"if My people who are called by My name will 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 Chronicles 7:14
Understandably, in the middle of 2020, this verse has been quoted over and over again.
Here's my question, "Is this a guarantee to all lands or was it a direct promise for Israel? Do you think God's objective was to heal the land, or was it to reach the people?"
I believe the entire Bible to be the inherent Word of God. However, I also believe that there were directives and commands meant specifically for Israel. God seems to be making a conditional corporate promise. Throughout the Old Testament, God is teaching and molding the Israelites to follow Him, depend on Him, and especially to trust Him.
Paul contrasts, in the book of Galatians, God's law and God's promises,
....for the Scriptures say, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey ALL the commands that are written in God's book of the Law" (3:10, emphasis mine)
Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ (3:19-22).
We do not live under the Law. The Law was designed to be followed perfectly and there was only One who could do that.
So if this is a direct conditional promise to Israel, how does 2 Chronicles 7:14 apply to America? I'm not sure, but I believe it does apply to the Christian. I think we should pray this prayer and follow its directive; it is woven throughout the whole Bible. But what if we do exactly as it says and God does not heal our land? What if He leaves it broken? Would that mean we didn't pray enough, or long enough, or seek Him hard enough? Did we not turn quickly enough? God says, "My ways are higher than your ways." The fact is, as you read this, the church around the world is being persecuted, and yet the Gospel is spreading like wildfire.
Even though God told Israel that if they did this He would heal their land, I believe it was always more about the people than the land. So, let's personalize the principle. God is asking the Christian to humble himself, to pray, to seek Him, and turn from sin. He is promising that if we do, He will hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land. But could that land be the land under your feet? Is He promising to heal our nation or is He promising to heal you, and then use you, no matter the circumstances around you, as His ambassador to a lost and broken land?
The truth is, Jesus didn't spend His time healing the land, or praying for the overthrow of Cesar and the Roman government. He didn't pray for the religious hypocrites to be ousted from the Temple. His focus was on His Father and people. He spent His time teaching about the Kingdom of God, pouring into the twelve, and especially the three.
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15
I really do pray that God heals our land, I'm just not sure His promises apply to the nation as much as they do the person. But what I do believe is He promises that if you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him, and in finding Him, He will heal your land.
God uses broken vessels. To be perfectly honest with you, this challenges me. I don't like being broken. (That actually sounds funny to me because chronic illness makes me feel broken most of the time.) But if there's one thing I've learned through suffering, it's that God loves to fill broken and emptied vessels with Himself.
Will you do it? Will you humble yourself, pray, seek His face and turn from your wicked ways and see what God does?
May He bless you, and keep you, make His face shine upon you and give you peace; especially in this extremely difficult year on earth.
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