YHVH Elohim God (“YAH”) our Creator God knows we as humans have propensity for sin and reckless choices that brings us short of living in His Presence. Thus, in His great love and compassion for mankind, God has given us the opportunity for repentance.
YAH in fact demonstrated in the Garden of Eden that He is a Merciful God when He performed the first animal sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind and clothed Adam and Eve [Genesis 3:21]. The opportunity for repentance is indeed a gift, born out of love and compassion. It is a universal gift provided for all humanity, people and nations.
In this article, we will explore the Bible’s answers to the question of “what is the meaning of repentance” and why repentance is important as we prayerfully study the Holy Scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to teach us the true meaning of repentance.
Repentance
Repentance is defined as the action of repenting, and that is to feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin. It means to reproach oneself for, be ashamed of and feel contrite about and be penitent about one’s sin and take the necessary actions to make amends for the guilt.
We will explore three (3) key repentance Bible verses that clearly tells us the true meaning of repentance, why repentance is important and the rewards and benefits of true Biblical repentance according to God’s prescribed ways.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Throughout history, YAH has made provision for repentance and forgiveness, healing and restoration. A famous Scripture on repentance is 2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people, who are called by My name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land”
II Chronicles 7:14
So what is the meaning of true repentance?
True repentance is associated with humility and contrition before Yahveh Elohim God, the Creator of the Universe. It is when we come to a place of realization that we have breached His universal Laws, Commandments, Precepts and Principles. And we confess our sins, ask for His forgiveness and return to Him.
True repentance is not a blame-game like what Adam did in the Garden of Eden, nor it is about being defensive. True repentance involves taking responsibility for our words and deeds as we look at ourselves in the mirror of the Word of God.
In Hebrew, true repentance is “teshuvah“. Teshuvah means to return, to turn back from something which you have looked away from. In Biblical context, it is to turn from our wicked ways of breaking the universal Laws of YAH.
What are wicked ways? The yardstick of measuring our wicked ways is the 10 Commandments, the Laws, the statutes, the precepts, the principles and Ways of YAH as commanded in the Bible.
So true repentance means humility, praying and seeking YAH, and turning from our wicked ways, back to God by obedience to His eternal Laws and Commandments.
Repentance, Deliverance and the Gift of the Holy Spirit
There are many true repentance Bible verses, in addition to 2 Chronicles 7:14 that we explored above. Joel 2: 12 – 32 is a repentance Bible verse that calls for true repentance, outlines the benefits of true repentance and prophesized about the gift of the Holy Spirit in the context of repentance and returning to Yahveh Elohim God.
The Call to Repentance
God calls us to repent because as our Father, He loves us. The call to repentance is an act of love from God. Joel 2: 12-13 says:
“Yet even now”, says YAH, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments”. Return to Yahveh your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil.
Joel 2:12-13
Fasting, which is often associated with praying and seeking God, is powerful as it breaks bondages and liberates us from the prison of our futile minds (Ephesians 4:17) and carnality.
The call to repentance is for individuals, as well as entire families, for a community, a society and for a nation of people. It is intimate for an individual as well as corporate.
“Blow the trumpet [shofar]…sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants”
Joel 2:14
The call to repentance is a gift that we must teach our children and have them participate in the protocols of repentances: humility, fasting, praying, and seeking God.
Deliverance
Deliverance, healing, protection, restoration and physical and spiritual prosperity are benefits of true repentance. YAH will pour down for us “abundant rain, the early and latter rain” [Joel 2:23]. YAH says:
“And the floors shall be full with grain, and the wine vats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten, the locust larvae, and the stripping locust, and the cutting locust, My great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat fully and be satisfied; and you shall praise the name of YAHWEH your Elohim…
Joel 2:23
True repentance brings YAH’s full protection and restoration. God will remove your enemies far from you. He will restore what the enemy has stolen from you.
When we disobey YAH’s Laws & Commandments (which is sin), we incur curses. Remember the blessings of obedience and curses of disobedience of Deuteronomy 28. Our sin opens the doors for the devil Satan to steal our love, joy, peace, health, family, finances, jobs, children, prosperity, etc. When we truly repent and ‘teshuvah‘ or return to YAH, He will restore all that the evil locusts have eaten.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
It is in the context of true repentance and returning to God, in obedience to His Holy Laws, Commandments, Precepts and Statutes that Yahveh Elohim God promised the gift of His Spirit.
“After that [after true repentance], I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. I will even pour our My Spirit upon male and females slaves in those days”.
Joel 2: 28-29
The Holy Spirit and the Word of God work together. If we do not walk in obedience to the Laws and Commandments of God, then how can we be filled with the Holy Spirit, and walk in His power, glory and anointing?
Compassion and Restoration
We have explored repentance Bible verses of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Joel 2: 12-32. These Bible verses on repentance clearly outlines what true Biblical repentance is and process, protocols and the immense rewards of repentance. Let us now explore further another true repentance Bible verse from Deuteronomy Chapter 30.
In Deuteronomy 28, YAH presents before us the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience to His Holy Laws and Commandments. As He has given us the gift of freewill and choice, we choose blessings or curses by our own actions. In Deuteronomy 30, God says:
“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you…and return to Yahveh your God, you and your children, and obey His voice…with all your heart and with all your soul; then Yahveh your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you”
Deuteronomy 30: 1-4
“Return to Yahveh your God…with all your heart and soul” talks about true repentance. And the rewards of true repentance is compassion from God and restoration of physical and spiritual fortunes and prosperity. What is a manifestation that we have truly repented and returned to God? Obedience to the Holy Laws and Commandments of YAH.
The Secret
“And Yahveh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love Yahveh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live”
Deuteronomy 30:6
True repentance isn’t complete unless we come to a place of humility, contriteness and obedience to the Laws and Commandments of YAH. Beginning with the Ten Commandments, which is the heavenly Constitution written by the finder of God Himself, and is eternal. God’s Laws and Commandments are institutions He has given to mankind to govern our lives and our interactions with God as well as man and the environment.
Replacement Theology has deceived us that the righteous Laws and Commandments of YAH are done away with. Yeshua said in Mathew 5:17 that He “did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them”.
We will struggle to have true repentance and obedience in our own strength and our own righteous good deeds, which the Bible says are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Go to God in prayer and ask Him to circumcise your hearts to love Him. He said He will. And that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Summary
In this article, we explored true repentance Bible verses of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Joel 2: 12 – 32. We answered the question “what is the meaning of true repentance?”.
- The call to repentance is a gift of love Yahveh Elohim God (YAH);
- YAH calls us to turn back, to go back to His righteous and universal Commandments and Laws;
- YAH will fight the battles on our behalf and deliver us, heal us, restore and prosper us;
- YAH will pour His Spirit into our hearts, our families, communities and even our nations.
- YAH will circumcise our hearts and that of our families to love His with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our strength and that love will fill us up that we may be able to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
- By the power of the Spirit of God, we can live a life of obedience to God.