Author: Alison Bowling
Editor: Teresa Seputis
A Scriptural Precedence
Introduction
On a cold, wet, windy day, a small group of people from Britain toured the ruins of the convict settlement of Port Arthur in southern Tasmania to learn more about the convict history of Tasmania (a state of Australia). They listened appalled as the guide described how some of the worst punishments human beings can devise were inflicted on the convict prisoners of this place. They accompanied the guide into the chapel where prisoners had been forced to listen to sermons about their extreme wickedness, while locked into individual compartments, devoid of any human contact.
However, this team from Britain were no ordinary tourists - they were a group of intercessors who had come to Australia specifically to repent of the sins of the nation of England towards its former colony. Inside the chapel they knelt before us and wept, confessing the sins that were perpetrated against Australia and its convict settlers asking for our forgiveness. These scenes were repeated all over Australia during their 6 week visit as the team visited Aboriginal settlements, orphanages and prisons repenting of the sins of their nation.
None of these intercessors were personally responsible for the sins of Britain towards Australia. They came, not to repent of their own personal sin, but the sins of the nation they represented, Britain. This was a very powerful example of identificational (or representational) repentance.
National guilt and repentance
Christians are familiar with the concept of personal repentance (metanoia). We know that each one of us is personally responsible for our own sin, and that we need to acknowledge our sin, repent of it and turn away from it. However, in Old Testament times, guilt and repentance were also understood on a corporate, or national level. When an individual sinned, the whole nation became guilty. Joshua 7:1 tells us that Achan took some things from Jericho that were destined for destruction, and hid them. Yet in verse 11, God emphasized that Israel had sinned, that the whole nation was guilty, and therefore worthy of the judgement of God. The whole nation was under judgement until that individual's sin had been dealt with. The sin in the nation affected every individual - they all shared the responsibility, even if they had not personally committed the sin.
To deal with sin on the corporate level, there were times when God called the whole nation together to a time of prayer and fasting and confession of sin (e.g. Nehemiah 9:1-2; 1 Sam 7:6). At other times, an individual representing the people intervened or mediated between the people and God, confessing the sins of the nation and pleading for God's righteous judgement on the people to be averted (Exodus 32:11-14, 30-34; Ezra 9:6-15, Daniel 9:4-19).
Moses' Mediation between God and Israel
Moses was the leader of an unruly mob of ex-slaves. They were a rebellious, complaining, cantankerous lot and at times they tested Moses' patience to the limit. They also tested God's patience to the limit, and provoked His severest judgement. After they had been given the ten commandments, while Moses was still on Mt. Sinai communicating with God, the people turned away from God and made a golden calf and worshipped it. Because of this gross rebellion, God proposed to consume the lot of them (Ex. 32:10). It was only Moses' intercession that saved them. Even though he was himself appalled at what they had done, he stood with the people, identified with them and sought to make atonement for their sin. He prayed, "Alas, this people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if thou wilt forgive their sin - and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written (Ex. 32:31-32). In effect, he said to God, "If you are going to destroy these people, you will have to destroy me too, because I am one of them". Through Moses' identification with his people, and his supplication for forgiveness on their behalf, God forgave them.
Moses was the primary mediator between the people of Israel and God, and he interceded in times of crisis and rebellion, as when they worshipped the golden calf. However, to deal with the sins that the people of Israel committed every day, God set up another system of mediation, the priesthood. The priesthood consisted of the High Priest, initially Aaron, and his sons (and descendants). The priesthood also involved one man representing the people before God confessing their sins, and seeking forgiveness on their behalf.
Daniel's Prayer of Identificational Repentance
Daniel was a man who walked in God's ways from his youth. As a youth, he was "without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand and qualified to serve in the king's palace." (Daniel 1:4) He demonstrates his heart after God early on, by choosing to take a stand for God and not defile himself in eating unclean foods from the king's table just after he'd been taken captive to Babylon. (Daniel 1:8-17). God blessed Daniel for his stand for holiness, and prospered him tremendously (Daniel 1:19-20, Daniel 2:48, Daniel 6:1-3). Daniel risked his life to remain faithful to God and continue his discipline of prayer after Darius made it illegal for a season (Daniel 6:4-28). Daniel is clearly a righteous man who honored God from his youth, and as a result God honored him.
