Repentance: when Rebuked by an Angel for not Expelling the Canaanites
Jump to: Nave'sSubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
Biblical Context:
The concept of repentance in the context of being rebuked by an angel for not expelling the Canaanites is rooted in the narrative found in the Book of Judges. After the death of Joshua, the Israelites were commanded by God to drive out the Canaanite inhabitants of the Promised Land. This command was part of the covenantal relationship between God and Israel, emphasizing obedience and the need to remain separate from the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites.

Scriptural Account:
In Judges 2:1-5 (BSB), the Angel of the LORD delivers a stern rebuke to the Israelites for their failure to fully obey God's command:

"The Angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, 'I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your fathers. I said, "I will never break My covenant with you, and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars." Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.' When the Angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept. So they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD."

Theological Implications:
The rebuke by the Angel of the LORD highlights the seriousness of Israel's disobedience and the consequences of failing to adhere to God's commands. The Israelites' partial obedience—failing to completely expel the Canaanites—led to spiritual compromise and eventual idolatry. This narrative underscores the importance of complete obedience to God's directives and the dangers of allowing sin to persist within the community.

Repentance and Response:
The Israelites' response to the angelic rebuke was one of immediate sorrow and repentance. Their weeping and offering of sacrifices at Bochim indicate a recognition of their sin and a desire to restore their relationship with God. This act of repentance, while genuine, also serves as a reminder of the need for ongoing faithfulness and vigilance in adhering to God's commands.

Lessons for Believers:
For contemporary believers, this account serves as a powerful reminder of the necessity of repentance when confronted with sin. It illustrates the importance of heeding divine warnings and the need for a wholehearted commitment to God's will. The narrative encourages believers to examine their own lives for areas of compromise and to seek God's forgiveness and guidance in pursuing a path of righteousness.

Historical and Cultural Context:
The failure to expel the Canaanites had long-lasting implications for the Israelites, as the Canaanite influence led to cycles of sin and judgment throughout the period of the Judges. The cultural and religious practices of the Canaanites, which included idolatry and immorality, posed a constant threat to the spiritual integrity of the Israelite community. This historical context emphasizes the importance of maintaining a distinct identity as God's people, set apart for His purposes.

Conclusion:
The account of the angelic rebuke and the subsequent repentance of the Israelites serves as a timeless lesson on the importance of obedience, the consequences of sin, and the grace of God in offering opportunities for repentance and restoration.
Nave's Topical Index
Judges 2:1-5
And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
Nave's Topical Index

Resources
What is repentance and is it necessary for salvation? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about repentance? What does it mean to repent? | GotQuestions.org

Is repentance a change of mind or a turning from sin? | GotQuestions.org

Repentance: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Repentance

Repentance by the Operation of the Holy Spirit

Repentance by the Preaching of Haggai

Repentance by the Preaching of Oded

Repentance in Asking for a King

Repentance in the Time of Asa, by the Preaching of Azariah

Repentance of Their Idolatry, when Afflicted by the Philistines

Repentance of Worshiping the Golden Calf

Repentance: Achan, Because of his Theft

Repentance: After Hearing the Law Expounded by Ezra

Repentance: Ahab, when Reproved by Elijah for Ahab's Idolatry

Repentance: At the Dedication of the Second Temple

Repentance: Attributed to God

Repentance: Balaam, of his Spiritual Blindness

Repentance: Because of Their Idolatrous Marriages

Repentance: Because of Their Oppressive Usury

Repentance: Called Repentance to Life

Repentance: Called Repentance to Salvation

Repentance: Christ Came to Call Sinners To

Repentance: Christ Exalted to Give

Repentance: Commanded by Christ

Repentance: Commanded to all by God

Repentance: Condition of God's Favor

Repentance: Conviction of Sin Necessary To

Repentance: Danger of Neglecting

Repentance: David, at the Rebuke of Nathan, for his Sins of Adultery and Murder

Repentance: Denied to Apostates

Repentance: Exemplified

Repentance: Exhortation To

Repentance: Exhortations To

Repentance: False: Ahab

Repentance: False: Judas

Repentance: False: Saul

Repentance: Given by God

Repentance: Hezekiah, at the Time of his Sickness

Repentance: Illustrated

Repentance: Illustrated: Paul

Repentance: Illustrated: The Prodigal Son

Repentance: Illustrated: The Repentant Son

Repentance: Jehoahaz

Repentance: Jonah, After his Punishment

Repentance: Joseph's Brothers, of Their Maltreatment of Joseph

Repentance: Josiah, when he Heard the Law of God Which had been Discovered in the Temple by Hilkiah

Repentance: Judas

Repentance: Manasseh, when he Was Carried Away Captive to Babylon by the King of Assyria

