A Call Back to God

A Call Back to God

II Chron. 7:12-18

Theme: God shows us why He is calling us back to Himself.

Welcome to Heritage Sunday here at Mountain View Baptist Church. Today we are celebrating the 248th birthday of our nation Just a few days ago. God has blessed our country because of our Christian heritage. Our history is rooted deeply in God’s Word.

Welcome to our first-time guests today. It is a tremendous blessing to have you. Following the service this morning we will have lunch for everyone. Please feel free to stay so we can share a meal and connect with you.

In this passage of Scripture, it is an incredible moment in the history of the nation of Israel. The year is 972 BC, Solomon is now the king and he has fulfilled that which has been in the heart of their great leader and his father, David. Prior to David’s death, he had carefully prepared for this moment in history and now the temple is complete.

Solomon has gathered the entire nation for 7 feast days to dedicate this great temple to God. All were there: the kin, the priests, the musicians who played and sang were there for this most powerful event. It would be tantamount to the installation of the president of the US in significance. There were vast amounts of sacrifices given on that day which measures the enormity of the event in the nation.

Solomon had built a scaffold to be lifted up before the people as he prayed publically for God to come upon this mighty place. It had both political and spiritual significance. Though this was a national event for the nation, there was spiritual responsibility to each person as outlined in this passage. God would only bless the nation as the people would obey Him personally.

God has blessed America and in the early days of this nation, God guided us to be a people who would honor Him before the world. Israel had their prized place, but the shine of the spiritual significance of the temple grew dim, and God brought judgment on the people.

Our country has deep roots in Christian truths and while not everyone was a Christian, there were many leaders who lived by Godly principles. There was an honor and respect for God and His Word.

Listen to these words by John Quincy Adams on July 4, 1837 on the 61st Anniversary of our nation:

Why is it, Friends and Fellow Citizens, that you are here assembled? Why is it, that, entering upon the sixty-second year of our national existence, you have honored me with an invitation to address you from this place, a fellow citizen of a former age, bearing in the records of his memory, the warm and vivid affections which attached him, at the distance of a full half century, to your town, and to your forefathers, then the cherished associates of his youthful days? Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? – And why is it that, among the swarming myriads of our population, thousands and tens of thousands among us, abstaining, under the dictate of religious principle, from the commemoration of that birth-day of Him, who brought life and immortality to light, yet unite with all their brethren of this community, year after year, in celebrating this, the birth-day of the nation?

Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the corner stone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies, announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?

We have drifted very far from this truth today. Yet, here in this room, we can make a difference in our homes and community by turning back to Him. The shine of God’s sacred trust given to us has been pushed aside disowned, and rejected. There is an evil presence and ungodliness that is reigning over our nation.

God is calling us back to Him. God wants to send a Holy Spirit, heaven sent, spiritual revival.

When we study the conditions of Israel, we find there is a parallel between the spiritual condition of Israel and the current condition of our country.

God is calling us back for three reasons.

Reason 1 . . .

Because of the reputation of God v. 12, 16

In verses 1-3 we are introduced to this place as consecrated. This means a place where God is the center of its purpose. God came down and inhabited this special place. In the chapter before, Solomon prayed a lengthy prayer before the nation to dedicate the temple unto God and God consecrated the place.

In April of this year both houses in Tennessee voted to declare July a month of fasting and prayer. Rep Monty Fritts introduced a bill. They are asking God’s hand of mercy and healing on their state. The governor even signed the bill on April 16.

“We’re in a position in our nation, even in our state, that we can’t legislate ourselves out of the problems that we have," Fritts told the room last week. "We can’t budget or spend out of the problems we have. I think we need a miracle. I’m honestly and openly saying we need God to move in our state and in our country.”

“History has shown us, the Bible has shown us, God tells us: He wants to heal our land,” Fritts said in closing. “We have allowed a lie to be propagated in America that the church is to have no influence on the government. We need people of good moral fiber, believers, to come together so that we do have absolute rights and wrongs in our culture.”

The fire that came down in Solomon’s day is God’s acceptance and the descent of holy fire upon us is so desperately needed. A spiritual fire consecrates, cleanses, and makes new. We need once again the fire of God on our nation.

