Hosea 2

 

Hosea 2

In this chapter God speaks of Israel as his wife, a wife who has committed adultery. The chapter is very neatly tied together. There is the main declaration in 1-5; followed by three therefore (6-8, 9-13, 14-24); the last therefore includes three in that day (16, 18, 21).

2:1 Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.
2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
2:3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
2:4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.
2:5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

This is the main declaration of the chapter: Israel has been an unfaithful wife, she has committed whoredoms and adulteries. This is obviously spiritual adultery, the real sin being idolatry. What led to Israel’s forsaking the LORD for idols? The belief that the old gods of the land were the ones who blessed the people with bread and water, wool and flax, oil and drink. It was a land of milk and honey before Israel moved in and they believed the lie that the gods of the Canaanites, the Baalim or Baals, were the reason.

2:6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
2:7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.
2:8 For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

Therefore – she does not know that I gave her the corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, so I will frustrate her and she will not find her lovers.

2:9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.
2:10 And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.
2:11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.
2:12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
2:13 And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgot me, saith the LORD.

Therefore – because she went after her lovers and forgot me, I will take away my corn and wine and wool and flax, and cause her mirth to cease.

2:14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
2:15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

Therefore – I will allure her, I will woo her, I will win her heart again. The chapter changes here. This is God's grace!

2:16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
2:17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

At that day / in that day – this is a key phrase in the prophets; a promise is made (I will allure her), and when I do that this is what will happen. Pay close attention to in that day, find the original statement, then follow the in that day statements. Here it is, When I allure her, she will call me ‘My husband’ and not, 'My lord.' Intimacy. I will remove the names of Baalim. "Thou shalt call me Ishi - That is, my man, or my husband; a title of love and affection; and not Baali, my master, a title exciting fear and apprehension." (Adam Clarke)

2:18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
2:20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, judgment, lovingkindness, mercy, faithfulness, and thou shalt know the LORD. Such grace!!

2:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
2:22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.
2:23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

This is beautiful! I like the way the Septuagint has v 23, “And I will sow her to me on the earth; and will have mercy on No Mercy, and will say to Not My People, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Lord, you are my God.”

O the love, mercy, and grace of God! It is this grace he extends to us. When we were lost in sin and rebellion, God sent Christ to die for us. When Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to search for us. When we believed in Christ our sins were forgiven and we were reconciled to God. If, after we were born again, we fell back into sin, when we returned to the Lord he forgave and restored us. Truly, “Grace that is greater than all our sin.”

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling for you and for me;
see, on the portals he's waiting and watching,
watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!
(Will L. Thompson , 1880)

Hosea 1

 

Hosea is the first book in The Scroll of the Twelve (the last twelve books of the Old Testament, Hosea to Malachi). He ministered at the same time as Isaiah, Amos, and Micah. He prophesied mainly to Israel, the ten northern tribes. Hosea is a great book! It begins with grace. It ends with grace. Ah, but in-between there is some stuff that might make folks today a tad uncomfortable - God’s anger and judgment; but even that is mixed with God’s grace and love.

I will not be doing a detailed verse-by-verse commentary – this is a blog, not a book!! My aim is to give the gist of the chapter, while focusing on key passages in each chapter.

Let’s jump in the deep end of the pool!

Hosea 1

1  The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

Hosea, the son of Beeri – Hosea (Heb. ho-shay'-ah) means salvation.

Hosea gives us some pretty exact dates for his ministry, and it appears to have been a long ministry. This Jeroboam is known as Jeroboam II. Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern tribes (Israel). They were not related.

2  The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

Second verse and we got questions! I get it, Hosea’s family is a living illustration of God and Israel. The question is: Allegory or actual? There are those who think he actually did this; on the other hand “Almost all the Hebrews [rabbis] agree in this opinion, that the prophet did not actually marry a wife, but that he was bidden to do this in a vision” (John Calvin). Still others understand it to be a parable. I don’t confess I don’t know. I will let you decide, meanwhile I will simply look at what he says. 

3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.
4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

He marries Gomer and they have a son. Jezreel is Yizre`el {yiz-reh-ale}, means to scatter, to sow; seems to be a play on the word Israel {yis-raw-ale}.

Avenge the blood of Jezreel - Jehu slaughtered many people in Jezreel.

