2 Chronicles 7:11-14

Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the King’s palace, and successfully completed all that he had planned on doing in the house of the Lord and in his palace. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayers, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 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, 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 heal their land”.

The context of this passage is that David wanted to build a building, a house, for God. The Israelites were no longer roaming in the desert and yet God was “still dwelling in a tent”, while David lived in a great palace. David had brought the Ark of the Covenant back from Kiriath-jearim. So David started gathering material from all across the region. God told David, he was a man of war and could not build Him a building. Solomon wanted to honor his father’s wishes to build a house for God.

One thing struck me as I re-read the passage. God had already selected this place for Himself. Then it was to be a place of “sacrifice”. In the dedication, Solomon had offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep for all the people. That’s quite a sacrifice.

Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross; One, for all. So you might think or have heard that it is no longer necessary to make a sacrifice. Then why are we told in the New Testament, offer up a sacrifice of praise?

Now, to the main body of the text. If My people… who are called by My Name…. In the Old Testament God’s people were the Jews. In God’s economy in the New Testament, those who have ask Jesus to forgive their sin and looked to Him as Savior, “are God’s people”. So this Old Testament passage can apply to the New Testament believer. And because that is so, we must pay close attention to it.

The next phrase is, “will humble themselves”. Humble means: absence of pride, meek, modest. In the context, it means knowing one’s position before God.

Then God tells us to “pray”. What do we pray about? In the previous chapters, God has been reviewing the Jew’s “shortcomings”, their sins,
and is in essence saying, “Don’t do that”. He’s reminding them that they have just offered up a sacrifice of 142,000 animals and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin, i.e. Jesus blood on the cross. Pray daily for the forgiveness of sin. Pray to walk closer to the Lord. Pray for others so that they may do the same.

“And seek My face”. Do you pray for your wants and needs and then hang up the phone? Or do you truly seek God’s face? Seek His will? Seek His mind?

This is where most people go on to God’s response… “Then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and heal their land”.

Let’s take this one from the top. “And seek my face and “turn from their wicked ways”… “Then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and heal their land”.

Turn from whose wicked ways? God’s people are to turn. God’s people are the problem. Yes, God is angry with the wickedness of the worldly people but, He is more upset and angry with those people who say that God is the Father and Jesus is His only Son and then go on their merry way and live as they please.

Those of you who “name the Name of Jesus” as Savior and Lord, you are the ones whom God is asking to turn from “your wicked ways”. If you think you are OK, then you’re not looking at God enough. The more you know Him, the more you see yourself, and it ain’t pretty.

Romans 12:1 I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God that you present yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable and spiritual service of worship.

Walk with God,
Ron
reskewsquad@blogspot.com