Recently I heard a prophecy teacher –actually one of my favorite prophecy guys— say something like the following: “I hate to burst your bubble about what you probably believe about God’s promises to the church and his promises to Israel. But 2 Chronicles 7: 14 isn’t for the church. It is for Israel.”
He then went on to say that the context of that promise makes it obvious for whom it was given. It doesn’t apply to we of the Church Age was his conclusion.
I must take exception to that statement by this man, one who I respect greatly and consider one of the very top teachers and writers of Bible prophecy today. Let’s have a look at the promise that god, indeed, made to the nation Israel.
“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.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14)
The speaker was talking about whether the United States is in Bible prophecy. He was speaking to the many worries people have as to what will happen to America so far as concerns prophecy yet future. Particularly, as I recall, he was talking about the upcoming 2020 presidential election. People were, he said, wondering about what we should do as believers to seek God’s divine intervention in this election. There are great fears that the opposition party to that of this president has turned totally toward the dark side and is more and more anti-God in their platform goals.
The speaker was intimating that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is the scripture most invoked, but that it isn’t in effect for the Church. It was given exclusively to the Jews –to the nation Israel.
The basis for my taking exception to my friend’s pronouncement in part is truth encased within the following scriptural areas.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with who is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1: 17)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13: 8)
God’s Word is the very Person of Jesus the Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead. God the Father sent Jesus into the world as Himself in the flesh. Jesus taught and preached ultimate truth. Jesus and the Father are one –see John chapter 17. Jesus created all that is, see Genesis chapter 1. He did so by the spoken Word. Jesus is the Word. This is made plain in John chapter 1.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1: 1-3)
Jesus and the Father, the Lord verifies through His prayer in John chapter 17, are one. Jesus also says that we who believe in Him are one with Him, as He is one with the Father. Therefore His Father’s children are Jesus’ “people,” just as they are God the Father’s “people”.
We are all “one” with God. We are His “people”.
This includes all people of God’s created order who “believe” for salvation as prescribed by God. Those who believe are His people.
Therefore, it is my Bible-based contention that in 2 Chronicles 7: 14, the “my people” is referring to God’s “people,” no matter of what era.
God changes not. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
God’s Promise to Israel in 2 Chronicles 7: 14, in my view, apply to believers of all ages.
It is true that Israel’s “land” was healed on several occasions, after the people had drifted into backsliding and gross idolatry. America, it is equally true, for example, has not experienced what might be considered a complete healing in the sense of Israel in its ancient past.
However, America, again for example, has experienced degrees of “healing.” The great revival movements that came out of the Great Depression, was God at work in answering prayers of His “people.”
I believe the 2016 election for president was an answer to the prayers of God’s “people.” It was, to anyone possessing spiritual acuity, a miracle from the Almighty. Certainly, even the secularists –the mainstream media, and Mr. Trump’s opponents, were stunned into a form of madness!
Another friend defines the declaration that 2 Chronicles 7: 14 is not for the Church as a part of the Seminary Syndrome.
By this, he means that the products of often self-exalted seminaries sometimes can’t see the simplicity of God’s truth for feeling they have to make it complex to somehow justify their existence as the last word on interpretation of scriptural truth.
And, I mean no disrespect to the men and women who have the prestigious, seminary degrees of various flavors. Many, many of these are dear friends.
But, for the Seminary Syndrome to induce them to say such things as the things mentioned above with regard to God’s dealings with His “people,” just smacks of being wrong to my spiritual senses.
I have expressed before in my commentaries that I have the same problem with the Seminary Syndrome declarations that Matthew chapter 24 (the Olivet Discourse) is for the nation Israel only. –That the Rapture of the Church isn’t to be found in that great teaching by our Lord.
So please continue to pray in light of 2 Chronicles 7: 14 in regard to the 2020 presidential election. Our nation still needs healing, as we all know. Admittedly, as this generation seems to be at the very end of the Age of Grace, and at least half of the nation is deliberately moving away from, not nearer to God, it is unlikely that there is time to see a complete healing of America.
However, the prayers of God’s people have and can yet produce miracles within this land upon which God has so richly bestowed His blessings.