TURN! TURN! TURN! It’s Time to Mourn! ~ A Study in Jeremiah

A casual internet search for a dictionary definition of the word repentance is “the action of repenting; sincere regret or remorse.” Used in a sentence, it is explained in this way: “each person who turns to God in genuine repentance and faith will be saved.” At first glance, this sounds right. Reading that, without any proper biblical insight, I would have an idea, from a natural viewpoint, of what that word means. However, that definition is lacking.

 

Wikipedia says this is a biblical definition of repentance: “The doctrine of repentance as taught in the Bible is a call to persons to make a radical turn from one way of life to another. The repentance (metanoia) called for through the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute, and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign.” This definition is better, but still misses a key element if one has no idea the meaning of metanoia. An unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign is going to entail a knowledge of who God is, what He requires, and our own wretched state.

 

Vines says this: “In the New Testament the subject chiefly has reference to repentance from sin, and this change of mind involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God.”

 

The foundation of true repentance is understanding and knowing God. Repentance is turning from sin. There is an element of regret and remorse, but that alone does not give us a right understanding of what God requires of us. Repentance is the word metanoia in the original Greek. Meta means “change” and noia means “mind”.  Repentance begins with this definition: “to change one’s mind”. True repentance always results in a change of action. (See Luke 3:8-14, Acts 3:19, and Acts 26:20). Therefore, the shortest and best definition of repentance is: “a change of mind that results in a change of action.” First, one must be able to recognize the fact that he has thought wrongly about something in the past. Then, he must determine to think rightly about it in the future. In other words, there is a new way of thinking about God, sin, holiness, and about how to accomplish God’s will. It is not enough to have regret or remorse about sinful actions, it must be sorrow that is according to the will of God. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10). Repentance and faith are part of the believer’s daily life. Repentance and faith are not a one-time event. As we grow in the knowledge of who our Lord is, we will always be repenting of false beliefs that result in sinful actions. What we believe always reveals itself in our actions.

 

God was calling Judah to repentance. At the same time, He was telling them that judgement was coming if they failed to turn back to Him. Psalm 7:12 says: If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. He had been patiently calling them back to Himself from following false gods, but to no avail. Jeremiah 5:3—O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, but they did not weaken; You have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent. 

 

Judah’s face was set like flint in a determination to pursue false idols. Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations.’” (Ezekiel 14:6) It is impossible to be pursuing idols and God at the same time. Judah equated pursuing idols with an abundant life. God saw her reality. To continue to walk on the path she had chosen would result in death. Ezekiel 18:32—"For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”

 

Judah, like many in the church today, believed she could have it both ways. She thought she could set her face towards her false gods and the one true God at the same time. Imagine trying to walk down a path toward two different things that are in the opposite direction! It’s not possible. They were giving lip service to God who was not even in their sights. It is like when someone is speaking to you as you walk away from them and you say, “Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” but you have already tuned them out. It is so disrespectful and irreverent; even more so when we are talking about God, our Father.

 

God said, “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 their evil deeds.” (Jeremiah 26:3) This Scripture is interesting because we see this idea of repentance in ‘will turn from’ (shuwb), but then we see the actual word repent used of action taken by God. This is not the word shuwb but nacham which means to sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avenge. Matthew Poole says: “Repentance applied to man signifieth a change of heart and counsels, as well as of his course of actions: in the unchangeable God it only signifieth the turning of the course of His providence, not bringing that evil upon them for the evil of their doings which, supposing their progress and obstinacy in their sinful courses, He had fully resolved to bring upon them.”

 

“Have you not just now called to Me, ‘My Father, You are the friend of my youth? Will He be angry forever? Will He be indignant to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and you have had your way.” (Jeremiah 3:4-5) To return to God is to turn your back on all your other idols or things you love more than Him.

 

Just like in Judah’s day, people everywhere have a severe lack of understanding of what repentance requires. Children tearfully beg and plead with their parents at the onset of some form of discipline, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to lie! I won’t ever lie again.” They are sincerely remorseful…because they got caught and don’t want to suffer the consequences of their bad behavior. How do we know that their repentance was not true repentance? Their lack of true repentance is evidence by the next time they stare you in the face and lie to you. This type of ‘repentance’ is a charade. It is even possible to fool ourselves that we have truly repented.

 

True repentance is never half-hearted but a wholehearted response to our sin. Ryken says: “The problem with Judah’s repentance was that she did not return to God with her whole heart. The believer’s relationship to God is a love-relationship. Redemption is a romance; true love requires an undivided heart.”

 

The little girl who gets caught lying to her mother, begging for her mother’s repentance in delving out the punishment she has already fully purposed in her mind for the instant behavior, has one goal in mind—to get away from the consequences. She got caught and wants to escape infliction of some penalty. She just gives lips service to her repentance. True repentance by this little girl would be focused upon her mother’s love for her. She has offended her mother; her greatest need is to restore her relationship with this one who loves her most. She must make her mother understand that she is sorry she has sinned against her love. Godly repentance knows that it is because her mother loves her that she will forgive her and want the restoration as much as the little girl. She trusts her mother’s love, but she does not take advantage of it to get away with bad behavior.

 

The mother knows the heart of her little girl and watches for a change in behavior to prove that genuine repentance has taken place—to make sure she is walking the walk and not just talking the talk (as we say).

 

This is one reason I hate (strong word, I know) the current state of the “justice” system in our country. I hate the plea deal! People stand before the judge—who is supposed to represent an authority for which we should have a sense of reverence and awe…as someone who upholds the Law which God has ordained is right and good—and accept a plea deal which the prosecution or government has offered them. Even if the defendant does not believe he is guilty, to get less time or a lesser sentence, (or even to protect a love one whom the prosecution threatens to go after if they refuse) this one stands before the judge and admits to the charges brought against him and pleads for his mercy. The plea deal, for the most part, is all in the name of not having to spend time and money going to trial. This is the same offer given to those who are guilty and those who truly believe they are innocent. Those who know they are innocent, but who elect not to falsely admit guilt, know they will be given a much more severe penalty when they are found guilty (as I said before, they almost always are which should throw up a huge red flag for those who believe justice is about seeking the truth— the United States Department of Justice through the arm of prosecutors in this country is not infallible any more than the Pope is infallible). My point is: Of those who accept the plea deal, the consensus of the people will be: “Well, they took a plea deal, so they must be guilty.” For the truly innocence, the only thing they reap once they have served their time is their integrity.

 

Judah was like the one who stands before God and tells Him what He wants to hear to escape the consequences of His anger. The problem is: this is no ordinary federal judge. This is the Universal Judge who knows every heart! Judah’s flippant attitude put on display her lack of reverence for her Husband. She had no concern for how her sin had offended Him. She had no real desire to have a restored relationship with Him if it did not allow her to pursue her sinful ways. Israel was saying one thing but doing another. God longed for the heart of His wife, realizing the depth of her backsliding, to turn back to Him wholeheartedly. She was crying out to Him when she needed Him in times of trouble, but she only used Him when it suited her. She did not want Him, only the blessings He could provide her! Yet, He persisted in calling her back to Himself. Today, while there is still time, can we hear His voice calling to His church in the pages of Scripture?

 

“Yet even now,” declares he Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him…(Joel 2:13-14a)