2 Chronicles 7:12-15 "And the LORD
appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and
have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. (13) If I shut up
heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land,
or if I send pestilence among my people; (14) 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. (15) Now mine eyes shall be
open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place."
Solomon's prayer was prayed. The people had brought their sacrifices. The musicians had played their music. The priests had offered the sacrifices unto the Lord. Solomon had sent the people back to their homes. The Lord appears to Solomon with the answer to the beautiful prayer. "I have heard thy prayer and (I) have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice." Solomon, the Lord was well pleased with the manner in which you conducted the business of building and dedicating the temple of the Lord God Almighty.
God acknowledges the prayer and then He begins to give Solomon the answer. Remember the prayer consisted of a series of questions: "Lord, if they people..... will you?" Each time was a situation where if the people turned away from God, then turned back to Him, would He hear their prayers and answer them? God said, "I have heard. I have chosen this place." Then God presents situations to Solomon. "If I shut up the rain. If I send locusts. If I send pestilence (disease) among my people..." Wait a minute! Would God do something like that? Isn't He a God of love? We hear that many times, do we not? The answer is, YES, He is the God of love; therefore, when His people walk away from Him, He will do whatever is required in order to get our attention. He will stop the rain. He will send locusts. He will send diseases. He will do all those things if necessary. We often hear people say, "God is trying to tell us something." Can I tell you that my God never TRIES to do anything. When these things occur, God is not trying to tell us something; rather, He IS telling us something.
What is He telling us? He is telling us to repent and turn back to Him. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways..." It is not the world's responsibility to turn back to God. God did not say, if the Philistines, Amorites, Amelekites, or any of the other nations turn to Him. He said, "My people which are called by my name." You see, it is our responsibility to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn back to Him. So, as I look at the things occuring in our world today, it appears to me that God is strongly saying to HIS PEOPLE... Come back to me!
Someone might say, "Will God hear us if we pray?" Let's allow the Word of God to answer that for us. We quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 all the time, but then we fail to look at verse 15: "Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place." He says, I'm waiting for you to come back to me. Jesus said, those who come to Him with repentant hearts will not be turned away. What say ye? Is it time for all of us as God's children to seek the face of the Lord with bitter tears and penitent hearts?
Solomon's prayer was prayed. The people had brought their sacrifices. The musicians had played their music. The priests had offered the sacrifices unto the Lord. Solomon had sent the people back to their homes. The Lord appears to Solomon with the answer to the beautiful prayer. "I have heard thy prayer and (I) have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice." Solomon, the Lord was well pleased with the manner in which you conducted the business of building and dedicating the temple of the Lord God Almighty.
God acknowledges the prayer and then He begins to give Solomon the answer. Remember the prayer consisted of a series of questions: "Lord, if they people..... will you?" Each time was a situation where if the people turned away from God, then turned back to Him, would He hear their prayers and answer them? God said, "I have heard. I have chosen this place." Then God presents situations to Solomon. "If I shut up the rain. If I send locusts. If I send pestilence (disease) among my people..." Wait a minute! Would God do something like that? Isn't He a God of love? We hear that many times, do we not? The answer is, YES, He is the God of love; therefore, when His people walk away from Him, He will do whatever is required in order to get our attention. He will stop the rain. He will send locusts. He will send diseases. He will do all those things if necessary. We often hear people say, "God is trying to tell us something." Can I tell you that my God never TRIES to do anything. When these things occur, God is not trying to tell us something; rather, He IS telling us something.
What is He telling us? He is telling us to repent and turn back to Him. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways..." It is not the world's responsibility to turn back to God. God did not say, if the Philistines, Amorites, Amelekites, or any of the other nations turn to Him. He said, "My people which are called by my name." You see, it is our responsibility to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn back to Him. So, as I look at the things occuring in our world today, it appears to me that God is strongly saying to HIS PEOPLE... Come back to me!
Someone might say, "Will God hear us if we pray?" Let's allow the Word of God to answer that for us. We quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 all the time, but then we fail to look at verse 15: "Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place." He says, I'm waiting for you to come back to me. Jesus said, those who come to Him with repentant hearts will not be turned away. What say ye? Is it time for all of us as God's children to seek the face of the Lord with bitter tears and penitent hearts?