2 Crônicas 7
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 7
Spurgeon - from sermon Temple glories 2 Chronicles 5:13; 7:3 The more Scriptural our hymns are the better. In fact there will never be found music which can excel old David’s Psalms. Let us interpret them in an evangelical spirit, let us fill them full of the gospel of Christ, of which they are, indeed, already full in prophecy, and we shall sing the very words of the Spirit, and shall surely edify each other and glorify our God. If, then, our music has been scriptural, if our praise has been hearty, if our song has been unanimous, if we have sung of that mercy which endureth for ever, we have good cause to expect that God will manifest himself to us, and faith will perceive the cloud. That is a grand old Calvinistic Psalm, ‘His mercy endureth for ever.’ What Arminian can sing that? Well, he will sing it, I dare say; but if he be a thoroughgoing Arminian he really cannot enjoy it and believe it. You can fall from grace, can you? Then how does his mercy endure for ever? Christ bought with his blood some that will be lost in hell, did he? Then how did his mercy endure for ever? There are some who resist the offers of divine grace, despite all that the Spirit of God can do for them, yet disappoint the Spirit and defeat God, are there? How then does his mercy endure for ever? No, no, this is no hymn for you, this is the Calvinist’s hymn. This is the hymn which you and I will sing as long as life shall last, and going through the dark valley of the shadow of death we will make the shades resound with the joyous strain—‘For his mercies shall endure ever faithful, ever sure.’ 2 Chronicles 7:4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 5:6+ And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him before the ark, were sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. Psalm 51:16-17+ For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD'S PRESENCE PROMPTS SACRIFICES Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD (Jehovah) They presented the victims to the priests, and they and the Levites slew them, and sprinkled the blood; or, perhaps, the people themselves slew them, and having caught the blood, collected the fat, etc., presented them to the priests to be offered as the law required. MATTHEW HENRY - 2. The king and all the people offered sacrifices in abundance, 2Chr 7:4, 5. With these they feasted this holy fire, and bade it welcome to the altar. They had offered sacrifices before, but now they increased them. Note, The tokens of God's favour to us should enlarge our hearts in his service, and make us to abound therein more and more. The king's example stirred up the people. Good work is then likely to go on when the leaders of a people lead in it. The sacrifices were so numerous that the altar could not contain them all; but, rather than any of them should be turned back (though we may suppose the blood of them all was sprinkled upon the altar), the flesh of the burnt-offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings were burnt in the midst of the court (2Chr 7:7), which Solomon either hallowed for that service or hallowed by it. In case of necessity the pavement might be an altar. 3. The priests did their part; they waited on their offices, and the singers and musicians on theirs (2Chr 7:6), with the instruments that David made, and the hymn that David had put into their hand, as some think it may be read (meaning that 1 Chr. 16:7), or, as we read it, when David praised by their ministry. He employed, directed, and encouraged them in this work of praising God; and therefore their performances were accepted as his act, and he is said to praise by their ministry. 4. The whole congregation expressed the greatest joy and satisfaction imaginable. They kept the feast of the dedication of the altar seven days, from the second to the ninth; the tenth day was the day of atonement, when they were to afflict their souls for sin, and that was not unseasonable in the midst of their rejoicings; on the fifteenth day began the feast of tabernacles, which continued to the twenty-second, and they did not separate till the twenty-third. We must never grudge the time that we spend in the worship of God and communion with him, nor think it long, or grow weary of it. RON DANIEL - 2Chr 7:4-7 Sacrifices And Music - God's glory has filled the place, and it is now the house of God. And so we see that in God's house, these two things should happen: offerings and musical worship. It is interesting to me that in this generation, many in the church are ashamed to publicly practice these two things. Many seeker-sensitive churches have moved away from worship music, replacing it with performances. They believe that if the church body is worshipping, it will alienate the seekers. But I say that the house of God is where God's people gather to worship! And even many Biblically-based churches have in this generation become ashamed to receive offerings publicly. They say, "Receiving offerings is a stumbling block to unbelievers," and so they only have unobtrusive boxes in the lobby where people can give. But again, I say, "The house of God is where God's people gather to worship!" I agree that placing undue emphasis on money will alienate an unbeliever. But I also see that we are commanded to give our offerings to God publicly and worshipfully. I'm not going to take away our worship time because an unbeliever doesn't understand, or has a hangup about it. After all, don't unbelievers have problems and hangups with the Bible? Should we get rid of that too? The musicians and singers praised publicly, and the offerings also were presented right there, in the middle of the court. 2 Chronicles 7:5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. a sacrifice. 2Chr 1:6; 5:6; 15:11; 29:32, 33; 30:24; 35:7–9. 1 Ki. 8:62, 63. 1 Ch. 29:21. Ezr. 6:16, 17. Eze. 45:17. Mic 6:7. 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. 2Chr 2:4. Nu. 7:10. 1 Ki. 8:63. Ezr. 6:16. Jn 10:22. Related Passages: 1 Kings 8:62-63+ Now the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD. 63 Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. The number of sheep and oxen here mentioned has to some appeared incredibly large; but it must be considered that a prodigious number of persons was now at Jerusalem, and that this was the amount of all the victims that had been offered during the seven days of the feast of tabernacles, as well as the time the feast of the dedication lasted. dedicated. Ryrie - According to 1 Kings 8:63 these were peace offerings that provided food for the people during the two weeks of celebration (vv. 9-10). 2 Chronicles 7:6 The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites also, with the instruments of music to the LORD, which King David had made for giving praise to the LORD–“for His lovingkindness is everlasting”–whenever he gave praise by their means, while the priests on the other side blew trumpets; and all Israel was standing. the priests. 1 Ch. 16:39, 40; 24:1–3. the Levites. 2Chr 29:25. 1 Ch. 6:31, 32; 15:16–21; 16:4–6, 41, 42; 25:1–7. Ps. 87:7. which David. Am. 6:5. because his mercy. 2Chr 7:3. 