Yet in Daniel 9, we find Daniel praying in a manner where he confesses the sins of Israel and repents. He does not say "our fathers did this sin" ... or "our ancestors did that sin" or "they sinned against You." Instead we see him entering into the position of the people he was praying for. We see him saying, in verse 5:
'We' have sinned and done wrong. 'We' have been wicked and have rebelled; 'we' have turned away from your commands and laws.
The pray goes on. Over and over we see Daniel using "we" and "our sins". He has taken ownership of sins that were committed before he was even born. He personally did not sin. But as an intercessor, he steps into the place of being identified with those who did sin, and of offering his sincere repentance before God for the sins that were committed. We see him asking God to release grace and forgiveness. It begins in verse 17 and goes through verse 19:
- "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.
- Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.
- O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."
So Daniel, a man known for his godliness and faith and for his stands for God enters into identificational repentance. If ever there was one person who did not do what the nation did, it was Daniel. And yet the Lord moves him to identify with the sins of his forefathers and sincerely repent for them.
And God shows that, on the basis of his personal relationship with God, Daniel's prayers are heard and answered. We see this in Daniel 9:20-23
- While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill--
- while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
- He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.
- As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.
Many bible scholars believe that it was Daniel's identificational repentance, under the Holy Spirit's prompting, that paved the way for Jerusalem and the temple to be rebuilt. In verse 23, we see that the answer was given immediately, but Daniel had to war and persist in the spirit to see it through. So it is sometimes with identificational repentance. There are sometimes elements of enemy resistance that cause us to have to stand firm in our prayers over that period of time from when the answer is given to when we see the results.
If God calls you to identificational repentance, stand firm and confident in the knowledge that He will hear your prayers and answer them, just as He did with Daniel.
Jesus Our High Priest
And The Basis of Identificational Repentance
The role of the priesthood
Every sin, even committed unwittingly, carries a penalty, or consequence. The individual who commits the sin remains guilty until the penalty is paid. Individuals in Old Testament times could not approach God directly. If they sinned, or became unclean, they were guilty, and atonement was required. When an individual became aware of his or her sin they brought a bull or a goat or a lamb to the Tent, laid hands on its head, and killed it there, and the priest made atonement for the sin by placing the blood on the horns of the altar. The animal bore the penalty in the place of the repentant sinner, and in this way, the sinner could be forgiven. (Hebrews 9:22). These rituals for atonement for sin and uncleanness are described in Leviticus chapters 4 and 5. The priest was the mediator between God and the sinner, who could only receive forgiveness through the atoning sacrifice of the animal.
The High Priest was the mediator between the whole nation and God. Once every year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest made atonement for any sins that the people may have unknowing committed during the previous year (Leviticus 16). He went into the Holy of Holies twice, once to sprinkle the blood of a bull to make atonement for his own sins, and the second time to make atonement for the sins of the people. He represented the people before God, making atonement for them, confessing the sins of the people, and their sins of were forgiven. Through this system of sacrificial offerings and the priesthood, the nation was kept holy before God. The High Priest was identifying with the nation, making intercession on its behalf.
However, this system had many drawbacks:
- The people could not approach God directly, but required the mediation of a priest to obtain forgiveness for each and every sin.
- One sacrifice was never sufficient. It had to be done over and over again (Heb. 7:27) - every time someone sinned, another atonement had to be made. The priests must have been kept awfully busy!
- The priests were themselves sinners, and had to make atonement for their own sin as well as for those of the people (Heb. 5:3)
- The High Priest was prevented by death from continuing in this role (Heb. 7:23) and the on his death the position passed to one of his sons.
- It could not make anyone perfect (Heb. 7:11, 19) - it made a way for sins to be forgiven, but it could not change men's hearts.
This system, with all its imperfections, was just a temporary arrangement until the time was right for Jesus to fulfill His role as our Great High Priest.
Jesus' Identification with Humanity
To become our Great High Priest, and to represent us before God, Jesus had to become one of us. He had to be one of us as much as Moses and Aaron were members of the people of Israel. Jesus identified with us - He became truly human in every respect.
- On becoming a man, He emptied Himself of His glory and all the prerogatives of His deity (Phil. 2:7). He wasn't just "like a man", He was a man.
- He experienced all the same life experiences as any other human being - He was born a man, lived through the same experiences as anyone else.