Jehu was promised his seed would remain on the throne to the 4th generation. Jereboam was the 3rd generation, he reigned 41 years. When he died his son Zechariah reigned for 6 only months and was assassinated.

and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel – this is much of the message of Hosea. So, where’s the grace the book begins with? It’s coming.

6  And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

Call her name Lo-Ruhamah – that means, no mercy; “for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.”

7  But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

I will have mercy upon the house of Judah – He literally did. Assyria captured Israel, but Judah was spared by God’s intervention (2 Kings 19).

8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

Lo-Ammi – not my people, for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. This is serious, very bad. Israel is to be scattered, shown no mercy, and rejected by God. The Septuagint has a very crisp and clean translation, “And he said, Call his name Not My People, because you are not my people and I am not your.” It is interesting that neither the Hebrew nor the Greek has “God.”

This is a major part of Hosea’s message to Israel. “So, where is the grace? This is why I don’t read the Old Testament, it’s nothing but judgment and wrath.”

10  Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Here’s the grace! Israel will be increased in number and best of all, “it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”

Yes, God judged them. Severely. But severe as the judgment was, so much greater will be the grace!

11  Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

They were scattered and they will be gathered. Israel will be regathered, restored, and the Lord will reign over them. They will appoint themselves one head - that is Christ will be king!  Praise God!

But it gets better! The apostles Paul and Peter both used v 10 to refer to the salvation of the Gentiles and their inclusion in the people of God, the Church.

Paul: As he saith also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the sons of the living God. (Rom 9:25-26)

Peter:  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1Pet 2:10)

Oh the marvelous grace of God! He is promising restoration to Israel (all Israel shall be saved), and His grace is broad enough, deep enough, to include gathering us Gentiles into the fold, the family, the Church of Christ! And we are not traveling Economy. Oh no no no, it is First Class, baby! We are Fellow-heirs, Fellow-members of the body, and Fellow-partakers of the promises (Eph 3:6)! Wonderful Grace of Jesus!

Repentance in the Epistles

 

This will be a little different. Even though repent and repentance occur nine times in the epistles, I will only be considering one passage, 2 Corinthians 7:8-11, because here Paul offers a good explanation of repentance. I will simply go through it verse by verse.

8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. 

Obviously, there is a backstory. I believe the letter he is referring to is 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. There was a man, a believer, who was living in sin with his mother-in-law. And the Corinthians were proud of their “Christian love” toward him. Paul chastised them and told them to discipline him.

First, we see repent twice in this verse. In Repentance: A Definition, I said there was another word used sometimes, a synonym of sorts for the usual word for repent (metanoeō), that word is metamellomai. It also means a change of mind, but it is not as robust as repent (metanoeō). Metamellomai means to regret, be sorry about something you did or said. And it is this word that occurs both times in this verse. Throughout this section Paul is speaking of sorrow, regret, and true repentance.

He says, I wrote a letter that made you sorry. Right after I wrote it, I regretted sending it; but no longer, for I see that it worked.

9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 

“I rejoice, not that I made you sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.” Right away we see: regret is not repentance, being sorry is not repentance. Repentance is something more, something stronger.

sorry after a godly manner – after a godly manner is an interesting expression; literally it is according to God. I don’t really know how to express this in English except to say, this kind of sorrow leads to genuine repentance.

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of [regretted]: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 

Paul is juggling sorry, regret, and repentance. This according to God sorrow is the kind that leads me to repent, change my mind and thinking, which obviously means I admit I did wrong, I turn away from it, I stop it, I replace it with the right behavior. This repentance leads to salvation / forgiveness / restoration, which we will never regret.

On the other hand, the sorrow of the world, the sorrow according to the world, works death. Oh you’re sorry, you’re sad you did it or got caught, you may even become depressed, but you are left wallowing in your sorrow and grief, instead of repenting to salvation.

11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Wow, look how thorough this change was, this turning away from it!

We learn from Paul that sorrow, regret, and repentance are not the same. You can be sorry without regret or repentance. You can regret, yet not repent. Both regret and repent involve a change of mind, but there appears to be one more step that regret often fails to produce, namely replacing the wrong behavior with different, righteous behavior. 

We have biblical examples of people who sinned, regretted it, but did not repent: Cain, Esau, King Saul, Judas.