1 Ch. 16:34. Ps. 106:1; 107:1; 118:1–4; 138:8. ministry. Heb. hand. Is. 52:6. the priests. 2Chr 5:12. Nu. 10:1–10. Jos. 6:4. 1 Ch. 13:8; 15:24; 16:6, 42. The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites also, with the instruments of music to the LORD (Jehovah), which King David had made for giving praise to the LORD (Jehovah)–“for His lovingkindness is everlasting”–whenever he gave praise by their means, while the priests on the other side blew trumpets; and all Israel was standing. Jewish Study Bible - Chronicles stresses the Davidic origin of Levitic praise and music, which Solomon applied to the newly built Temple. 2 Chronicles 7:7 Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat. consecrated the middle. 2Chr 36:14. Nu. 16:37, 38. 1 Ki. 8:64. Heb 13:10–12. the brazen. 2Chr 4:1. Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD (Jehovah), for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat. August Konkel: The third section provides details of the whole festal period (2 Chron 7:7–11). The two events of dedicating the altar and celebrating the Feast of Booths lasted for fifteen days (2Ch 7:9), double the usual length of the fall festival. The Festival of Booths began on the fifteenth day of the month and concluded on the twenty-second day (Lev 23:34–36). An eighth day, called (like the first day) a solemn assembly, concluded the celebration. The people were dismissed on the twenty-third day (2 Chron 7:10), after the conclusion of the eighth day. In the Chronicler’s version of events, the dedication of the altar had begun seven days before the commencement of the festival. The Chronicler never makes mention of the Day of Atonement, which occurs on the tenth day of the seventh month (Lev 16:29–31) and would have been during the first week of festivities. This was not a usual circumstance. It would not have been possible to observe a customary Day of Atonement since the ark itself was being dedicated in its new location. The sacrifices served for the entire fifteen days of the two festivities. The large numbers correspond to the size of the assembly. Pilgrims to the festival came from the farthest reaches of the Davidic kingdom. . . The main function of these offerings was to provide food for the table. These sacrifices were meant to be joyous occasions of celebration (Milgrom 1991: 220–21). Worshipers and priests share the peace offerings, providing a bonding of the community and a celebration of the covenant (Lev 7:11–15, 30–36). The blood, fat, and entrails of the peace offering are all devoted to God. Frederick Mabie: Solomon also consecrated the broader area of the temple complex with a great number of different types of offerings (fellowship, grain, and burnt; cf. Lev 1–3). The burning of the fat portion of the fellowship offering implies that the broader animal was used as part of the fifteen-day feast described in 2Ch 7:8–10 (cf. the stipulations in Lev 3). J.A. Thompson: It was not possible to present all the offerings on the bronze altar that Solomon had made (2Ch 4:1), so he consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple, and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings (traditionally peace offerings). The details of this arrangement are not given. Related: Burnt offering (05930) 'olah What is a burnt offering? | GotQuestions.org Peace offerings (08002) selem/shelem What is a peace offering / fellowship offering? | GotQuestions.org Grain offering (04503) minchah What is a grain offering? | GotQuestions.org 2 Chronicles 7:8 So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly who came from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. Observed. Le. 23:34–43. Nu. 29:12–38. De. 16:13–15. 1 Ki. 8:65. Ne. 8:13–18. Zec. 14:16–19. Jn 7:2, 37–39. very great. 2Chr 30:13. from the entering. That is, from one extremity of the land to another; Hamath being situated on the north, and the river of Egypt on the south. Ge. 15:18. Nu. 34:5–8. Jos. 13:3–5. 1 Ki. 4:21–25. Am. 6:14. FEAST OF BOOTHS CELEBRATED So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly who came from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt - From tHamath to the brook of Egypt indicates from the extreme north to the extreme south of the land. RON DANIEL - 2Chr 7:8-10 Time For Everything - The dedication and celebration lasted a good, long time. There was a time for everything: worship, sacrifice, celebration, being solemn, and rejoicing. Norman Geisler - See When Critics Ask 2 CHRONICLES 7:8–10—Why did Solomon fail to keep the fast as the law commanded? PROBLEM: Leviticus 16:30 commanded that a fast should be kept in connection with the Day of Atonement. However, Solomon did not observe a fast in connection with the Day of Atonement celebration that he held here in 2 Chronicles 7:8–10 (cf. also 1 Kings 8:65–66). SOLUTION: First of all, it cannot be shown from the texts that Solomon failed to keep the fast as Leviticus had commanded. The text declares that Solomon celebrated for “fourteen days” (1 Kings 8:65). It is quite possible that on the actual Day of Atonement, which was the tenth day of the seventh month, that Solomon did keep the fast. Furthermore, strictly speaking, the Leviticus passage does not use the word “fast.” It simply says they were to “afflict their souls” (Lev. 16:29). This could mean to keep the celebration with appropriate solemnity, not necessitating that no food be eaten. It does forbid that no work be done (v. 29), but it does not really say that no food could be eaten, although this has been the general understanding of the phrase throughout Jewish history. Finally, even if it could be shown that Solomon did not keep the Law correctly, all this would prove is that Solomon erred in not keeping the fast. It would not show that the Bible erred in recording what Solomon in truth did. QUESTION - What is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkot? ANSWER - The Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths and Sukkot, is the seventh and last feast that the Lord commanded Israel to observe and one of the three feasts that Jews were to observe each year by going to “appear before the Lord your God in the place which He shall choose” (Deuteronomy 16:16). The importance of the Feast of Tabernacles can be seen in how many places it is mentioned in Scripture. In the Bible we see many important events that took place at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. For one thing, it was at this time that Solomon’s Temple was dedicated to the Lord (1 Kings 8:2). It was at the Feast of Tabernacles that the Israelites, who had returned to rebuild the temple, gathered to celebrate under the leadership of Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezra 3). Later, the Jews heard Ezra read the Word of God to them during the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8). Ezra’s preaching resulted in a great revival as the Israelites confessed and repented of their sins. It was also during this Feast that Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–39). The Feast of Tabernacles takes place on the 15th of the Hebrew month Tishri. This was the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar