The Experience Of Real Repentance - Part Two
EXAMPLES OF REPENTANCE
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Genesis 50:15-21 1) Had the brothers of Joseph done evil? 2) Did they ask to be forgiven? 3) What was Joseph's reaction? 4) How did his brothers respond? 5) Was Joseph willing to forgive and help them? Note. We could liken Joseph to God the Father and Joseph's brothers to repentant individuals. As the brothers CONFESSED their sins and asked forgiveness so should every repentant person do the same before God. As they humbled themselves before the feet of Joseph, we should also HUMBLE ourselves before God the Father. The brothers told Joseph they would be his servants. So likewise are we to be SERVANTS of God. Joseph WEPT when he saw their humble repentant attitude. Tears of joy must fill the eyes of our heavenly Father when one sinner repents. As Joseph went on to NOURISH and COMFORT his brothers, so God the Father will nourish and comfort His begotten children. 2 Chron.12:1-12 1) Did King Rehoboam and Israel FORSAKE God's way? 2) What then happened (verses 2-5)? 3) Did the King and leaders of Israel then HUMBLE themselves? 4) What did God say He would do? 5) Was God MERCIFUL to the King and Judah? Note. Some TURN AWAY from the Eternal and His Holy law, but the Lord is always there ready to FORGIVE and show MERCY whenever those individuals HUMBLE themselves and REPENT! 2 Kings 22, 23 1) Was Josiah very YOUNG when he began to reign in Jerusalem? 2) What is said of him (verse 2)? 3) Was Josiah still YOUNG when they found the book of the law in the Temple? 4) What did Josiah DO when he heard the words of the LAW? 5) What did the King SAY about the words of God? 6) What did the prophetess Hudah say would happen for NOT doing God's will? 7) Was this punishment to take place in the lifetime of Josiah? WHY not? 8) Did Josiah exhibit signs of real REPENTANCE? Note. Josiah's repentance was GENUINE as can be seen by what he DID. The FRUITS he bore, as shown in chapter 23. He gathered the people together, both small and great, priest and prophet, and read to them God's way. He RE-NEWED the COVENANT of God - to walk after and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS (verse 1-3). Josiah was instrumental in bringing the people back to the worship of the true God. He destroyed every sign of False idolatry worship (verses 4-20). He RE-instituted the PASSOVER (verses 21-23).
Josiah was a TYPE of what all people whom God calls should do upon having their minds and hearts opened to His word and truth. His heart was TENDER - receptive to the Eternal's truth and ways. He did not argue with God's word, didn't justify his own ideas and ways and thoughts. He was CHILDLIKE. Josiah HUMBLED himself before God and FEARED His word (Isa.66:2). He even WEPT when he realized how he and Judah had sinned against the Lord God. Josiah experienced true deep-felt REPENTANCE! Nehemiah 8; and 9:1-5 1) What did Ezra read to the people? 2) When was this done (see also Lev.23:23-25)? 3) What was the people's attitude? 4) Were the people in a humble worshipful state of mind? 5) As they understood the ways of God, did they willingly obey? 6) What else did the people do (chap.9:1-5)? Note. The people of Judah had been many a year without a King. They had been in Babylonian captivity and had LOST MUCH, if not all the teachings of God. Here they were again in Jerusalem and were being taught the words and ways of the Lord from the LAW (first 5 books of the Old Testament). They were in a submissive HUMBLE REPENTANT attitude towards God. They CONFESSED their SINS, fasted and were willing to DO what the Eternal said were HIS ways and commands. An example for ALL those that God calls to salvation. 2 Samuel 11; and 12:1-15 1) Did David commit adultery with another man's wife? 2) What was the result of this affair (verse 5)? 3) Did David try to COVER UP his sin (verses 6-13)? Was he successful? 4) Did David devise a plan whereby Uriah would be killed? Did it succeed? 5) What did Nathan the prophet tell David these activities were (chap. 12:9)? 6) Was David personally held responsible for killing Uriah? 7) When David finally came to his senses and realized the gravity of what he had done, what did he confess (verse 13)? Note. Ancient King David is a chief example of one who EXPERIENCED REAL REPENTANCE for his sins. David's sincere heartfelt repentant attitude endeared him to God. He is called in Acts 13:22 a man after God's own heart. Psalm 51 shows David's utterly broken-up attitude of mind concerning his sins. Be sure to read the entire Psalm, and as you do, ask and answer these questions: Did David attempt to justify these sins or to explain them away? Did he freely confess them? Did he admit that he was guilty of many sins? Did he thoroughly abhor his sins? What did he ask God to do for him? Did he cry out to the Lord to have mercy upon him? David was one of the few under the Old Covenant to whom God gave the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit was not yet made available (John 7:38-39) except in special circumstances to certain people. David obeyed God and overcame by the power of the Spirit, even though at times he did stumble and fall. "For a just (righteous) man falleth seven times, and riseth up again......" (Prov.24:16). So David, a man after God's own heart, is soon, at Christ's coming, to be resurrected and born into the very Family of God, the Kingdom of God, as a son of the Eternal and as the King over Israel (Jer.30:9; Ezek.34). God looks to those who are of a MEEK and CONTRITE spirit - those who TREMBLE before the word of the Lord. God recognizes a REPENTANT attitude of mind - a broken spirit, a HUMBLE person who is seeking for FORGIVENESS and MERCY. He will honor the attitude of all who are willing to turn from works and deeds which His word brands as SIN. True REPENTANCE requires a PERMANENT change of DIRECTION - from the ways that seem right in man's eyes to the WAYS OF GOD as revealed in His word. REAL REPENTANCE is something MUCH DEEPER and vastly more profound than what is generally being taught today by the churches and religious preachers. Godly REPENTANCE leads to ETERNAL LIFE!! To be continued ...................... First written in 1987. Re-written and revised in 1997. By Keith Hunt |
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