If My People . . .

If, as I stated in my previous post, humble prayer and fasting for the spiritual condition of our world is the answer to the current social, political, and economic difficulties, for what should we pray? Notice that in Daniel 9, Daniel’s prayer was primarily focused on the confession of sin and repentance of God’s people. This brings to mind that well known verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14, "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 and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (ESV) We often think about this verse alone, out of its context. It certainly has a great message for us in and of itself, but the message of the larger context is powerful and important.

2 Chronicles 5 through 7 is the story of the dedication of the temple Solomon built upon instructions from the Lord. The recurring theme in chapter six is that the temple would be a place of prayer, and that if God’s people will pray God will hear their prayers and heal their land. The chapter contains six if-then pairs concerning the prayers of God’s people and his promise to hear those prayers. Three of those pairs (vs. 24-25, 26-27, and 36-39) clearly state that the afflictions God’s people are the result of their own unfaithfulness to him. The pair in verses 28-31 does not say that the afflictions of God’s people result from their unfaithfulness, but simply acknowledges that those afflictions do happen. The pair in verses 34-35 states that at times the affliction of God’s people is the consequence of God sending his people to war against their enemies. In this instance, the sufferings of God’s people are because of their faithful obedience rather than their unfaithfulness. Finally, the pair in verses 32-33 states that if the foreigner who has come from a far land for the sake of God’s name prays, God responds.

This chapter says much about God and about his people. This passage is above all a great assurance that God will hear the prayers of his people and respond positively to them. It is also, however, a bit of a warning. Half of the six if-then pairs clearly state that the reason for the afflictions of God’s people was their own unfaithfulness. I need to be careful here; it is not my purpose to accuse anyone of anything. We are not to judge another’s circumstances and we cannot know that any situation is because of God’s chastising those whom he loves. This is certainly true on an individual basis. (See John 9:1-3.) But it is clear that of when the afflictions come, God’s people should take a hard look at themselves. God’s purpose for us is holiness, and "the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (Hebrews 12:6) There are many examples in the Scripture, but the book of Judges should suffice. In Judges, the people of God did what was evil in God’s sight and God permitted the oppression of his people seven times over a period of about 350 years. (Judges 2:11-14, 3:7-8, 3:12-13, 4:1-2, 6:1, 10:6-8, 13:1) Also notice that those who did evil in God’s sight were his people, the Israelites. God had high expectations for them, expectations of holiness, and when they did not live up to those expectations God allowed them to suffer so that they would remember him, repent of their unfaithfulness, and once again glorify him

The lesson for the church today is that we must look at ourselves very carefully. Do we live for the glory of God or do we live by and for our passions? Granted, sometimes we suffer afflictions because we are engaged in God’s work, and sometimes we suffer afflictions because we live in a fallen, imperfect world that includes life and death, success and failure, affliction and prosperity simply because that is the order God set up after the fall. But, as often as not, we suffer difficulties and afflictions because we have forgotten God’s sovereign purpose of holiness. The great promise of 2 Chronicles 6-7 is that when his people, those called by his name, humble themselves, repent, and pray God will hear and heal their land. There is hope. God is still God, and he has not changed a bit in all of eternity. So, what we should pray for? A good place to start is to pray that God will quicken our hearts to our own sin and that we might repent, glorify him, and enjoy him forever