Dave continued his series on revival tonight, looking at possibly the most famous verse associated with this subject: 2 Chronicles 7:14. In context (for ‘a text taken out of context leaves a con…’), this call to humility, prayer, repentance and seeking God did not come during a period of tragedy and mourning, but during the dedication of the temple in King Solomon’s reignm a time of celebration and joy. Whether we are in mourning or in celebration, however, this verse shows us how to respond to God.
Who must do what God says?
God’s people are the ones called to obey God. We are called by God; having His name on us is one way of expressing His ownership (see Is 43:7, Is 65:1). Obviously, in context, this referred to the nation of Israel, but Christians are also known as God’s people (1 Pet 2:9), people who bear the name of Christ. The call to obedience is to Christians.
How must we respond to God at such a time as this?
God looks for us to:
- humble ourselves (admitting our need for and our dependence upon God, acknowledging that what matters is not how we measure up to other people but how we measure up to God’s holy standards. We are called to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, grieve, mourn and wail and change our attitudes to humility – see James 4:7-10).
- pray (acknowledging we are sinners in need of God, crying out to God for mercy. Ps 145:18-19 reminds us that God is near to all who call on Him in truth, fulfilling the desires of those who fear Him, hearing their cry and saving them.)
- seek God’s face (seeking His favour, realising that sin is the thing that separates us from God’s favour and that we must confess our sins – 1 Jn 1:9 – secure in the atonement Jesus has purchased for us.)
- turn from our wicked ways (we must repent, turning away from our sins. Christians should not be so influenced by the values and priorities of the world that we become indistinguishable in our behaviour from lost people; there needs to be a radical difference in our lifestyles which can only come about through repentance. Is 55:6-7 reminds us of the need to seek the Lord, forsaking our wicked ways. 1 Pet 4:17 reminds us that ‘it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God.’ We need to take seriously the warnings against sin and complacency and turn from our wicked ways.)
What will happen if we do what God says?
- God will hear from heaven. God is sovereign and in sovereign power and glory, He will hear us.
- God will forgive our sin. Sin is the key problem in the world and God has dealt with sin decisively by sending His only Son to die for our sins.
- God will heal our land. The people in our land need God; for God to heal our land, people need healing, salvation and restoration.
This verse is conditional. It is an ‘if… then’ statement. God looks to us, His believing people, to do what we must do so that He will be free to do what He wants to do for our nation. We can listen to sermon after sermon and be unchanged… or we can take to heart the key word ‘if’ and become the cause of blessing for our nation as we respond in humility, prayer, supplication and repentance.
