II Chronicles 7
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II Chronicles 7:14:
"If My people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." |
If we obey, we are promised the blessings of God. These are promises primarily to His people, a holy nation, and not primarily to individuals, although certainly all individuals benefit when the whole of God's people are obedient. The temple was built and dedicated when fire fell from heaven & the glory of the Lord filled the temple. When Solomon had completed it all, as God had commanded, God spoke these words to Solomon. He gave instruction, sealed with promise. When dryness, plagues and locusts destroyed the land, His people were to humbly pray and repent to see their salvation. It had to be a "true" repentance that actually felt enough remorse to turn away from sin. True humility will actually take us to our knees before the face of our loving Heavenly Father, to seek His forgiveness, His guidance, His direction, His solutions, His plan and His divine healing, for ourselves, our families, our churches, our countries, our nations and our governments. Christ Ones.. believers, as it was in Solomon’s day, it is for us. If we are who we say we are and who we lead others to believe we are, these are God's words to us. It’s time to leave the secret sins, stop playing arrogant, selfish games and return to humility before God in repentance and prayer. Only in our humility will the glory of the Lord fill the temple of our hearts, heal our homes, our churches & our sin sick souls
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Well-intentioned Christians (especially in the U.S.) love to cite this verse as a promise from God that if believers in this nation would humble themselves and pray then God will fix our nation. Before you get upset with me for implying that this is not what this verse is about, ask yourself, “What is the context of this verse?” Do you know when these words were spoken and to whom they were addressed? Do you know the occasion for these words or have you just repeated them thinking that they were meant for your particular situation?
Let’s take a quick look at the context. The construction of the first temple in Jerusalem had just been completed. King Solomon led a massive week-long celebration to dedicate the temple. When the people returned to their homes following the celebration, we read this:
Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. (2 Chronicles 7:12–16, NKJV)
These words were spoken to Solomon, the king of Israel, and God promised Solomon that when the land suffered from drought or pestilence, that if the people would humble themselves and pray, then God would hear those prayers and heal their land. The Lord specifically said that His eyes and ears would be attentive to the “prayer made in this place,” a reference to the temple in Jerusalem. As you continue reading the remaining verses in 2 Chronicles 7, it becomes extremely clear that this was a specific promise made by God to the Jewish people at the time of the first temple.[SOURCE: Tim Chaffey: Commonly Misused Bible Verses: 2 Chronicles 7:14]
Let’s take a quick look at the context. The construction of the first temple in Jerusalem had just been completed. King Solomon led a massive week-long celebration to dedicate the temple. When the people returned to their homes following the celebration, we read this:
Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. (2 Chronicles 7:12–16, NKJV)
These words were spoken to Solomon, the king of Israel, and God promised Solomon that when the land suffered from drought or pestilence, that if the people would humble themselves and pray, then God would hear those prayers and heal their land. The Lord specifically said that His eyes and ears would be attentive to the “prayer made in this place,” a reference to the temple in Jerusalem. As you continue reading the remaining verses in 2 Chronicles 7, it becomes extremely clear that this was a specific promise made by God to the Jewish people at the time of the first temple.[SOURCE: Tim Chaffey: Commonly Misused Bible Verses: 2 Chronicles 7:14]