These are extreme cases that nevertheless show the difference between sorrow, regret, and repentance, which I think can be expressed this way: I am convicted that something I am doing or have done is sin. I am sorry about it and the conviction and sorrow lead me to change my mind about it and change my behavior. If I’m convicted of sin and I’m sorry about it (depressed, distressed), even regret it with all my heart, but do not turn from it to Christ (confessing my sin and forsaking it, calling upon him for mercy to forgive and the grace to change), that is not repentance, nor will it bring forgiveness, salvation, deliverance, and life.

 

Throughout this week I have shared that the most basic definition of repent is, change your mind. But, repentance is more than simply changing your mind, it is changing your mind for the better: a new way of thinking which results in a new way of living. This is a kingdom principle: it is how you begin the Christian life, it is how you continue living for Christ.

Repent in the Book of Acts

Essentially, to repent means to change your mind; but, as we are seeing, that change of mind is the engine that pulls a train. Repent rarely stands alone, there’s almost always an and that follows. Let’s take a look.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This is the conclusion of that Pentecostal sermon. Peter said they rejected and crucified Jesus, but that God raised him from the dead. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

What a bold sermon - You rejected and killed Christ!

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

“How can we correct this wrong we have done?” Repent – change your thinking about Jesus, acknowledge him to be Christ, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ - acknowledge and embrace Jesus as the Christ. The promise: remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Peter’s sermon here: The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses (13-15). Therefore,

Repent – change your mind about Jesus, confess you were wrong in denying him, and be converted – turn to Christ; believe, be baptized, follow him. And the promise: That your sins may be blotted out.

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Oh the apostles were so bold! Paul was preaching to Greeks who were wholly given over to idolatry: God now commands all men everywhere to repent of this idolatry – stop worshiping images and return to the one, true God. 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. I think it is safe to say the message was: Repent of idolatry, give it up and believe in Jesus, who was raised from the dead. The promise is resurrection from the dead, judgment, assurance of deliverance in that Great Day of Judgment.

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is Paul speaking to the Ephesians elders, reminding them of his message.

Repentance toward God – the Greeks (Gentiles) worshipped idols and many gods, so this means they had to change the way they thought about God – He is not one among many, He is the one and only God; He is not an immoral scoundrel, He is holy and righteous; He is not temperamental and unpredictable, He is faithful and true; He is not an image made with their own hands, He is the  living God.

and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ – repent and believe; this is the goal of repentance, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Paul has been boldly preaching Jesus to King Agrippa and that he was called to go to the Gentiles 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. This was his message: Repent and turn to God.

Repent – change your thinking about your idols, they are not God; turn away from them, give them up.

and turn to God - turn to the true God; turn from darkness to light, from Satan to God. How? By believing in Jesus, being baptized in his name, following him.

What was promised to this repentance?  …that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

 

Repent means to change what you think about God, about Jesus; confess your sins; and take the appropriate and required action - turn to God, believe in Jesus, be baptized in his name, do works meet for repentance.

NEXT: Repent in the Epistles

Repent in the Gospels

 

Essentially, to repent means to change your mind; but, as I will demonstrate, that change of mind is the engine that pulls a train. I discovered that repent rarely stands alone, there’s almost always an and that follows. Even when it is not spelled out, it is assumed. Repent and... Let’s look at this.

John the Baptizer

Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 

9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father.

Repent and be baptized; and confess your sins; and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. John’s message was, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand. I know you are waiting and longing for it, but you are not ready for it. You need to prepare yourselves.”

What did they repent of? Sins, which they confessed; attitude, We have Abraham to our father, they thought they were in because of their family ties. They had the proper hope, the kingdom is coming, but they had grown lazy and lax in their living and faith. “Change your mind. Confess your sins. Turn away from this careless living and bring forth good fruit.”

Jesus

Mark 1:14 Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Repent and believe the gospel. “I know you are waiting for the kingdom of God and you think it’s going to come some day. I’m telling you, the time is now. Stop thinking it is going to come, it is here. Believe this good news!”

The Jews had held the hope of the coming Messiah, to some degree, since Abraham. They had been through a lot as a people, and it had been 400 years since the last prophet (Malachi). The hope had become somewhat stale. “He’s coming. Probably not today, maybe not tomorrow, but the Coming One will come. One day.”

Jesus said, “Stop thinking that way. The kingdom is at hand.” (This is the gospel.) “Repent and believe the gospel.”

Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Why was Jesus eating with publicans and sinners? Was he approving their life of sin? No, he came to seek and to save the lost and lost people are sinners. He was seeking to heal them and restore them to righteousness.

