Claiming Others' Promises
- Justin Ray
- May 13, 2020
- 5 min read
II Chronicles 6-7
Hermeneutics, accroding to Merriam-Webster.com is defined as, "the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible)". In other words, it is the practice of properly interpreting texts, like the Bible. It is a topic that needs to be studied and applied in our world today. So much of God's word is misapplied because people take verses out of context to fit their agendas and desires. It was this very practice that led to the reformation and all the different denominations we have today. "The Church" in the middle ages had strayed far from God's word and men like Luther, Bunyan, Tyndale, and many others worked hard to bring back truth from God's word.
Men like this would be appalled if they could see our world today. The risk they took, and the blood they shed, to give people the truth of God's word has been squandered by our generations. Freedom of Religion has become "Freedom from Religion" and "preachers" blatantly misinterpret scripture for their own agendas, without shame or regret. Some even claim to know the truth of God's word concerning Biblical salvation, but prefer money of their congregation's souls.
One text that is often misapplied is found in today's reading.
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.
II Chronicles 7:14
We often try to claim this promise for ourselves (Americans), but it was not given to us. In the process, we overlook the crux of the matter. We ignored what led God to make this promise with Israel. If we want a promise like this from God, we need to begin where Solomon began; on our knees.
In II Chronicles 6, Solomon assembles the people together at the new Temple. The ark has been placed in the Most Holy Place, and now sacrifice can begin. Solomon spares no expense on this. There were so many sacrifices offered that they had to use the whole courtyard and other altars. Also, the sacrifices took place all day, every day, for seven days. Solomon started things off in a big way because he wanted to thank God for his blessings, and pray for God's continued blessings. We know this because most of chapter 6 is a prayer.
And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: 13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, 14 And said... II Chronicles 6:12-14
Solomon wanted the people to see that he was praying and to hear his prayer. This was not to bring attention to himself, but, if he was going to lead Israel to seek God, they needed to see him seek God. He wanted the people to hear the prayer. Yes, he was talking to God, but he was also addressing the citizens. In essence, it was "God I am asking you to do this, and people, you better do this."
Solomon's prayer was, at its core, a prayer for God to hear the prayers of forgiveness and repentance of Israel. He addressed individual prayers and national prayers. Repentance must begin in the heart of individuals, for we can only change our own behavior. When individual get their heart right with God, then the nation will repent.
Solomon asked God to remember his promises to David (v. 16), and to forgive sins (v. 21, 25, 27, 30, and 39). However, in every instance of forgiving sins, Solomon conditions the forgiveness with the people first repenting.
v. 21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant...
v. 24 shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;
v. 26 if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them...
v. 29 Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house
v. 37-38 turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; 38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name
The people were not to simply claim a promise. Solomon did not say "name it and claim it". He said, "REPENT"! Today, we want the promise of II Chronicles 7:14, without the conditions that Solomon preceded the blessing with. God answered all of Solomon's prayer, not simply his request for blessing. If we want God to heal our land, we too must repent.
Another issue with this promise is that it was not make to us. It was made to Israel. We want to erase Israel's name from the promise and insert USA. We want to erase Israel's name from the blessing and insert our own name. That is not how God's promises work. Promises are made to specific people or groups. The individual(s) that the promise applies to are the ones addressed. Is this to say that there are no promises given to all humanity? No. The promise of salvation if we accept Christ as our savior is available to all. The promise of judgment for sin is to all. The promise to never destroy the whole earth again with a flood applies to all. However, we must do our due diligence in determining who a promise applies to, before we try to claim it for ourselves.
Another problem with trying to claim this promise is that Solomon said people were to pray at or towards the Temple. There is no Temple today. How can we pray towards it? Most of us do not even know which direction Israel is, let along turn towards Israel to pray.
You may be asking, "Brother Justin, are you saying that God will not hear our prayers and heal America?" No. That is not what I am saying. I believe that basic principle is taught in the Bible. What I am saying is that we should not misapply promises. Also, we must realize that nations rise and fall according to God's will. There is no promise of perpetuity for America in the Bible. The people of Israel are given such a promise.
Right now, Christians very much need to seek God. We need to repent of our sins. We need to seek his forgiveness. America has much to repent of! However, more than seeking the blessing of America, we need to seek God's will. We need to pray for people to be saved. Paul loved Israel, but he left Israel to preach the Gospel. He did this because he realized that his citizenship was in Heaven. His king was not in Rome, or Jerusalem, but in Heaven. Because of this, he knew that he served a greater purpose. What about us? Do we recognize that our leader(s) are not in Washington D.C., or any other city, but in Heaven?
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