“For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)

This place spoken of here was also a chosen place. God specifically states v. 12 that He has chosen this place for Him to work and dwell there. This was evident by the glory of God-this glory fills early temples, when His presence dwells in the sanctuary and the heart.

God chooses to work in the place of His choosing. American history records times when God’s people would seek God’s face for wisdom and miracles. God would do great and mighty things. When the writers of the constitution were stuck on wording or how to articulate the words, they would stop and pray for God to give them the wisdom. The constitution is one of the greatest historical documents next to the Bible. It was because of the leadership of God. During war time, the soldiers would seek God for the victor.

The presence of God moves the Israelites to fall before Him in awe and respect-nobody has the right to walk in His glory with shoes. His glory belongs to Him and he is to be revered. With God’s acceptance of this building, He has chosen to work in this place. It is the responsibility of His people to walk with Him spiritually, to let Him be the Savior of their lives, their household and their nation.

God’s reputation should be important to the people. Your belief affects your behavior and reveals what you believe to others. If we are indeed the only Bible that some people read, what are they seeing in our lives. When we glamorize sin and debauchery, we are disrespecting the reputation of God. The heart of the Christian should be to honor God’s reputation.

Reason 2 . . .

The repetition of sin v. 13, 17-22

Israel had a cycle of sin in their history. The cycle was: God’s blessing, backslide from God, God brings punishment, they would repent and return to God, God blesses and the cycle starts over. God announced to them their rebellion brings great punishment-no rain, sends locusts to devour their crops which bring money for their needs and pestilence which endangers their lives.

Swarms of locusts have devoured the produce of the land will leave the people unable to even provide the grain and the drink offering—God is shaking our country when inflation is running the highest since the 1970’s and job loss along with astronomical gas prices. I do believe we are seeing the beginning of God’s judgement.

“When sins are dear to us we are too prone to slide into them again. The act of repentance itself is often sweetened with the thought that it clears out our account for a repetition of the same sin.” (Thomas Jefferson)

God is laying out the path for Solomon and give him a vision and choice here. Personal obedience will bring blessing and the presence of God. He promises a perpetual presence of the kingdom for future generations which ultimately disappeared.

God is teaching us here obedience brings God’s blessing and disobedience brings punishment. In vv. 19-22 says His name will be marred, His power questioned, and His holiness will be ruined around the world. The people will be embarrassed and humiliated before the entire world vv. 21-22.

A church member told me one time about the cycle of certain sins in his family that goes back to his great grandfather. There was a great deal of crime and immorality. Thankfully he was saved and he said to me, “with God’s help and by His grace, pray for God to break this cycle in my family.” Indeed, God did and even to this day they are serving Jesus.

You cannot play with sin and get away with it. There are constant reminders in the Bible regarding the dangers of sin.

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)

You cannot hide your sin. God sees and knows every action and America cannot hide its sin. The over 65 million aborted babies, the rampant pornography, alcohol, and drugs sold and consumed, and the court’s decision to protect the criminals is a travesty.

God reminds us that sin has a payday.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6:7–8)

It is also true that godliness, holiness, and righteousness also has a payday as well. It may not pay as quickly but its payday brings peace and contentment.

Reason 3. . .

The reconciliation with God vv. 14-15

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

When God calls America back to Him, He starts with His people. God’s people need to fall on their knees before him asking forgiveness.

“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)

God is calling His people to come back to Him. As we seek Him, we are to humble ourselves and pray. This means we dedicate ourselves to prayer and this afternoon will be an opportunity for us to pray as a church, to seek God as a church.

This is also a call to repentance-turn from their wicked ways. God’s people cannot have their sin and God also. As we repent, as we turn back to God, God promises two responses: He hears and He heals.

We need a divine intervention in our nation. God is calling you today to come to Him in salvation if you have never trusted Him. Will you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today?

If you are a believer, is God speaking to you about coming back to Him. Will you come here today and kneel before Him, seeking His forgiveness and turn from your sin. America is great because God has blessed this nation. Without Him, we can do nothing.