If my people

BY VERONICA MARTIN THOMAS (M.Div’07)

The setting of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is at the dedication of David’s temple which Solomon had built. It is God’s Word to Solomon concerning that land in that day. At the dedication, Solomon prayed this great prayer. Now He remembers the prayer of His people and he says, “If my people, which are called by my name…”.  To whom is He talking? “My people, which are called by my name.” That is believers, God is talking to Solomon about Israel. Now, if these will humble themselves, if they will pray, if they will seek His face, if they will turn from their wicked ways, then God promises three things to Israel; He will hear their prayer, He will forgive them, He will heal their land. These were definite conditions that God put down for Israel, and their history that demonstrates the accuracy and literalness of these specifics.

2 Chronicles 7:14 has a message for us, too. It contains a formula for this time. “My people”—God has a people which we call the church or the body of Christ, those who have accepted the Savior, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,” (Titus 2:14). I guess one could say a lot of us are peculiar people, but this means a people for Himself. “Shall humble themselves,” — the Flesh is proud but we are admonished to be humble. Humbleness is commended for the believer today, “And pray” — certainly many times in the New Testament we are admonished to pray. “And turn from their wicked ways.” This also applies to us. God has a great deal to say about repentance for believers, “as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent,” (Rev. 3:13). Repentance is for the child of God. True repentance is more than talk— it is changed behavior.

Now how about God’s part? God had promised that He would hear, “and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight,” (1 John 3:22). He promised to forgive: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and Just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:9).

And will heal their land, “We are blessed with all our spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. We were aliens, enemies of God and now we have been made the sons of God. We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and He forgives our sins. Heaven is our home, and the New Jerusalem is our goal. We have been delivered from hell. These are our blessings.

In conclusion, 2 Chronicles 7:14 gives us God’s prescription for spiritual sickness. First, the beseecher must be “called by my name.” The only other condition is “humble themselves.” The words “pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,” describe what “humbling ourselves” requires. It means to rely completely on God by abandoning our own sinful ways and responding wholeheartedly to God’s known will. Only those with a sense of personal relationship (“called by His name”) who take relationships with God seriously (“humble themselves”) will turn to the Lord for supernatural help. Whether we sin individually, as a group, or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness. God will answer our earnest prayers.

Let us respond to the Word of God. Amen.  So be it.