The Day of the LORD and the Outpouring of the Spirit

Last time we looked at how in Greek, the basic idea of repentance is a turning of the mind; and in Hebrew, the basic idea is being deeply moved.

That's why our Shorter Catechism blends the two ideas together: “repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, does, with grief and hatred of his sin, [there's the Hebrew idea] turn from it unto God with full purpose of and endeavor after new obedience.” [there's the Greek idea].

But Hebrew uses the language of “turning” or “returning to the LORD” to speak of what the people are called to do.

And last time we heard how the people were called to return to the LORD and perhaps God would relent – perhaps God would have compassion on them.

And we saw the connections with Exodus 32-34, when God revealed himself to Moses, how God revealed himself as gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love – and he relents over disaster (he repents of the evil that he said he would bring).

Now in verse 18, there is an abrupt shift in perspective. So far the focus has been on Israel – and what has happened to Zion. Now the voice changes – the tense changes – and we shift perspective....