Deuteronomy 1:41-46 – No need to live with regrets, just repent

Repentance is about the realization and deep conviction that one has offended God. When that happens one would be truly sorry for that offense. It would result in a radical change of heart and attitude. A repented person will also take sincere steps to correct the wrong by doing the next appropriate thing. It is done to mend one’s broken relationship with God. The reason for the correction would be due to the realization that one has offended the Lord. It is not done to avert a punishment or to prevent one’s blessing from being forfeited.     

Remorse on the other hand, is markedly different from repentance. There would not be any sign of a radical change of heart and attitude. That person does not take time to reflect on what went wrong and doesn’t even realize where he or she has acted wrongly. Instead of taking appropriate steps to mend one’s relationship with God, remorse only leads one to rush rashly to do anything to avert punishment. Its entire purpose is to prevent the forfeiture of a promised blessing.   

Deuteronomy 1:41-46 picture for us what is being remorseful. When the Israelites heard that they would be wandering in the wilderness till all who were twenty years and above had died, they regretted it. They should have taken time to repent, admit to their unbelief, and seek God for the next appropriate thing to do. But they did not. They instead urged everyone to take up their weapons and go into battle against the Amorites to try and take the land, despite being told by the Lord not to do it. Moses was told to tell them that God would not be with them in their foolish attempt to take the land. God told them that they would be defeated if they did.  

Here again we see their unbelief played out. They just simply would not listen and again rebelled against the Lord by acted presumptuously. They charged into battle only to be defeated by the Amorites that came down from the hill. Verse 44 describes the extent of their defeat. The Amorites came out against them and chased them as bees do, and crushed them. Sadly verse 45 tells us that they returned and wept before the Lord, but the Lord did not listen to their voice nor give ear to them. They then returned to Kadesh and dwelt there for a season. Their tears were not a sign of repentance. They were sorry because of the defeat not because they had failed to listen to the Lord. In Deuteronomy chapter 1 Moses set out the premise for his call in the whole book, to seize the moment and progress with the faithful God. It was also a call not to emulate their fathers and incur the displeasure of God. Their experience is a lesson for us too. We must also heed the call to seize every God-given moment, obey and progress with Him in our faith journey. Truly repent when we need to and minimize the regret for our wasted moments in life. Don’t presume on God’s grace!