Repentance: Ministers should Rejoice Over Their People on Their

Repentance: Necessary to the Pardon of Sin

Repentance: Neglect of, Followed by Swift Judgment

Repentance: Not to be Repented of

Repentance: Peter, Because of his Denial of Jesus

Repentance: Pharaoh, of his Hardness of Heart

Repentance: Preached by Christ

Repentance: Preached by John the Baptist

Repentance: Preached by the Apostles

Repentance: Preached in the Name of Christ

Repentance: Rehoboam, when his Kingdom Was Invaded, and Jerusalem Was Besieged

Repentance: Repentance of Their Complaining Because of Lack of Bread and Water

Repentance: Saul, at the Rebuke of Samuel for not Destroying the Amalekites

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Confession

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Conversion

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Faith

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Greater Zeal in the Path of Duty

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Humility

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Prayer

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Self-Abhorrence

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Shame and Confusion

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Turning from Idolatry

Repentance: should be Accompanied by Turning from Sin

Repentance: should be Evidenced by Fruits

Repentance: The Burden of the Preaching of Jesus

Repentance: The Burden of the Preaching of John the Baptist

Repentance: The Disobedient Son

Repentance: The Ephesians, by the Preaching of Paul

Repentance: The Jews, by the Preaching of John the Baptist

Repentance: The Ninevites, by the Preaching of Jonah

Repentance: The Present Time the Season For

Repentance: The Prodigal Son

Repentance: The Wicked: Averse To

Repentance: The Wicked: Condemned for Neglecting

Repentance: The Wicked: Neglect the Time Given For

Repentance: The Wicked: Not Led to by the Judgments of God

Repentance: The Wicked: Not Led To, by Miraculous Interference

Repentance: The Woman Who Anointed Jesus With Oil

Repentance: There is Joy in Heaven Over One Sinner Brought To

Repentance: True: Corinthians

Repentance: True: David

Repentance: True: Israelites

Repentance: True: Job

Repentance: True: Manasseh

Repentance: True: Nineveh

Repentance: True: Peter

Repentance: True: Thief on the Cross

Repentance: True: Zacchaeus

Repentance: Unavailing: To Esau

Repentance: Unavailing: To Israel

Repentance: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To

Repentance: Under the Influence of Hezekiah

Repentance: we should be Led To, by Godly Sorrow Works

Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Chastisements of God

Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Goodness of God

Repentance: we should be Led To, by The Patience of God

Repentance: What It Is

Repentance: when Rebuked by an Angel for not Expelling the Canaanites

Repentance: when Reproved by the Prophet Micah

Related Terms

Leads (64 Occurrences)

Remission (18 Occurrences)

Righteous (407 Occurrences)

Goodness (83 Occurrences)

Baptize (19 Occurrences)

Contrition (1 Occurrence)

Sinners (132 Occurrences)

Worthy (92 Occurrences)

Preached (75 Occurrences)

Sins (351 Occurrences)

Conversion (1 Occurrence)

Repent (74 Occurrences)

Leading (101 Occurrences)

Jonah (30 Occurrences)

Region (96 Occurrences)

Keeping (282 Occurrences)

Opponents (11 Occurrences)

Long-suffering (23 Occurrences)

Leaves (55 Occurrences)

Godly (50 Occurrences)

Fruits (109 Occurrences)

Finally (29 Occurrences)

Regretted (5 Occurrences)

Renew (16 Occurrences)

Repentant (3 Occurrences)

Repenting (6 Occurrences)

Eternal (166 Occurrences)

Election (6 Occurrences)

Persons (156 Occurrences)

Produces (27 Occurrences)

Produce (140 Occurrences)

Bringeth (313 Occurrences)

Baptizing (16 Occurrences)

Lamentations (6 Occurrences)

Forgiveness (124 Occurrences)

Longsuffering (17 Occurrences)

Nonimmersionist

Non-immersionist

Infinite (8 Occurrences)

Grant (87 Occurrences)

Preach (72 Occurrences)

View (86 Occurrences)

Judges (117 Occurrences)

Excommunication

Gehazi (14 Occurrences)

Foundation (82 Occurrences)

Baptismal (1 Occurrence)

Fruit (318 Occurrences)

Baptized (52 Occurrences)

Covenant (309 Occurrences)

Loss (90 Occurrences)

Baptist (16 Occurrences)

Jesus (10891 Occurrences)

Meet (281 Occurrences)

Manasseh (140 Occurrences)

Sorrow (277 Occurrences)

Samuel (129 Occurrences)

Bring (1372 Occurrences)

Beginning (187 Occurrences)

Joy (422 Occurrences)

Bear (425 Occurrences)

Salvation (386 Occurrences)

Preaching (116 Occurrences)

Regeneration (2 Occurrences)

Lead (192 Occurrences)

You-ward (9 Occurrences)

Quieted (8 Occurrences)

Ninety-nine (6 Occurrences)

Nine (55 Occurrences)

Ninety (27 Occurrences)

Namely (81 Occurrences)

Netherworld (1 Occurrence)

Unaware (16 Occurrences)

Undoing (7 Occurrences)

Us-ward (4 Occurrences)

Oppose (29 Occurrences)

Opposition (22 Occurrences)

Objections (1 Occurrence)

Repentance: What It Is
Top of Page
Top of Page