and usually occurs in late September to mid-October. The feast begins five days after the Day of Atonement and at the time the fall harvest had just been completed. It was a time of joyous celebration as the Israelites celebrated God’s continued provision for them in the current harvest and remembered His provision and protection during the 40 years in the wilderness. As one of the three feasts that all “native born” male Jews were commanded to participate in, the Feast of Tabernacles is mentioned multiple times in Scripture, sometimes called the Feast of the Ingathering, the Feast to the Lord, or the Feast of Booths (Exodus 23:16; Deuteronomy 16:13). As one of the pilgrim feasts (when Jewish males were commanded to go to Jerusalem), it was also the time when they brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple (Deuteronomy 16:16). With the influx of people coming to Jerusalem at that time, we can only imagine what the scene must have been like. Thousands upon thousands of people coming together to remember and celebrate God’s deliverance and His provision, all living in temporary shelters or booths as part of the requirements of the feast. During the eight-day period, so many sacrifices were made that it required all twenty-four divisions of priests to be present to assist in the sacrificial duties. We find God’s instructions for celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23, given at a point in history right after God had delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. The feast was to be celebrated each year on “the fifteenth day of this seventh month” and was to run for seven days (Leviticus 23:34). Like all feasts, it begins with a “holy convocation” or Sabbath day when the Israelites were to stop working to set aside the day for worshiping God. On each day of the feast they were to offer an “offering made by fire to the Lord” and then after seven days of feasting, again the eighth day was to be “a holy convocation” when they were to cease from work and offer another sacrifice to God (Leviticus 23). Lasting eight days, the Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a Sabbath day of rest. During the eight days of the feast, the Israelites would dwell in booths or tabernacles that were made from the branches of trees (Leviticus 23:40–42). The Feast of Tabernacles, like all the feasts, was instituted by God as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance by God from Egypt. Of course, the feasts are also significant in that they foreshadow the work and actions of the coming Messiah. Much of Jesus’ public ministry took place in conjunction with the Holy Feasts set forth by God. The three pilgrim feasts where all Jewish males were commanded to “appear before the Lord in the place he chooses” are each very important in regards to the life of Christ and His work of redemption. We know with certainty that the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are symbolic of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. Likewise, we know that Pentecost, which marked the beginning of the Feast of Weeks, was the time of Jesus’ bodily ascension. And most scholars would agree that the Feast of Tabernacles is symbolic of Christ’s Second Coming when He will establish His earthly kingdom. There are also some who believe that it was likely during the Feast of Tabernacles that Jesus was born. While we celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25, most scholars acknowledge that this tradition was begun in the fourth century AD by the Roman Catholic Church and that the exact day of Jesus’ birth is unknown. Some of the evidence that Jesus might have been born earlier in the year during the Feast of the Tabernacles includes the fact that it would be unlikely for shepherds to still be in the field with their sheep in December, which is in the middle of the winter, but it would have been likely they were in the fields tending sheep at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. The strong possibility that Jesus was born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles is also seen in the words John wrote in John 1:14. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The word John chose to speak of Jesus “dwelling” among us is the word tabernacle, which simply means to “dwell in a tent.” Some believe it is very likely that John intentionally used this word to associate the first coming of Christ with the Feast of Tabernacles. Christ came in the flesh to dwell among us for a temporary time when He was born in the manger, and He is coming again to dwell among us as Lord of Lords. While it cannot be established with certainty that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles, some believe there is a strong possibility the Feast of Tabernacles not only looks forward to His second coming but also reflects back on His first coming. The Feast of Tabernacles begins and ends with a special Sabbath day of rest. During the days of the feast all native Israelites were “to dwell in booths” to remind them that God delivered them out of the “land of Egypt” and to look forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who would deliver His people from the bondage of sin. This feast, like all of the feasts of Israel, consistently reminded the Jews and should remind Christians as well that God has promised to deliver His people from the bondage of sin and deliver them from their enemies. Part of God’s deliverance for the Israelites was His provision and protection of them for the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness, cut off from the Promised Land. The same holds true for Christians today. God protects us and provides for us as we go through life in the wilderness of this world. While our hearts long for the Promised Land (heaven) and to be in the presence of God, He preserves us in this world as we await the world to come and the redemption that will come when Jesus Christ returns again to “tabernacle” or dwell among us in bodily form.GotQuestions.org 2 Chronicles 7:9 On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar they observed seven days and the feast seven days. solemn assembly. Heb. restraint. Le. 23:36. De. 16:8. Ne. 8:18. Joel 1:14. seven days. 2Chr 30:23. 