- He suffered temptation (Matthew 4:3-11; Heb. 2:18, 4:15)
- He learned the cost of obedience (Phil 2:8: Heb. 5:8).
Hebrews 5:8 says, "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered". The NIV note on this verse reads: "Though He was the eternal Son of God, it was necessary for Him to become the incarnate Son to learn obedience" -- not that He was ever disobedient, but that He was called upon the obey to an extent he had never before experienced.
The temptations He faced were real and the battle for victory was difficult, but where Adam failed and fell, Jesus resisted and prevailed. His humanity was therefore completed, "made perfect", and on the basis of this perfection he could become the source of eternal salvation.
So complete was Jesus' identification with human beings that He referred to Himself as the "Son of Man", and His true identity was not recognized by almost all of His contemporaries, who condemned Him for blasphemy when He claimed that God was His Father (John 10:33). An understanding of Jesus' real identity required revelation from God (Matt. 16:17). Hebrews chapter 2 emphasizes Jesus' identification with humanity:
Heb 2:11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
Heb 2:17-18 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus' Atonement
When He died upon the cross, Jesus offered His own blood as a sacrifice for sins. He was both the High Priest, making the sacrificial offering, and the Offering Himself. He had three qualifications to make this offering:
- He was one of us
- He was without sin (Heb. 4:18, 7:26).
- He was appointed by God.
Because He was without sin, He did not have to make sacrifices for His own sins first, like the Aaronic high priests. His sacrifice was perfect, in that, in representing humanity, He was able to completely absorb in His own being the penalty for our sin. The penalty for all sin, past, present and future, was utterly and finally paid. "The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Is 53:6).
On the basis of His shed Blood, Jesus has become our permanent High Priest. The old order of the priesthood was done away with. He is our Mediator, or Advocate, continually representing us before the Father:
1 Tim 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.John 2:1
... if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Now, if anyone sins, we have High Priest who has already paid the penalty for our sin with His Blood. We no longer need, like the people of Old Testament times, any human being to mediate between us and God. There is still a need for confession of sin and repentance (1 John 1:9), and as we come to the Father, confessing our sin, the Blood of Christ set us free from the guilt and penalty of the sin. (1 John 1:7). Our confession and repentance releases the power of the shed Blood of Jesus on our behalf. We can come boldly before the throne of grace, in full assurance that Jesus is there as our mediator, and receive mercy and forgiveness on the basis of His sacrifice (Heb. 4:16). Without confession of sin, we are unable to appropriate the Blood, and the sin remains unforgiven ... but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need -- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. (Heb: 7:24-28)
Becoming An Intercessor With Jesus
Jesus' Intercession
The word translated "advocate" in 1 John 2:1 is "parakletos" which means "an intercessor, consoler: advocate, comforter". The NIV reads, "we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense". Like a lawyer representing a client in a court of law, Jesus represents us before the Father. He is our intercessor.
Jesus always lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34). In his book, "Intercessory Prayer", Dutch Sheets explains that Jesus' intercession does not mean that He is continually petitioning the Father on our behalf but that He is mediating, or going between, to present us to the Father as righteous and one of His own. We came to the Father in the Name of Jesus. Our intercession is based on the completed work of Jesus. Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and man, and the one and only intercessor.
Isaiah 53: 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Our Role
Jesus is the ultimate intercessor, representing mankind before the throne of God. However, we need to apply his finished work of intercession, and he needs men and women who are willing to intercede before the Father to bring into reality that which has already been accomplished. Although Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all humanity, we live in a fallen world, in which sin is rampant. While as Christians, we can go directly to God, there are many that are unable at this time to appropriate Jesus' atonement for themselves, because of unbelief, ignorance or blindness (e.g. 2 Cor. 4.4). Although the blood of Jesus has atoned for all sin, there is much sin, both in the present and the past, for which the blood of Jesus has yet to be appropriated. While this remains unappropriated, the guilt and the consequences of that sin still apply, both for individuals, families and nations.
