Call for repenance and conversion in the Old Testament

Not only in the Old Testament, but in the pagan religions we meet with many forms of penance for sins and conversion. This raises the desire of reparation of evil done and liberation from sins. God in the Old Testament very often called to conversion both individual persons as well as the whole community of Israel. He revealed His mercy, kindness and graciousness for people whose sins remain unpaid by excusing of the sentence. The readiness to forgive sins of those, who repent and the will to bestow them with peace fully expresses His kindness and mercy. The author in the present article discusses the necessity and nature of penance, to which the just and at the same time merciful God urges his people. Then, the hardness and impiety, idolatry and resistance will be shown, because they brought the right punishment of God and shut out the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. Finally, the common penitential practices and penitential liturgy in the Old Testament will be discussed, as they express the desire of sincere conversion. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving became in Christianity the main practices, which serve to obtain the forgiveness of sins and rebuild the communion with God