1 Ki. 8:65. A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar they observed seven days and the feast seven days - 14 days total. Solemn Assembly (06116) atsarah from atsar = to restrain, retain) is a feminine noun that means assembly, and in most contexts has a religious connotation which is why it is most often translated as "solemn assembly." Solemn assemblies included those prescribed by God such as the Feast of Passover (Dt. 16:8) and the all-day gathering at the end of the Feast of Booths (Neh 8:18) Other assemblies were either for the worship of Baal (2 Ki 10:20) or were detestable to God because Israel's heart was not right before the LORD (Isa 1:13; Amos 5:21). Lev. 23:36; Num. 29:35; Deut. 16:8; 2 Ki. 10:20; 2 Chr. 7:9; Neh. 8:18; Isa. 1:13; Jer. 9:2; Joel 1:14; Joel 2:15; Amos 5:21 QUESTION - What is a solemn assembly in the Bible? ANSWER - In the Bible, a solemn assembly is a gathering of the people of Israel for a sacred feast, festival, or holy occasion. A solemn assembly included a ritual of purification or observing a state of holiness in which all the people of the community were commanded to do no work. The solemn assembly is also called a “sacred assembly” and a “solemn meeting.” One Hebrew word translated “solemn assembly” means “a day of restraint”—primarily from work. Another Hebrew term rendered “solemn assembly” denotes a unique, appointed time set apart for the keeping of festivals. On these special worship occasions, the whole community gathered together for either a feast or a fast day. Solemn assemblies played a role in Israel’s annual feasts and festivals. As part of the observance of Passover, on the seventh day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, God called for a solemn assembly: “For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly to the LORD your God and do no work” (Deuteronomy 16:8). On the eighth day of the Feast of Booths (or Feast of Tabernacles), Israel was to hold a solemn assembly: “For seven days present food offerings to the LORD, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the LORD. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work” (Leviticus 23:36). The dedication of Solomon’s temple lasted seven days and closed with a solemn assembly on the eighth day, which was then followed by the Feast of Tabernacles: “On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more” (2 Chronicles 7:9). An unusual solemn assembly took place during King Jehu’s reign in Israel. Jehu devised a scheme to purge the land of Baal worship by ordering a solemn assembly of all the priests of Baal. After cunningly luring them into their own temple, Jehu had the entire assembly slaughtered, and then he burned and destroyed the temple of Baal (2 Kings 10:18–28). During times of crisis, the people of Israel gathered in solemn assembly for special days of fasting. When a devastating plague of locusts brought drought and famine to Israel, the prophet Joel called the people to a solemn assembly: “Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD” (Joel 1:14; cf. Joel 2:15). The prophets sometimes criticized and condemned the people’s solemn assemblies because their gatherings were merely hypocritical religious shows: “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them” (Isaiah 1:13–14). The Lord despises outward rituals that serve only to hide inward rebellion. In their everyday lives, the people of Israel were failing to act justly. They weren’t living up to the Lord’s standard of righteousness, yet, with their solemn assemblies, the Israelites were continuing a public charade of piety. God saw right through the religious hypocrisy and would have none of it: “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me” (Amos 5:21). Today, some Protestant churches periodically hold meetings they call "solemn assemblies"; their purpose is usually to pray and hear the Word during a time of corporate soul-searching and self-examination. Typically, the congregation comes together during a solemn assembly for repentance, confession of sin, and fasting. GotQuestions.org 2 Chronicles 7:10 Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the LORD had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel. Then on the twenty-third day. 1 Ki. 8:66. rejoicing and happy . 2Chr 29:36; 30:26. De. 12:7, 12, 18; 16:11, 14. Ne. 8:10. Ps. 32:11; 33:1; 92:4; 100:2; 105:3; 106:5. Ac. 2:46; 16:34. Phil 4:4. goodness. 2Chr 6:41. Ex. 18:1. Related Passages: 1 Kings 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David His servant and to Israel His people. 2 Chronicles 6:41 “Now therefore arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good. Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the LORD (Jehovah) had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel. John Olley - David and Solomon are again joined together (2 Chron. 7:10), the Chronicler seeing their reigns as intertwined, with both kings being significant in the building of the temple and the settling of the ark in its place. While the Hebrew term tobah (“goodness”) often includes a sense of “prosperity” (as ESV), it is likely that for the Chronicler this is a fulfillment of God’s promise to David concerning both a son and the temple. After David received the Lord’s message through Nathan, he prayed, “You have promised this good thing to your servant,” referring specifically to the dynasty (1 Chron. 17:26), but for the Chronicler the most important task was the building of the temple. What was “good” to David has continued to be “good” to “Solomon and to Israel his people. A similar linking of God, king, people, and temple is seen in the later commendation of Jehoiada: “He had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house” (2 Chron. 24:16) (See ESV Expository Commentary (Volume 3): 1 Samuel–2 Chronicles) G Campbell
2 Crônicas 7
Spurgeon - Brethren, we want renewed appearances, fresh manifestations, new visitations from on high; and I commend to those of you who are getting on in life, that while you thank God for the past, and look back with joy to his visits to you in your early days, you now seek and ask for a second visitation of the Most High.” MATTHEW HENRY - 2Chr 7:12-22 That God accepted Solomon's prayer appeared by the fire from heaven. But a prayer may be accepted and yet not answered in the letter of it; and therefore God appeared to him in the night, as he did once before (2Chr 1:7), and after a day of sacrifice too, as then, and gave him a peculiar answer to his prayer. We had the substance of it before, 1 Ki. 9:2-9. I. He promised to own this house for a house of sacrifice to Israel and a house of prayer for all people (Isa. 56:7): My name shall be there for ever (2Ch 7:12, 16), that is, "There will I make myself known, and there will I be called upon.'' II. He promised to answer the prayers of his people that should at any time be made in that place, 2Ch 7:13-15. National judgments are here supposed (2Ch 7:13), famine, and pestilence, and perhaps war, for by the locusts devouring the land meant enemies as greedy as locusts, and laying all waste. 2. National repentance, prayer, and reformation, are required, v. 14. God expects that his people who are called by his name, if they have dishonoured his name by their iniquity, should honour it by accepting the punishment of their iniquity. They must be humble themselves under his hand, must pray for the removal of the judgment, must seek the face and favour of God; and yet all this will not do unless they turn from their wicked ways, and return to the God from whom they have revolted. 3. National mercy is then promised, that God will forgive their sin, which brought the judgment upon them, and then heal their land, redress all their grievances. Pardoning mercy makes ways for healing mercy, Ps. 103:3; Mt. 9:2. Norman Geisler - See When Critics Ask 2 CHRONICLES 7:12ff—Does God dwell in a chosen temple? PROBLEM: God told Solomon, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice” (v. 12), that “My name may be there forever” (v. 16). Yet, even Solomon in his dedicatory prayer acknowledged that God could not dwell in His temple, saying, “Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). Other Scriptures likewise affirm that God does not “dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24; cf. Isa. 66:1). SOLUTION: It should be noted, first of all, that God did not actually promise Solomon that He would “dwell” in this temple. He only said He chose it as a “house of sacrifice” (2 Chron. 