Our role in intercession then, is to appropriate the finished work of Calvary, on behalf of those who for some reason, are unable to appropriate it for themselves. Just as Jesus is the mediator between God and man, so we are called to be mediators between the person or people for whom we intercede, and God. Just as Moses, the ultimate mediator in the Old Testament, and Jesus, the ultimate Mediator in the New, identified with the people for whom they interceded, so we are called to identify with those for whom we pray. This does not mean that we are to try to make atonement ourselves - to attempt to bear the penalty of the sin ourselves. Jesus has already made the atonement, and borne the penalty for their sin. When Moses offered to do that in Exodus 32:33, God refused, saying, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book". Rather, identification means to understand that sin outworks corporately. All the individuals in a community share in the responsibility for the sin and its consequences, and as a member of the community for which we pray, we can represent that community before God's throne, confessing our corporate sin and asking for forgiveness for our community. It means that when we see sin in our community, we do not lay the blame on the groups or organizations concerned. Instead of pointing the finger, we recognize that we are part of the society, and are willing to humble ourselves and pray, and repent of the sin in whatever way the Lord leads as we seek His face.
Pointing The Finger
In Isaiah 58, about fasting, God describes a number of behaviours which must be changed before the fast is acceptable to Him. One of these is "pointing the finger" (Is. 58:9). To point the finger means to accuse someone, to denounce or condemn them. It means to blame someone else - to focus on their sin or wrongdoing. In John 8:2-5, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus whom they had caught in the act of adultery. They were ready to condemn her and stone her to death. But Jesus changed their focus - from the woman's sin, to their own. Each was made to examine his own heart, and to recognize his own guilt. Eventually, no one was left to condemn her, and Jesus, the only blameless one amongst them, did not condemn her either.
Jesus said, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Mat. 7:3-5).
Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it (John 3:17). To those who were far too ready to focus on the sin in the lives of those around them, He recommended a change of focus. Identificational repentance means to have that change of focus - to no longer place the blame on those around us, but to acknowledge our corporate responsibility. It means that we take a totally different stance - not one of condemnation, but of identification, recognizing that we all share the guilt of the sin of our nation.
An illustration of this attitude can be seen in the book of Ezra. Ezra was a priest and a teacher. He understood the ways of God. He had been an exile in Babylon, and led a group of exiles back to Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. About 80 years previously, during the reign of Cyrus the Persian, a group of exiles had returned and rebuilt the temple under Zerubbabel. Since their return, many of these exiles, including some of the priests, had married women from the surrounding peoples. This resulted in the worship of foreign gods becoming established amongst them. In fact, the leaders and officials had been some of the worst offenders. Ezra was informed of this about 4 months after his return. He was appalled! However, his immediate reaction was not one of condemnation, but of repentance. He began to intercede for the people, humbling himself, and weeping and confessing before the Lord. He identified with his people confessing their sin.....
"O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great...... But now, O our God, what can we say after this? For we have disregarded the commands.... O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence." (Ezra 9:6,7,10,15).
Ezra was not guilty of marrying a foreign woman. He had only been in the country 4 months, and had every reason to feel that this sin had nothing to do with him. Yet he recognized the seriousness of the sin, that they were liable to the judgement of God because of their unfaithfulness. Ezra intervened between the anger of God and the Jewish remnant, recognizing the guilt that they bore corporately. Because he was part of the remnant God had chosen to return to Israel, this sin affected him and everyone else. His identification with the people and their sin was so complete, that he states in verse 15 that "not one of us (even himself) can stand in your presence".
As Ezra wept and repented before God, the situation began to change. First, a group of people who were also aware of the seriousness of the Jews' unfaithfulness gathered around Ezra, and entered into intercession with him. Subsequently, a large crowd joined them and began to acknowledge their guilt. A means of dealing with the situation was suggested, not by Ezra, but by a member of the crowd. A plan was put into action, which eventuated in the whole assembly confessing their sin, and sending their foreign women and children away. Ezra's intercession changed hearts.
If Ezra had not repented and humbled himself before God, but had denounced those who had been unfaithful, the result might have been very different. Instead of acknowledging their sin, the hearts of the offenders could well have become further hardened and the rebellion that had had such dire consequences in the past, become further established.
This was a crisis situation because the survival of the Jewish race depended upon their total commitment to the Lord, keeping themselves free from any contamination with the corrupt practices of the other inhabitants of the region. (The NIV describes a similar community, the Elephantine settlement in Egypt, who were lax concerning intermarriage. Those who married pagan spouses began to worship pagan gods, and eventually the community was assimilated and disappeared). Ezra, by his identificational repentance, averted a disaster.
