Wow! I marvel at how we, the pulpit, have watered down God’s word such that we don’t even know what the Bible says about a such a foundational truth as repentance. I’ve heard many a leader say “let’s gather together and pray and repent for our nation.” I submit, Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
The condition of our nation and the lack of effectiveness of the Church at large is indicative of our lack of knowledge. I submit, if you understand how God’s word, you will understand how the world works.
When I shared a couple of weeks that you cannot repent for a nation I had a number of leaders get upset with me. They’d point to Ezra and Daniel as examples. Then I’d challenge them. Look in each book and tell me how many times the term repent, repents, repented, or repentance is used?
There were things they could do and did, but they did not, they could not “repent” upon behalf of their nation or another person. They can pray that they would repent, but they, we, cannot repent for them.
There is a reason why and you’ll discover it is a fundamental jurisdictional issue and it is an issue the actual definition of repentance. We’ve gotten sloppy and that unfortunately factors in to the Church’s ineffectiveness.
In this short video we’ll take a look at Hebrews 5:12-6:1 and learn the signs that say we are immature. Then we’ll look at Daniel 9 and Leviticus 26 and discover exactly what did Daniel do and pray. Discover why his response was wise and why his prayer was effective.
I will also refer to a brief interview Jewish Voice had with Jonathan Cahn and the Josiah Manifesto. Discover how the pandemic and abortion in America were related and how it is an excellent example of, if you understand God’s word, then you will understand how the world works. I encourage you to check out the whole interview here.
3 thoughts on “Those Ministers Were Upset By What I Said About Repentance”
One person on YouTube responded saying, well, what about 1 Chronicles 7:14? Here’s my response:
That’s an awesome scripture. But what does it say? Remember, watch for the word repent or a form of the word. Recognize the term “turn” is like that. But consider this context. 2 Chronicles 7:13-20
When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will 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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.’
“But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
Now consider Ezekiel 14:13-16. Note that even if Noah, Daniel or Job prayed, they would only deliver themselves. Now consider that in light of 2 Chronicles 7:14. God will heal the land of the people who turn (repent). Again, you cannot repent for someone else. You can only repent for yourself. But we can pray they would. Ezekiel 14:13-16.
“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.
“If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
Irene asked their pastor, Good morning, David, ca you explain what you mean when we pray to remit the sins of our nation, please?
There is a discussion in my feed about how we cannot repent for our nation or for anyone else for that matter.
So, please explain why you pray to remit the sins of our nation.
Please clarify the reason for how you pray for our nation. Why do we have a right to remit sins.. please offer scripture. Thank you
Irene
Pastor David responded, Thanks for your email. Remit is the Greek word “aphiemi” which means to “send away”. Thus, as intercessors, we remit the sins of our nation so that judgment does not come upon our nation. Remitting does not mean repentance. Repentance means to change the mind. Repentance is only accomplished if those in positions of authority change their minds and cease doing evil sins. However, we can remit and send away the sins which is sending away their effect so we are not judged as a nation. If intercessors do not do this, judgment would come on the nation.
We have a right to remit sins because Jn 20:23 declares we can do it.
KJV John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
I trust this helps you.
(Tim adds) – I love this in so many ways. First it is an example of Acts 17:11
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Irene was inspired to pray, search the word, and reach out to a minister, her pastor, and part of their job is Ephesians 4:12 which is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry….. and he did.
So we’ve touched on 2 Chron 7:14 and now John 20:23, what other verses can ya’ll find that relates to this topic and paints a fuller picture of what God’s word actually says on this topic?
Irene,
David’s response inspired a little more searching of the word on my part as well and we find a scripture where repent and the same Greek word David referenced, translated remit in the KJV, but in my NKJV it says forgiven…. But again, same Greek word. Check this out.
g0863. ἀφίημι aphiēmi; from 575 and ἵημι hiēmi (to send; an intensive form of εἶμι eimi, to go); to send forth, in various applications (as follow): — cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up.
AV (146) – leave 52, forgive 47, suffer 14, let 8, forsake 6, let alone 6, misc 13;
Luke 17:3-4
Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”
The word aphiemi is used here….. rebuke him; and if he repents, aphiemi him. And if he sins…..
I share this as it further illustrates the nuances of the relationship between the two words/actions.
Shalom and keep searching, studying and digging into God’s word.