7:12), to which He would attach His “name” (v. 16). Further, when the Bible speaks of God being “in” something, it does not mean that His infinite nature can be “contained” (1 Kings 8:27) by it, but simply that He is there in a special sense to bless it or manifest Himself to His people. Usually, this took the form of a theophany (Isa. 6:1), or shekinah cloud of glory (Ex. 40:34). But, there is no way that the transcendent God of Scripture can be encompassed by the walls of any human building (cf. Isa. 40:21–22). 2 Chronicles 7:13 “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, If I shut up heaven. 2Chr 6:26–28. De. 11:17. Job 11:10; 12:14. Ps. 107:34. Lu. 4:25. Re. 3:7; 11:6. I command. Ex. 10:4–6. Ps. 105:34. Joel 1:4–7; 2:25. I send. Nu. 14:12; 16:46, 47. 2 Sa. 24:13–15. Eze. 14:19–21. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, Frederick Mabie: This statement is situated within covenantal particulars related to the Deuteronomic covenant (cf. v.13), matters of temple theology (and the interwoven Israelite sacrificial system; cf. vv.15–16), and the Davidic covenant (cf. vv.17–22). Note that all these features are directly applicable to the nation of Israel located within the specific geographical area of the Promised Land featuring a functioning temple in the city of Jerusalem and having a Davidic king on the throne. . . Notable examples of leaders described as humbling themselves or leading a time of national repentance include Rehoboam (12:6), Hezekiah (32:26), and especially the dramatic example of Manasseh (33:12). Such instances of repentance and humbling frequently accompany times of prayer and an earnest seeking of God. Bob Gass - Revival in "A Fresh Word for Today" 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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:13NIV) What will it take to turn the heart of this nation back to God? The answer is revival! But what is revival? Dr. Armin Gesswein says, “The revival we need is simply a return to normal New Testament Christianity; where the churches are full of prayer, full of power, full of people, full of praise, and full of divine happenings all the time. We want something normal, not just ‘special.’ God’s normal that is.” God’s “normal” is greater than all of our “specials” put together! Revival is not a process we can use to manipulate God. You can’t plan revival, you must seek it! God gives us the pattern in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Here’s how it works: 1.The people pray. 2. God comes. 3. The people repent. 4. God revives the people. 5. The people begin to minister and pour out their lives into others. 6. God equips and empowers them, making up the difference. Anytime God is going to do something wonderful, He begins with a difficulty. When He is going to do something very wonderful, He begins with an impossibility. If you look around today, I think you will agree that this nation is in an impossible situation. ONLY GOD CAN SAVE OUR CHURCHES, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR NATION. AND HE WILL IF WE PRAY! COME ON, CHILD OF GOD, IT’S TIME TO START! Related: Spirit Filled Church 2 Chronicles 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. my people. Is. 63:19. which are called by my name. Heb. upon whom my name is called. humble. 2Chr 6:37–39; 33:12, 13, 18, 19. Le. 26:40, 41. De. 4:29, 30; 30:1–6. Eze. 33:11. Jas 4:9, 10. and pray. Ac. 9:11. seek my face. Is. 45:19. La. 3:40, 41. turn from. Pr. 28:13. Is. 55:6, 7; 59:20. Eze. 18:27–30. will I hear. 2Chr 6:27, 30, 39. heal their land. Ps. 60:2. Je. 8:22; 33:6; 51:9. IF MY PEOPLE and My people who are called by My name - Yahweh is addressing specifically the chosen people of Israel. humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways - IF conditional clause has 4 striking verbs. Then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land - THEN clause has 3 wonderful verbs! Andrew Hill: The activities of “humbling, praying, seeking, and turning” should be understood as four facets or aspects of the act (or even process) of biblical repentance (2Ch 7:14). Each of these words is theologically charged. The word “humble” (knʿ ) means to subdue one’s pride and submit in self-denying loyalty to God and his will (cf. Lev. 26:41). “Pray” (pll) in this context is a shameless acknowledgment of personal sin and a plea for God’s mercy, much like that of David’s prayer of repentance (cf. Ps. 51:1–2). “Seek” (bqš) is often used in desperate situations in which God is the only possible hope for deliverance (cf. Deut. 4:29–30). “Turn” (šwb) is the Old Testament term for repentance and signifies a complete change of direction away from sin and toward God (or an “about-face” in military parlance; cf. Ezek. 18:30, 32). 2Ch 7:14 is a theological digest of the rest of the Chronicler’s narrative. The history of the monarchy demonstrates how both the kings and the people “humble” themselves before God (e.g., Rehoboam, 2Ch 12:6–7), “pray” to God in repentance (e.g., Hezekiah, 32:20), “seek” God’s face for restoration (e.g., Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, 2Ch 20:3–4), and “turn” from sin to obey God’s commands (e.g., Asa and the people, 2Ch 15:4). Such behavior will ensure that God’s “Name” or presence will remain associated with the Jerusalem temple (2Ch 7:16a). (SEE The NIV Application Commentary on the Bible: One-Volume Edition) Geoffrey Kirkland: What Does God Want? 1. To HUMBLE - to recognize sin and utter dependence on God; subdue pride; submit in self-denying loyalty to God! 2. To PRAY - a generic term that means calling on God for help in times of need; shameless acknowledgement of sin & desperation for God’s deliverance. 3. To SEEK - in relation to worship and pursuing God’s favor; to passionately, exclusively, resolutely, run after God with focus, tenacity, endurance & joy. 4. To TURN - a changed life, repentance // turning from sin; complete change U-turn in direction in life. J
