all the nations of the earth. However, this is not exactly true.
It is true that the Old Testament was chiefly concerned with Israel. However not because they were preferred above all other nations in the world. but because they were the descendants of one particular man - Abraham. God made a covenant with a single man chosen to be the father of a new nation that was to have special significance. Abraham was told,
- And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." (Genesis 12:2-3 NASB)
However, I digress.
Not only was the Messiah to be born of Abraham's descendants, but they alone had the privilege of being the keepers of His law with the responsibility to preserve it for posterity. One has to believe that they meant well when they vowed to keep His law, but the fact is that they failed to do so over and over again. Therefore, it is little wonder that the calls to repentance in the Old Testament were a call to return to God and keep His commandments.
Shûb: The Hebrew word shûb occurs almost 1300 times in the Old Testament. As the following examples demonstrate, it literally means to return or turn back
- By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return (Heb. shûb) to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return (Heb. shûb)." (Genesis 3:19 NASB)
until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He gives you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return (Heb. shûb) to your own land, and possess that which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise." (Joshua 1:15 NASB)
Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, I pray You, let this child's life return (Heb. shûb) to him." (1 Kings 17:21 NASB)
- Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return (Heb. shûb) to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7 NASB)
If you will return (Heb. shûb) , O Israel," declares the Lord, "Then you should return (Heb. shûb) to Me. And if you will put away your detested things from My presence, And will not waver, (Jeremiah 4:1 NASB)
Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Repent (Heb. shûb) and turn (Heb. shûb) away from your idols and turn (Heb. shûb) your faces away from all your abominations. (Ezekiel 14:6 NASB)
Yet even now," declares the Lord, "Return (Heb. shûb) to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; (Joel 2:12 NASB)
From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return (Heb. shûb) to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of hosts... (Malachi 3:7 NASB)
- If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. (Psalms 7:12 NASB)
"I will winnow them with a winnowing fork At the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy My people; They did not repent of their ways." (Jeremiah 15:7 NASB)
Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord God. "Therefore, repent and live." (Ezekiel 18:31-32 NASB)
'Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.' "And you will say to them, 'Thus says the Lord, "If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth."'" (Jeremiah 26:3-6 NASB)
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