Jeremiah 18:7-10
18:7 There are times, Jeremiah,
when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom.
18:8 But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong,
I will cancel the destruction
I intended to do to it.
18:9 And there are times when I promise to build up and establish
a nation or kingdom.
18:10 But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it.
Jeremiah 36:3
36:3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about all the disaster I intend to bring on them, they will all stop doing the evil things they have been doing.
If they do, I will forgive their sins and the wicked things they have done.”
Isaiah 1:16-19
1:16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves!
Remove your sinful deeds
from my sight.
Stop sinning!
1:17 Learn to do what is right!
Promote justice!
Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!
Take up the cause of the orphan!
Defend the rights of the widow!
1:18 Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can become white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can become white like wool.
1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey,
then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
Ezekiel 18:27-30
18:27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life.
18:28 Because he considered
and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die.
18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?
18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity.
Jonah 3:8-10
3:8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly
to God, and everyone
must turn from their
evil way of living
and from the violence that they do.
3:9 Who knows?
Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent
and turn from his fierce anger
so that we might not die.”
3:10 When God saw their actions – they turned
from their evil way of living!
– God relented concerning the judgment
he had threatened them with
and he did not destroy them.
Jonah 4:2
4:2 He prayed to the
Lord and said, “Oh,
Lord, this is just what I thought
would happen
when I was in my own country.
This is what I tried to prevent
by attempting to escape to Tarshish!
– because I knew
that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger
and abounding
in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.