I came to call…sinners to repentance - They need to confess their sins, turn away from that life, turn to Jesus, and follow him.

Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

This is the story of the rich man and Lazarus, which is part of the larger context. In 1-13 he taught his followers, No man can serve two masters…Ye cannot serve God and mammon. In 14, the Pharisees, who were covetous, derided him. This is part of his response. The poor man Lazarus dies and goes to Abraham’s bosom; the rich man dies and goes to hell, where he is in torment because of his covetous ways (25). He doesn’t want his brothers to follow him. The repentance he wishes for them and which they need involves embracing No man can serve two masters…Ye cannot serve God and mammon. A change in thinking and living.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Repentance and remission of sins is at the beginning of the gospel and at the end of the gospel. Repentance and remission of sins are still part of the message for all nations. Repent, believe, be baptized, remission (forgiveness) are all still intertwined.

 

Repent means to change your mind (change your thinking about the kingdom, salvation, sin, Jesus), confess your sins, and take the appropriate and required action.

 

NEXT: Repent in the Book of Acts

Repentance: A Definition

 

The first thing I did was make a list of all the occurrences of repentance in the New Testament, including every form: repent, repentance, repented, and repenteth. (Yes, I use the King James.) As you will quickly notice, they all boil down to two words: repent and repentance.

Repent is μετανοέω (metanoeō). This is the verb. 

Repentance is μετάνοια (metanoia). This is the noun.

The simplest way to explain this is repentance is the thing; to repent is to do that thing. Now isn’t that clear? Haha! Just to make it even clearer, the purpose of my study was to determine what that thing was (repentance) so I would know how to do it (repent).

Right away I noticed there was another word used sometimes, a synonym of sorts, μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai). I say a synonym of sorts because while it is very close in meaning, they are not exactly the same. I will explain that a little later in a separate post.

Now definitions

Repentance (metanoia) the thing, means a change of mind, a change in your thinking. At one time you thought one way, then something happened, you received new information, and you repent (metanoeo), you change your mind and begin to think a different way.

Early in my Christian life I was taught that repentance was nothing more than simply changing your mind. A good example of this is Luke 17:3-4:

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Repent here seems to be simply, “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done or said that.” (At least the brother confesses he was wrong.)

Another example of this bare-bones definition is from Luke 13:1-5

1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

It seems the Jews thought if something bad happened to someone, they must have sinned. Jesus said, “Quit thinking like this. Change the way you think about these things.” This reflects the essential meaning of repent.

However, he went on in v 6-9 to speak a parable about a fig tree that was not bearing fruit and in danger of being cut down. He was challenging them to change the way they think about sin and suffering and to bring forth the fruit of living for the Lord.

And that’s what I learned about repentance: it is more than simply changing your mind. It is changing your mind for the better; a new way of thinking which results in a new way of living.

 

NEXT: Repentance: What is it really?

Repentance - A Kingdom Principle

 

Repentance is a kingdom principle

The New Testament opens with, In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matt 3:1-2) John was announcing the kingdom of heaven* and calling for people to repent. This is the very essence of a kingdom principle!

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14-15) The Lord began his ministry announcing the kingdom of God* and calling for people to repent.

When Jesus sent the disciples out two by two, they went out, and preached that men should repent. (Mark 6:12)

Jesus looked for repentance: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. (Luke 10:13)

Jesus said there was joy in heaven because of it: I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)

Repent is a gospel principle

As the gospel began with repentance, it ends on the same note:

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47)

The first gospel message ended with this invitation: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

Peter continued to preach it: Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19)

Was this only a message for the Jews? No!

Paul preached it in Athens: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: (Acts 17:30)

In Ephesus: Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)

He preached it to Jews and Gentiles: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. (Acts 26:20) Obviously a gospel principle!

 

Finally, it is a church principle

 The clearest and longest explanation of repentance is found in Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians. We will look at that separately.

Repent occurs 12 times in the book of Revelation; 8 of those times are in chapters 2 and 3, the letters to the seven churches.

 

Repentance is a fundamental part of the kingdom of God: John the Baptizer preached it; the Lord Jesus Christ preached it; the apostle Peter preached it; the apostle Paul preached it; and it is found in the last book of the Bible!

 

* kingdom of heaven was simply a Jewish way of saying kingdom of God.

 

NEXT: The words used