Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/232

 The Book of Genesis

214 takable, powerful,

and convincing drama of a repentant and

regenerate soul.

The stories of the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah have conception of all

sin,

of the

taught

Tower of Babel and of much about the Jewish

repentance, and atonement.

But they have

God

presented this thought from the standpoint of (jod.

desires not the death of the sinner, but that he return and

and

live,

He

man the possibility But how may men repent? Is

constantly holds out to

repentance and pardon.

of it

in a moment, or requiring and purgation? In ancient Israel the belief was universal that repentance was an easy thing, and Let one but offer a sacrifice, a sina matter of ritual alone. Or, offering, and the Deity would be immediately placated. if not immediately, then let him continue to offer sin-offerings in sufficient measure, and to pour out prayers, and acknowledge his iniquity ceaselessly, and in the end the

or

easy

difficult,

days and years of

accomplished trial

Deity must surely be appeased. It

was the prophet Hosea who, about 735 B. C,

taught the truth,

till

then unheard in

all

first

the earth, that re-

It requires a long no easy nor speedy thing. and purification and constant testing, until the dross of evil inclination be purged from the soul, and we can return to God, not merely with words of repentance on our lips, but with sincere, humble, and contrite

pentance

and

is

bitter period of trial

hearts.

Repentance

is

not

a

matter of

mere,

mechanical

character, and sin-offering, but of into a self sinful motive, and deed, a remaking of the old, man or a new being, whether that old self be an individual momenmean whole people. Nor does this true repentance tary righteousness and service of God, which permits of Halflater relapse into the old, evil habits and practices.

prayer

purification

righteousness and partial purification are but

of

futile

shams.

True repentance must reach to the very depths of the soul, Thus and purge and purify of every inclination to evil.