Prayer and Repentance. Probably not the most popular topic to read. However, in reading through Deuteronomy I came to see an importance for these two things that all believers (and everyone) should be partaking in. So please.. stick with me!
In the Old Testament times, before Jesus, the Israelites achieved righteousness by following all of God’s laws. In Deuteronomy, God gave very strict instructions on how to purify the Israelites after committing these sins (He knew they would mess up). Most of the sins mentioned were adultery, idol worship, theft, murder, etc.. Depending on the sin, the ‘purification’ process was either payment to the wronged individual, sacrifice of an animal, or even to stone the guilt persons involved.
God repeated the same sentence many times throughout His instructions. From Deut. 13 to 24, God said, “You must purge the evil from among you” seven times. He also said, “You must purge the evil from Israel” twice, and said very similar statements two other times.
This sounds pretty intense, doesn’t it? With the emphasis to ‘purge’ Israel, a picture of the defilement sin had on the nation begins to form. I could picture sin as a contagious disease spreading throughout the nation of Israel bringing destruction. God told the Israelites to do these things in order to be righteous before God but also so that they would live well in the land He promised them; that the disease of sin, which brought destruction, wouldn’t remain on them.
“Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Deut. 11:8-9)
“Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.” (Duet 19:13)
In reflecting upon these passages there seems to be a spiritual law, similar to the world’s physical laws such as gravity, that God created into this world concerning sin. There is something spiritual that happens when we sin that effects the way we live and our ability to live well here on earth. In Deuteronomy, we see an actual need to do these things so that they could live well beyond their eternal righteous standing.
A ‘spiritual law’ that is easier to identify could be the concept of ‘reap what you sow’ (Galatians 6:7-10). This biblical concept has been borrowed by karma. (Not the reincarnation part but the cause and effect idea- do good, good will come to you, do bad, bad will come to you.) Why did this concept become a big part of Buddhism and other religions? Because they saw that it worked in their lives. This spiritual principle ‘reap what you sow’, can be seen as true in people’s own lives, not because karma is true, but because God created the world with this spiritual principle.
During my travels, I noticed that different countries had different spiritual atmospheres. What I mean is that in Thailand, where sexual immorality is high, I felt a strong temptation of lust. In Cambodia, where only 40 years ago there was a genocide, I felt frustrated, lonely, forgotten, and easily angered. I realized that the sins and struggles of the community/country could effect me in different ways. Sin created a certain spiritual atmosphere that could impact the way I could live my life.
Unlike the Israelites of the Old Testament, we now have Jesus. We don’t have to stone someone or sacrifice animals to cover our sins. Jesus’ blood was shed to take the place of an animal sacrifice or dying for our own sins. If you believe Jesus died for you, you are seen righteous before the Lord, because when He looks at you, He sees Jesus (Romans 5-righteousness through Jesus!).
So then, do we go on sinning? By all means no! (Romans 6&7) Unfortunately, we can still sin and produce harm and destruction into our lives here on earth even as righteous saints. Since we are not living like the Israelites, what do we do if we sin? We repent. Repent- admit to God our wrong, ask for forgiveness, and “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). In the New Testament, there is repentance all over the place!
“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt. 4:17)
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19)
“Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” (Luke 17:4)
Repentance brings healing! Repentance washes away our sin, so that we may live well and times of refreshment may come! Amen!
Let’s also take a look in Deuteronomy 21, when the priests had to make atonement on behalf of Israel even when they didn’t know who committed the sin of murder.
“Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they shall declare: ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.’ Then the bloodshed will be atoned for, and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord.” (Deut. 21:6-9)
The priests made atonement not just for individual but also so that sin wouldn’t effect the nation of Israel. Similar to how I felt the different spiritual atmospheres due to different sins of a community/country. The priests did not want the sin to linger in their nation and make Israel guilty.
What if our sins and the sins of our community/country have an effect on the atmosphere we live in and our lives? The way God has the Israelites in Deuteronomy deal with their sins, makes it seem that this might be possible. Like the priests, should we try to repent for other’s sins so it doesn’t effect the spiritual atmosphere we live in?
I felt impressed upon me that the answer is yes. Yes, we should be repenting for the sins of our community/country. I think that it will greatly effect what we see around us today. Anger, bitterness, discord, hatred, lust, dishonesty, and racism can all be symptoms reaped by the sins sown by our country, our community, by you or by me.
Repenting and begging for forgiveness on others behalf can be see at Sodom and Gomorra by Abraham (Genesis 18) and also for the Israelites by Moses (Exodus 32-many times there after as well). There is something we can do for others who are in sin and for our nation/world.
I cannot tell you scientifically or theologically how this works. I don’t know. All I do know is that there IS something negative that manifests or creates an atmosphere within communities where there is un-repented sin. I do know that as the church, the body of Christ, we are called to be ‘the light of this world’ (Matt. 5).
So my call is this: PRAY and REPENT! Pray and repent for you, your friends, neighbors, and our nation. Repenting for others might not ensure their righteousness in God’s eyes- that will be a personal decision, but it will help our society- the spiritual atmosphere we live in. It will reduce the brokenness and symptoms of sin that we see increasing today.
There were three specific sins that stood out to me the most for America; sexual immorality (including sex before marriage, pornography, sexual assault, etc…), murder (including abortion), and idolatry (putting money, success, and fame before God).
Andrew Shearman, founder of G42, a leadership academy in the south of Spain, said that revival starts with repentance. How does the Lord bring revival to a nation who does not repent? Who will cry out to God on behalf of their nation, on behalf of their own people? Let’s be the one to stand in the gap between our friends, family, nation and cry out to God. Let’s bring revival through repentance! Let’s help purge the sin and all it’s destruction from the land of the United States of America.
