Diagnosis: SPIT-WATER – Edition #5

July 27^th, 2007

Directions for Prescription #2 for… Diagnosis: SPIT-WATER – Edition #5

A hamburger walked into a bar, climbed up onto a bar stool, looked at the bartender and ordered a nice cold iced tea. The bartender looked at the hamburger for a moment and replied, “I’m sorry sir, but I can’t sell you that drink.” The hamburger thought about this for a second and said, “Why can’t you sell me a drink?” After looking at the hamburger for another moment, the bartender replied, “I’m sorry; we don’t serve food in here.”

Here’s where I left off in yesterday’s QT:

Job 42:6 Repent (verb): nâcham:

• To be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted, be moved to pity, have compassion, rue, suffer grief, repent, ease oneself, have compassion

2^nd Chronicles 6:37 Repent (verb): shûb (pronounced: shoob):

• To return, turn back
• To turn back (to God), repent
• Turn back (from evil)
• To restore, refresh, repair (figuratively)
• To be returned, be restored, be brought back

This raises the question in my mind… what does the New Testament say (in the Greek) about repentance? Are there any other definitions in the Old Testament about repentance? I could take the “easy road” and read the book Repentance, but studying it out this way will make it stick. And when scripture sticks, it is a wonderful thing.

Job uses the word “repent” two other times.

Job 34:33

Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know.

There is yet another Hebrew word for repent used here.

Job 34:33 Repent (verb): shâlam (Pronounced: shaw-lam')

• A primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively to be (causatively make) completed; by implication to be friendly; by extension to reciprocate (in various applications): - make amends, (make an) end, finish, full, give again, make good, (re-) pay (again), (make) (to) (be at) peace (-able), that is perfect, perform, (make) prosper (prosperous), recompense, render, requite, make restitution, restore, reward, X surely.

This seems to be the more talked about “repent” from what I can recall. But then, the word “shub” or repent shows up for a second time in Job 36:10.

Job 36:10

He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.

There are a total of 12 scriptures in the NIV in the Old Testament that use “repent”.

Ezekiel 18:25-32

“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?”

“Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!”

God uses the word “repent” in Ezekiel. The word that is used here is “shub” (pronounced: shoob). In fact, the second sentence in the second paragraph could actually read like this:

Ezekiel 18:30 (b)

Repent! Repent from all you offenses…

Yep. That’s right, the word’s “Turn away” also come from the Hebrew “shub”. So in three verses, God says to repent, or to turn away, using the Hebrew word “shub”. And not only that, the chapter is closed out with a “Repent and live”. Turn away from sin and live. Earlier in the book, God also says to repent. That’s in Ezekiel 14:6. The word used for “repent” is also “shub”.

Ezekiel 14:1-6

Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. Then the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the LORD will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.' Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!”

And that last part, it can read like this, should they ever want to print it this way: Turn away! Turn away from you idols and repent from all your detestable practices!

“Shub” is used three times in that one verse. Repent from idol worship and repent from detestable practices.

Hosea 11:5 and Isaiah 59:20 use “shub”, as does both Jeremiah scriptures (5:3 & 11:19). And I haven’t even hit the New Testament. I’m not sure if I am going to study more in the Old Testament about shub and research more into that, or if I will instead check into the NT. That decision will be made as a “game-time-decision”. And for those who don’t know what that means, I will make that call when I step up to the keyboard and start typing. Check you later, Johnny Out.