Principles to Apply
Identificational Repentance To Break The Curse On A Nation
The people of Israel had been initially sent into exile as a result of their continued rebellion and disobedience. God had told them He would do this if they disobeyed Him (e.g. Deut. 4:27). The nation had brought down a curse upon itself because of its flagrant rebellion (Lev. 26:33, Dan 9:11). However, He also promised that a remnant would survive, and return to Jerusalem (Jer. 25:11-12). Through his study of the Scriptures, Daniel, an exile in Babylon, recognized the time was approaching for Jerusalem to be restored. Daniel 9:1-19 describes how Daniel entered into a time of prayer and fasting, confessing the rebellion of the people of Israel, and pleading that that the wrath of God would be removed from Jerusalem, and His favor restored to the city. He identified with his people, confessing the sins of the nation as a representative of his people. God heard his prayer of repentance, and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah describe some of the events involved in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The curse on the nation of Israel was revoked. In addition, Daniel received a much greater revelation of God's purposes for Jerusalem in the centuries to come.
Nehemiah also wept and prayed after hearing about the desolation of Jerusalem, and similarly confessed the rebellion of the people, including himself and his father's house. Again, he recognized that only confession and repentance would bring restoration. However, his prayer had a different focus - he prayed that he might be given favor by the king, so that he could go the Jerusalem and help rebuild its walls.
It can been seen from these examples that sin (including rebellion, disobedience and indulging in corrupt practices) brings the judgement of God upon a nation. This judgement does not go away, but remains until the sin that brought it about is acknowledged, confessed and forgiven by our God who is always ready and waiting to pour out His mercy, grace and steadfast love on those who return to him wholeheartedly.
Bloodguilt
In Genesis 4, after Cain killed Abel, the Lord said to him, "Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground." The shedding of innocent blood brought bloodguilt on the land and on the people (Deut 19:10). Numbers 35:33-34 says that such shedding of blood pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land, except by the death of the one who shed the blood. In other words, the land was under a curse until the shed blood had been atoned for by a death. This curse does not wear off over time, as shown in 2 Sam 21. During the reign of David there was a famine, and David asked Lord about its cause. The Lord said that there was bloodguilt on the land because Saul had killed some Gibeonites quite a few years ago. Only the death of 7 male descendants of Saul atoned for the bloodguilt, and ended the famine.
The power of the blood of Jesus shed upon the cross is sufficient to atone even for the bloodguilt which may have brought a land or a nation under a curse. But that Blood still needs to be appropriated to release the land from the curse. The Blood could only be applied through confession of sin and repentance. The British intercessors understood this prior to their visit to Australia. God had shown them that all the innocent blood shed by the English during their colonial expansion had brought England under a curse, and that curse could only be removed by repentance. To do that, as representatives of the nation of England, they identified with the nation, confessing the sin, not only before God, but before one of the colonies they had wronged - in this case, Australia.
The only way to deal with sin is through repentance. It involves personal repentance for our own sin, and identificational repentance for the sins of a nation, and for those members of our communities and families who may not have come to the place of repentance for themselves. This involves entering into the sufferings of Jesus. Identificational repentance means humbling ourselves, being willing to mourn and weep as Ezra, Daniel and Nehemiah did. It means going the way of the Cross - laying down our lives, that others may enter into life.
In Col 1:24, Paul wrote, "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church."
A Prayer Of Identificational Repentance
A study of Ezra's prayer in Ezra chapter 10 can give us some understanding of the aspects of a prayer of identificational repentance.
- Acknowledgment of guilt and its justified consequences (verses 6-7)
- Recognition of God's continued grace, loving kindness and faithfulness to us in spite of all that has happened (verses 8-10).
- A confession of the specific sin that has resulted in the current crisis or need. Ezra cited the specific commandments that had been broken (verses 10-12).
- A further recognition that although God's anger is warranted and that He is righteous, he is also merciful, and a plea for the judgement to be lifted. (verses 13-15). The tone of Ezra's prayer indicates that he is utterly naked and broken before the Lord, and that all he can do is cast himself and his people onto God's mercy and grace.
- A plea to God to act for the sake of His mercy and His Name (Daniel 9:18-19).
"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chron 7:14).