Today we were able to participate in a Nationwide call to prayer on this 250th Anniversary of our Nations Independence.
As we were praying this morning I kept thinking about 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.”
Normally we have used this Scripture as a means to encourage prayer ( and we should be people of prayer!), but if we examine what is being said, we might find it to be a little different in thought than we would expect.
“If my people who are called by my name”
Context is King before application can take place, so knowing that the context is regarding Israel under the rule of Solomon. God connects being the people of God to His name. Being called by His name is an association with him. In the Ancient near east, people groups weren’t just identified by the geography or the place they live in and the national boundaries, but even more by the altars they built and the gods they worshipped. The nations would know God’s people because they would be connected to his name–his personhood, personal qualities, character and mannerisms–the people would actually mirror those qualities in the way they carried themselves and the way they worshipped Yahweh.
“Will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways”
Prayer is most effective when in a humble manner. It’s not just about pride, it’s about our posture before him. Israel was/is the people of God called and separated to Him through covenant promise and lineage of faith. Having seen God do things on their behalf in days long past might have the tendency to convince them to take the Lord’s provision and protection for granted–something he even warned about (remember his words “lest you forget the Lord thy God…”). But it’s more than just prayer it is a seeking of His face. Prayer may lead to his hand moving, but locking on his hand at the expense of the fullness of His Presence misses the mark significantly in relationship with Him. He is the God who dwells in the midst of His people, his proximity and presence among the people is what separates Israel and His People from the rest of the nations. This is powerful because in the Presence of God we already know that flesh (wicked ways) cannot stand. The closer we are to the Lord the more transformed we become. His holiness becomes ours as we walk closer and closer with him. But there is more because turning is a choice! We have to surrender to his holiness and turn away from the wickedness that doesn’t mirror his Holiness!
“then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin”
This is imagery of the mercy seat. God who sits between the Seraphim upon the Ark of the Covenant is symbolic of his Throne in heaven. There is another imagery that we can find in Revelation which speaks of the prayers of the saints from under the altar. Its not about the location of the prayers but the trajectory! When Gods people pray, their prayers are sent straight to the throne of Yahweh, who is seated above the mercy seat and every prayer that is marked by repentance and a desire for transformation is answered by an outpouring of mercy in the form of forgiveness!
But it’s the healing of the land which is the most interesting part. Healing the land isn’t about forgiveness of sin–he already said he would do that, it’s about the physical presence of God being realized! When you consider the sacrificial system and the application of the blood in scripture you will notice that the blood is only applied to the Altar, the Temple, and the utensils used in worship. The sacrificial system provided for the creation and sanctifying of sacred space for God to dwell. The land that is needing healing is the land of Israel or the place where God would cause his name to dwell forever! Paul says the earth “groans and waits for the sons of God to be revealed” in Romans 8:19-22. There is a cry for healing that the earth is sounding because the earth which the Lord created is longing for the full weight of the Lord’s Presence to return to the earth to dwell. The healing of the land is the signifier that It has been prepped for being the dwelling place of God–not just his Presence but HIS PERSON!
How do we apply this to our nation? If God is faithful enough to do this for Israel proper, then he is faithful enough to do this for the entire world and those who are called by His name! I’m convinced that the healing of the land for the Lord to dwell is a marker to let us know that prayers in humility have been heard, forgiveness of sin has been given, and the return of the King is Imminent!
Today as the church prayed from 9-10 all across the nation, marked a gathering of the people of God called by the name of Jesus through his blood, to humbly pray and seek his forgiveness on behalf of the nation in order to create sacred space for the King to dwell in once again. If God is for us, and in all facets with us, then we will see the move of the Spirit as the precursor to the full RETURN of the KING to gather and be with His people!
