Can We Repent without God Giving Us Mercy?

 July 1, 2024

Monday

There are two "who knows" in the Bible that have very different results. One comes from the king of Nineveh. Jonah has gone throughout the city saying that God will destroy the city for her wickedness in forty days. The king declares a fast, puts on sackcloth, and sits on ashes. God relents from destroying the city. 

Jonah 3:9 (NASB 2020) ⁹ Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

The second is found when King David himself fasts for the life of the child whom Nathan, the prophet, has said will die because of David's sin. The child dies just as Nathan has said he would.

2 Samuel 12:22 (NASB 2020) ²² And he said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’

Both of these moments of contrition seem to call upon God to stay His hand from His judgment but there are two opposite results. What is the difference? Can we repent without God giving us mercy? 

Maybe we should look at the apparent intention in God's actions. In the case with Jonah, even Jonah knows that God will give them mercy when they repent. The purpose of Jonah's preaching was for the people to repent. God is very patient and long-suffering. He gave them the opportunity to be saved. But with David, Nathan comes to render judgment rather than give an opportunity for repentance. It was something that needed to be seen for David's household would have known what was going on. 

The same can be said for Ninevah. These people needed to know that God was patient and long-suffering. They needed to see that their own repentance resulting in God's grace. David was already given God's grace. He didn't die for the sins worthy of death. The death of an innocent one paid for David's sins. The child had to die. There is a lesson to be learned here.