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Spurgeon - SEEK MY FACE. 2 Chronicles 7:14 There are nests among the stars where God’s saints dwell, yet many are content to creep like worms in the dust. Oh for grace to break through the clouds and enter the pure blue sky of Christ’s fellowship! We, however, are cold as ice when we should be like molten metal burning our way through all opposition. We are like the barren Sahara when we should be blooming like the Lord’s garden. He has said, “Pray and seek My face.” Yet our hearts refuse to say, “Lord, Your face I will seek.” When we do not listen to His gentle call, trials come to make us obey. Sickness is one such trial. Many Christians drag about in a diseased body or are suddenly thrown on a sick bed to toss night and day in pain and weariness. This is God’s medicine, and when it arrives remember that it was not sent to kill but to heal. As a file removes rust, sickness frequently removes our heart’s deadness. The diamond has to be cut, but that cutting increases its value, and so it is with the believer. My friend, if you will not come to God, He will send you to a sick bed that will carry you to Him. If you will not come running, He will make you come limping. If you will not come while you are healthy, He will make you come when you are sick. But you will come and, if by no other means, sickness will be the black chariot in which you finally ride. Vance Havner - Prayer Is Not Enough 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14. It will readily be seen here that God requires four things, not just one. And He will not settle for a fourth of what He requires. If we are going to use this verse let us use all of it. Sometimes we make it sound as though a prayer meeting alone were sufficient to produce a revival. God has said more here than “pray.” We are to humble ourselves—not pray for humility, but humble ourselves, “as a little child” Mt. 18:4), “in the sight of the Lord” Jas. 4:10), “under the mighty hand of God” 1 Pt. 5:6). We are to seek God’s face, His favor, the smile of His approval. “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek” Ps. 27:8). Is that what your heart says? And we are to turn from our wicked ways. That fourth note is rather subdued these days. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” Prov. 28:13). Praying is not enough if God requires more. And in this sadly misused text He certainly does! Kenneth Osbeck - BORROW - Amazing grace GOD OF OUR FATHERS Daniel C. Roberts, 1841–1907 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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) After what I owe to God, nothing should be more dear or more sacred to me than the love and respect I owe my country. —Jacques Auguste de Thou We need to be reminded that a nation can receive God’s blessing only when He is recognized as ruler and Lord. Christian people in every land have an awesome responsibility—to be models of God’s righteousness—“salt” and “light” for a sinful and hurting society. The moral strength of a nation rests upon the knees of God’s people. “God of Our Fathers” also reminds us that concerned citizens of the heavenly kingdom should also be involved citizens of their earthly kingdom. The hymn text was written in 1876, the year that America was preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Daniel Crane Roberts, a 35-year-old rector of a small Episcopal church in Brandon, Vermont, felt that the country should have a new national hymn for the occasion. His new song was sung for the first time by the parishioners of the Brandon village church for their worship service on July 4th, 1876. Later, at the time of the actual National Centennial Observance commemorating the adoption of the Constitution, Roberts’ hymn text was chosen as the official hymn for that event. These words remind us well that the God who has so richly blessed our land in the past is the One still needed to be “our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay.” God of our fathers, whose almighty hand leads forth in beauty all the starry band; of shining worlds in splendor thru the skies, our grateful songs before Thy throne arise. Thy love divine hath led us in the past, in this free land by Thee our lot is cast; be thou our ruler, guardian, guide and stay, Thy word our law, Thy paths our chosen way. From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence, be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense; Thy true religion in our hearts increase; Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace. Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way. Lead us from night to never ending day; fill all our lives with love and grace divine, and glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine. Addendum from 101 Hymn Stories (BORROW) - This stirring patriotic hymn has become increasingly popular since it was first written by an American Episcopalian minister, in 1876. Today it is included in nearly every published hymnal in this country. “God of Our Fathers” is the product of the Rev. Daniel C. Roberts, at that time pastor of a small rural church in Brandon, Vermont. It was written to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of our country’s Declaration of Independence and was sung for the first time at Brandon’s Fourth of July celebration to the music of the old, Russian national anthem. This tune, which has since come to be known as the “Russian Hymn,” is used exclusively today with the hymn “God the Omnipotent!” Later, Roberts submitted his text anonymously to the committee revising the Episcopal hymnal, and it was included in their 1892 edition, wedded with the “Russian Hymn” tune. At the time of our national Centennial observance commemorating the adoption of the Constitution, Robert’s hymn text was chosen as the official hymn for that event. The committee commissioned the organist of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York City, George William Warren, however, to compose an original tune for Robert’s text. This new tune, with its dramatic trumpet calls before each stanza, contributed much to the growing popularity of the hymn. The hymn first appeared with its new tune, the “National Hymn,” in 1894, in the official hymnal of the Episcopal Church, and Robert’s text has been used exclusively with this music to the present time. The hymn text represents Daniel Robert’s one claim to literary fame. Evidently, he was a very modest man. In 1901, he wrote: “I remain a country parson, known only within my own small world.” Concerning his hymn he once stated: “My little hymn has thus had a very flattering official recognition. But that which would really gladden my heart, popular recognition, it has not received.” Although popular recognition for Robert’s hymn text was slow in coming, he did receive various honors before his death in Concord, New Hampshire, on October 31, 1907. He was given a Doctor of Divinity degree by Norwich University, was made president of the New Hampshire Historical Society, as well as president of the State Normal School in Vermont, and Chaplain of the National Guard of New Hampshire. Following service in the Union Army during the Civil War and later ordination to the Episcopal ministry in 1866, Roberts served parishes in Vermont and Massachusetts, and for many years he was the vicar of the St. Paul’s Church in Concord, New Hampshire. The composer of the “National Hymn” tune, George William Warren, was known as an accomplished organist, while serving Episcopal churches in Albany, Brooklyn, and New York City. He also composed various anthems and hymn tunes and, in 1888, edited Warren’s Hymns and Tunes as Sung at St. Thomas’ Church. Later, Warren received an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Racine College, in Wisconsin, in recognition of his church music accomplishments. This text, with its recognition of God’s providential guidance of our nation in the past and our need for reliance on Him for