In the Scriptures, we find different “types” of repentance. In the Old Testament, we find one form of repentance n Exodus. Twice Pharoh becomes cognizant of the fact that God is allowing plagues come on Egypt and he gives in to Moses. He calls for Moses, confesses to him and shows contrition. Once that plague is over, he changes his mind and reverts back to a hardened heart.
What we see here is a type of repentance and confession of someone who is merely trying to not wind up in Hell. They are operating out of fear, not lover, mercy and grace. This type of repentance and confession has a very short shelf life as this person, just as Pharoh did, hardens his heart toward God and goes back to living as they were before repenting.
Exo 9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Exo 9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
Exo 9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
Exo 9:25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
Exo 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.
Exo 9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
Exo 9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
Exo 9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’S.
Exo 9:30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.
Exo 9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.
Exo 9:32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
Exo 9:33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
Exo 9:34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
Exo 9:35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
Exo 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.
Exo 10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
Exo 10:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
Exo 10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
Exo 10:14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
Exo 10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
Exo 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.
Exo 10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
Exo 10:18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
Exo 10:19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
Exo 10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
In a real sense, Pharoh was like the boy that got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He wasn’t contrite over committing the sin of taking the cookies, he was just sorrowful he got caught and was merely trying to avoid the penalty.
True Repentance must lead to obedience to God’s will for your life. How do you know God’s will? We will discuss that a length in another article, but it all begins with His word. True repentance will lead to real confession and thus salvation.
May God bless the reading of this word.
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From Vines’s Expositor’s Dictionary:
Note: In the OT, “repentance” with reference to sin is not so prominent as that change of mind or purpose, out of pity for those who have been affected by one’s action, or in whom the results of the action have not fulfilled expectations, a “repentance” attributed both to God and to man, e.g., Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14 (that this does not imply anything contrary to God’s immutability, but that the aspect of His mind is changed toward an object that has itself changed, see under RECONCILE).
THE MEANING OF THE WORD Repent
In the Hebrew of the Old Covenant two words are used in the concept of repentance, they are –
1. NAHUM – to lament, to grieve. This word is describing the emotions that are aroused when motivated to take a different course of action.
2. SHUB – This word expresses a radical change of mind toward sin and implies a conscious moral separation from sin and a decision to forsake it and agree with God.
In the Greek of the New Covenant, there are also two words used which parallel the Hebrew usage.
1. METAMELOMAI – to have feeling or care, concern or regret which is akin to remorse.
2. METANOEO – to have another mind, which describes that radical change whereby a sinner turns from the idols of sin and of self to God.
Repentance then is the informing and changing of the MIND stirring and directing the EMOTIONS to urge the required change, and the action of the yielded WILL in turning away from sin and to God.
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