In this article I will be
sharing with you parts of 2 Chronicles 7:12ff. Verse 14 is often
quoted, but do
we really hear what God is saying in this verse, and do we even bother to read
what surrounds this particular verse?
Some will think I am taking
this passage completely out of context, but am I really? I do not think so. I
am convinced that it is very appropriate for us today. Some actually do not
feel the Old Testament is of much relevance to us today, but Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Also see Malachi 3:6.
The apostle Paul said by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit that not just the New Testament, but also the
Old Testament was written for our benefit.
“For whatever things were
written before were written for our learning, that we through the
patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 emphasis
mine)
“Now all these things
happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11 emphasis mine)
“All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 emphasis
mine)
It is understood that the
message is specifically about the temple that Solomon built and the nation
Israel, and was a message from God to the Jewish people. The question arises,
“Can any of this be applicable to us as well?” Can we see a parallel to us? Can
we fit this into our circumstances and hear what God has to say to us as well?
The answer to all three questions is, “Yes.” Even though Israel was a theocracy
and we are not, the answer to all three questions remains the same.
In 2 Chronicles 7 Solomon has
finished the temple (v. 11). Beginning at verse 12 the Lord appeared to Solomon
at night with a response to his prayer. As we look at these Scriptures, I will
be interjecting this country specifically.
Verse 12
“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.
God said He had chosen
Solomon’s finished temple as a place of worship. Now, I am certainly not trying
to make this country as important and holy as the temple of Solomon, but “holy”
does mean “set apart for God’s purpose.” There is no doubt that God set this
country apart in the beginning to serve Him. Our forefathers were primarily
Christians who came here to have a place to freely worship the Lord Jesus
Christ. That being said much has been expected of us, just as much was expected
of Israel. Despite our many shortcomings, God’s handprints are all over this
country.
Verse 13
“When I shut up heaven and
there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence
among My people,
This verse is an edict from
God saying that if Israel sinned against Him He would send punishment to bring
them to their senses. Israel did sin. They went after false gods and God
punished them mightily. Since this country was set apart to be a beacon for
God, punishment will befall us also when we turn our backs upon Him. If God
would bring down severe judgment upon the ‘apple of His eye,’ what would make
us exempt? We are not exempt. Instead, we laugh at the one holding the whip.
Verse 14
“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.”
God told Israel via Solomon,
and He is telling us, that if we turn back to Him, He will heal our land. Looking
closer at this verse, please notice:
Who are “My people” in this
verse? Israel definitely, but are not all who are saved by the blood of Jesus, God’s
people? Abraham, who was not a Jew, was saved by faith, as was Lot. Moses,
Ruth, Rahab and David were saved by faith. Every Jew and Gentile saved by the
blood of Jesus the Messiah is classified as “My people.”
On the other hand, many who
came to Solomon’s temple and Moses’ tabernacle were not “My people” because
they did not come to God by faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Many today,
and throughout the ages, who claim they are Christians are not “My people” for
the same reason.
Therefore, every person in
Solomon’s day who came by the blood to worship was considered as “My people,”
and every person today who comes to God by the blood of Jesus is considered as
“My people.”
God was speaking to His
people when He responded to Solomon, and that message is also ours to heed. I
have no doubt that as God was speaking to Solomon He was looking down the
corridor of time to us and saying, “Pay attention. This is for you too.”
I’ve used this illustration
before, but I’ll use it again of two siblings. When one sibling gets a tongue
lashing from their parent, don’t think for a minute the words from the parent
don’t also apply to the other sibling. They most certainly do apply to both,
and what was said to God’s people in the Old Testament also applies to us in
the New Testament era.
God’s people can and do sin
against the very God who saved them. Not only do we sin, but we can sin in the
most horrendous ways possible. Much of the rebelling against God in this
country is by those who are not God’s people, but God isn’t speaking to them.
He is speaking to His people, because His people have become
spineless and worldly.
“…if the LORD be God, follow
him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” (1
Kings 18:21)
God said He would do three
things for us, but we have to do four things first. The things He said He would
do are:
1.
“I will HEAR from
Heaven,”
2.
“and will FORGIVE
their sin”
3.
“and HEAL their
land.”
What does He expect from us?
He lists four items, which are:
1.
“HUMBLE
themselves”
2.
“and PRAY”
3.
“and SEEK my
face.”
4.
“and TURN FROM
their wicked ways,”
If the true Christians in
this country, as a nation, would HUMBLE ourselves, PRAY, SEEK His face and TURN
FROM our wicked ways, I really believe God would HEAR us, FORGIVE us and HEAL
our land. If we don’t do this, we guarantee our own judgment. We will have no
one to blame but ourselves.
I’m sure many will object and
say, “But it’s those who don’t believe in Him and hate Jesus who are destroying
this country.” That reminds me of the child saying to the parent just before
the spanking, “But what about them!” He
isn’t speaking to them. He is speaking to us, you and me. He is telling us that
we (My people) are neck deep in sin and we are not humbling ourselves before
Him. We are not praying. We are not seeking Him. We are not turning from our
wicked ways.
Notice what He says in the
next verse.
Verse 15
“Now My eyes will be open and
My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.”
First we humble ourselves,
and then we pray. He says He is awake, simply meaning that He is alert. He is
waiting. He is focused on our prayers. Are we seeking His face? Also, very
importantly, are we turning from our wicked ways?
Verse 17
“As for you, if you walk
before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have
commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments”
Now obviously we do not fall
under the same promise God gave David as spoken in the next verse … verse 18.
However, I believe if we go back to the same mindset of our forefathers and put
God first in all we do, our days will be long as a nation. On the other hand if
we continue as we are, the remaining verses spell out our judgment as well.
Verse 19
“But if you turn away and
forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and
serve other gods, and worship them,
Verse 20
“then I will uproot them from
My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My
name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among
all peoples.
Verse 21
“And as for this house, which
is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the
LORD done thus to this land and this house?’
Verse 22
“Then they will answer,
‘Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of
the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them;
therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.”
Again, references to the
temple, Egypt, etc. do not apply to us, but the judgment handed down to Israel
can just as easily befall the United States of America.
I acknowledge that those
responsible for removing any and everything associated with the one and only
true God of Heaven are those who do not know Him and who hate Him.
Unfortunately, many true Christians have sat back and not only allowed it to
happen, but have also jumped in the pool alongside them. Is it any wonder that
it is difficult these days to tell who is a true Christian and who is not?
Many Christians have joined
the swine (Luke 15:16) in the far off country and need to come home to the
Father. Some will be offended by this statement, but it must be true. If it
were not true, we would not be at the brink of severe judgment we are facing in
this land. We must all humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our
wicked ways if there is any hope of the Lord hearing us, saving us and healing
our land.
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