the future, combined with its stirring, inspirational music, is a very usable hymn for any national celebration. The Conditions for Revival -- 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 How do you feel our country is doing spiritually? Do you sense and see there’s a need for true spiritual awakening and renewal? Are morals and values declining in a dramatic and disturbing fashion? Do you believe our nation as a whole has lost its vision and its sense of purpose driven by the providence and the plans of God? If so, then this verse will have great relevance and importance for you. I want us to note several important things about it, because it places a great obligation upon the people of the Lord. This shows us that if revival is to come, as by its very definition it should, it must come to His people first and foremost. A revival is simply a renewal, or “life again,” as it would be literally translated. Let’s note the challenging conditions for revival. There are four things that the Lord says we must do, and He gives them to us in a specific order. First, we must humble ourselves. Without true spiritual humility we won’t be praying for revival! But if we truly sense and know that we are incapable of producing any real spiritual change apart from the genuine movement of the Holy Spirit, then God will extend His hand of blessing. This spiritual humility is an important aspect of one’s daily walk with the Lord. Second, the Lord encourages us to pray. Revival will come without many things. But it will not come without the intercession and prayers of God’s people. Why don’t we have revival? It’s because we have not asked for it. As simple as this is, it’s also a profound reason why we need to be praying for God’s movement of the Spirit. Third, the Lord encourages us to seek His face. This simply means He wants us to be in line with His character—to seek communion and fellowship with the Lord. Unless we seek this alignment with God and make it a priority in our lives, we are very unlikely to experience and know its realities of closeness with Him. Fourth, we must turn from our wicked ways. Notably, this is the last condition that is necessary for revival. It is last because if we are doing the first three obligations for renewal then this one will come naturally. If we are praying and seeking the face of the Lord in humility, we will be inclined to turn from any and all known sin in our lives. Dear Lord, help me to humble myself, pray for revival, seek Your face, and turn from my wicked ways. I desire revival in my land, Lord! Amen. ANYA ROBERTS God Used a New Believer God worked through the testimony of a young new believer named Florrie Evans. When Pastor Jospeh Evans asked for testimonies, Florrie arose and with a trembling voice said, “I love Jesus with all my heart.” God used this to melt the hearts of many others. The London Times reported remarkable changes that took place in the public spirit. For example, in Swansea people who had left their parents in the “workhouse” for the poor came to take them out. Entire congregations were on their knees in prayer and “for the first time there was not a single case of drunkenness at the Swansea County Petty Sessions.” The Bible Society saw orders for Scriptures multiply to three times the level for the previous year. At Bangor University revival fires were spreading in January of 1905. There were “only a third or a fourth of the students attending some of the classes…Beginning with a spontaneous outburst of praise andprayer among the men students, the movement spread . . at a united prayer meeting…some…broke down sobbing.” David Lloyd George, who later became Prine Minister of England, saw one of his political rallies taken over by the Welsh revival. On January 11th, 1905, he said the Welsh revival gave hope “that at the next election Wales would declare with no uncertain sound against the corruption in high places which handed over the destiny of the people to the terrible brewing interest…” The Times reported on January 16th, 1905, that “At Glyn-Neath a feud had existed for the past ten or twelve years between the two Independent Chapels, but during the past week united services have been held in both chapels, and the ministers have shaken hands before the congregations.” The fires of spiritual awakening crossed the ocean. In 1904 the Atlanta newspapers reported an amazing revival of prayer sweeping the city. On November 2nd the Supreme Court of Georgia closed so people could attend prayer meetings. Stores, factories, offices and even saloons followed suit. “For two hours at midday all Denver was held in a spell . . . The marts of trade were deserted between noon and two o’clock this afternoon,” the Denver Post reported on January 20th, 1905. One Kentucky pastor died of overwork after receiving 1,000 new members in two months. Out of a population of 50,000 only fifty unconverted adults remained in Atlantic City, New Jersey! Revival came to north China in 1932 in answer to several years of prayer. At one point, Norwegian missionary Maria Monsen wondered what good her praying could do. She longed to see God’s river of life flood spiritually dry China. Then she realized that the mighty Yangtze River began when the tiny drops of rain came together in the top of the mountains. Maria sought a prayer partner who would join her in claiming the promise “that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Mt. 18:19). When she finally found someone she exclaimed, “The awakening has begun! Two of us have agreed!” The rain drops of revival prayer were coming together. In November of 1930 Maria announced, “A great revival is coming soon and it will begin in the North China Mission.” She was convinced that the missionaries had fulfilled the conditions for revival found in 2 Chron. 7:14. In 1932 about forty Christians were meeting in a town in North China for prayer four times a day beginning at 5:00 a.m. Believers were convicted of sin. Two men repented of hating each other. Love was strong and deep. Joy abounded. When revival came more people were born again than in any previous year in North China. One missionary estimated that 3,000 people came to Christ in his town. Pastors, missionaries, and Bible women experienced a deeper Christian life than they had ever known before. A spirit of prayer was poured out on the church. People loved to pray. Many times prayer meetings lasted two or three hours. The prayers were short, fervent, and sometimes tearful. Children’s prayers led to the salvation of their parents and teachers. In 1936 revival fires broke out on the campus of Wheaton College west of Chicago. A senior named Don Hillis arose in chapel to voice a plea for revival. Students responded with an all-day prayer meeting on Saturday. Both faculty and students confessed sin and made things right with one another. The Wheaton campus was touched again in 1943 following a message on confession of sin during special services. The captain of the cross-country team arose to confess that he had violated college policy by leading his team in a Sunday race. Pride, criticism, and cheating were confessed by other students. Lunch and dinner slipped by