Business for the Glory of God

Max Claircius

2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14 in my experience has been gravely misused. Pastors, Sunday school teachers, and bible study teachers have use this verse to say, everything bad thing that is currently happening in the world is because society at large has turned their back on God (which is true to some degree), and if they (Christian’s everywhere) would humble themselves and pray, then God in His omniscience will stop every bad thing happening in the world and restore it for the better. I now understand that is not the appropriate use of the verse. First and foremost, God in scripture promises a new heaven and earth, where Christ, the son of David will reign forever. In order for that to be true, the old heaven and earth must pass. Therefore, no amount of praying in going to restore the land back to its original state of perfection before Sin was introduced into it.

According to Bargerhuff, this verse is a “promise that the Lord gives specifically to this king and these people in this time and this place”. God was responding to a prayer King Solomon made years earlier after he had completed the task of completing the temple, which his father David was not able to do. Solomon asks God to dwell in the temple, protect his people and nation (Israel), and to forgive their sin when they trespass against the Lord. And God responds years to Solomon’s prayer later saying “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 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” ( 2 Chron 7:14) In essence God is saying, I heard you Solomon. When my people, the Israelites sin, and they will, so I will punish them because I am just, but as soon as they...