Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:19)

Today many churches celebrate the birth of John the Baptist. John was a prophet. He considered himself the forerunner of the Messiah.

John preached repentence in order to prepare for the forthcoming judgment of the annointed one. He baptized as a symbolic act of purification and preparation.

There are two Hebrew words meaning repent. One - nacham - also means to be sorry, to regret, and to be comforted.

The other is shuwb which means to turn away, turn back, return, restore, and to refresh. We cannot be certain which repentence John preached.

But I am fairly confident he preached shuwb. If his listeners were anything like me many nonetheless heard nacham.

Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted. They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance. But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, the one whom you made strong for yourself. Then we will never turn back from you; give us life, and we will call on your name. (Psalm 80:14-18)