unnoticed while the meeting continued into the evening service. “Stop the bus!” a member of the Wheaton College Glee Club shouted. The Glee Club was touring in Florida in 1950. A revival that had broken out on the campus in Illinois had touched this student hundreds of miles away. He confessed he had broken the rules and other students began to turn to God. God’s promise is still true. If we seek Him with all our heart, we shall surely find Him ready to pour the riches of His grace and love into the lives of His people (Jer. 29:13). Oliver Price, Revival Insights, Vol. III, No. Revival for Survival (2 Chronicles 7:14) As my wife and I have been raising our four children, we’ve always lived on a busy street or highway. Like most other parents, when our kids were small, we gave them strict orders not to play near or in the street. For their own safety, we gave them boundaries. Our children are still alive today because of the grace of God and because they stayed within the boundaries and did not play in the street. In many ways the U.S. is still a great country, and we’re grateful and thankful to be Americans. But our nation is troubled, and we are reeling from the shock and grief of the Oklahoma City bombing. At first we thought it was the work of another foreign terrorist. Then we were horrified to find this dastardly deed came from within our own ranks. The tragedy in our nation’s heartland is a grim reminder of the fact that we are a society in moral and spiritual decline. We cannot blame Saddam Hussein or other foreign entities this time. We are slowly self-destructing and we must shoulder our own blame. It is this writer’s opinion that our official decline began in 1962–63 when we allowed our Supreme Court to remove prayer and Bible reading from our public schools. Ten years later, we legalized abortion, and when we sanction the murder of our society’s most innocent and helpless citizens, then none of us is safe! We have discarded the sanctity of human life and are reaping the bloody results. We have ignored the boundaries our loving heavenly Father gave us and are “playing in the street,” and it is killing us! Profanity, desecrating the Lord’s Day, disobedience to parents, murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting are all forbidden in the Ten Commandments, but Americans are acting like those were only “ten suggestions.” There is a high price for “playing in the street” and every day we file for more divorces and lawsuits, increase our welfare rolls, build more jails and hospitals, bury more dead and shed more tears. What is the remedy? The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who 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.” In other words, there must be “Revival for Survival.” We must return to the God who loves us and who in His wisdom and mercy set boundaries for our safety and enjoyment. God said in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” It’s up to us.—Don Johnston Robert
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Spurgeon - If, and a Triple Promise “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 fromheaven, and will forgive their sin, and will healtheir land.”—2 Chronicles 7:14 CALLED by the name of the Lord, we are nevertheless erring men and women. What a mercy it is that our God is ready to forgive! Whenever we sin let us hasten to the mercy seat of our God, seeking pardon. We are to humble ourselves. Should we not be humbled by the fact that after receiving so much love, we yet transgress? O Lord, we bow before thee in the dust and own our grievous ingratitude. Oh, the infamy of sin! Oh, the sevenfold infamy of it in persons so favored as we have been! Next, we are to pray for mercy, for cleansing, for deliverance from the power of sin. O Lord, hear us even now, and shut not out our cry. In this prayer we are to seek the Lord’s face. He has left us because of our faults, and we must entreat Him to return. O Lord, look on us in thy Son Jesus, and smile upon thy servants. With this must go our own turning from evil, God cannot turn to us unless we turn from sin. Then comes the triple promise of hearing, pardon, and healing. Our Father, grant us these at once, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. Tony Evans - Requirements for True Revival [If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 When God’s people are disobedient, we suffer His wrath because we have rejected His way. God desires a restored relationship with His people, but we believers still have a responsibility in our own revival. That responsibility, outlined in 2 Chronicles 7:14, calls for specific action. “[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray…” With these words, God reveals that He focuses revival on His people. When believers come to God on His terms with humble hearts, we give God permission to take action. When we open the door for revival through prayer, God works on our sins and addresses how they affect our lives. “And seek My face…” Seeking God’s face means seeking His presence, submitting to His authority, and approaching Him on His terms. “And turn from their wicked ways…” With these words, God is calling for spiritual and physical action as prerequisites to His intervention. We must rid ourselves of excuses and crutches, which are often disguised as addictions and issues. Only when we seek God’s will with humility, prayer, and obedience will true revival occur. The River of God’s Choosing GOD, I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. A part of me wants to escape from the dust and drudge of life in the local church. A part of me scorns the church because of her petty conflicts, her lack of vision, her perennial preoccupation with everything but that which is most necessary. That part of me is pure and holy, I tell myself. But the truth is, that part of me is proud. The local church is like the River Jordan, the only place where Naaman could be healed. Teach me, O God, to let go of my grim-jawed pride, to dip, to swim, to joy in the river of your choosing. Then I will be healed. Adrian Rogers - The cry of my heart is for revival, real revival—personal revival, family revival, citywide revival, nationwide revival, worldwide revival. God has said, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves … and seek my face, and turn from their wicked [way]; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). I believe that we’re seeing in America—honestly and sincerely, I believe we’re seeing—spiritual warfare as we have never seen it. I believe we’re seeing spiritual warfare in our city as we have never seen it. I believe that God is giving to us here in Memphis the foregleams, the flickerings, of a citywide awakening, and I believe, correspondingly, that Satan is letting loose with all of the artillery of hell. And, I believe the battle will be won or lost as we pray. (From sermon entitled A Conversation with Abraham Lincoln | 2 Chronicles 7:14) Related Resources: All 4 sermons below available here. America Needs Healing | 2 Chronicles 7:14 It’s Prayer Time in America | 2 Chronicles 7:14 It’s Prayer Time in America | 2 Chronicles 7:14 National Repentance | 2 Chronicles 7:14