God's Promise Of Forgiveness and Restoration

2 Chronicles 7:11-16 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house. 12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 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. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

Introduction: Solomon built the temple and the kings palace. It took 20 years to complete the Temple and the palace. At the end of construction Solomon brought all the people of Israel together for the dedication of the Temple.

In 2 Chron. 6 Solomon Prayed, 26,

“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 27 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

28 “When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 29 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: 30 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), 31 that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.”

When the dedication was over 2 Chron. 7: 10 says,

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel.

Then God appeared to Solomon at night and said to him,

2 Chron. 7: 12 “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.”

I. God Has

A. God has heard Solomon’s Prayer

1. The scripture says God hears the prayer of the righteous

2. God still hears the prayers of the righteous

B. God has chosen this place

1. Not the brick and mortar building

2. God’s Church – The Bride of Christ – Christians

II. God’s Response to Solomon’s Prayer

A. If I (Yahweh, I Am)

1. Shut up the heavens – no rain

2. Command the locust to devour the land

3. Send pestilence among my people

a. Epidemic

b. Virus

c. Pandemic

d. Disease

B. If My people

1. God does not say, if all people of the world

2. If My people – who are called by My name

III. God says, If My people

A. Humble themselves

1. The word humble means (in Hebrew) “To bend the knee

2. The opposite of humble is to be exalted, arrogant, and to glorify self

B. Pray

1. In Hebrew, the word pray means to make supplication

2. Other definitions are to implore, to plead, intreat, to beseech

C. Seek My face

1. The Hebrew means to search out – by any method, to strive after

2. To hunt for, try to find, and to search for

D. Turn from wicked ways

1. The Hebrew means to turn back with the idea of return to the starting point.

2. Other definitions are to turn away and to turn aside

IV. Then I (God, Yahweh, I Am) will

A. The results of God’s people returning to Him, God will do

1. I will hear from heaven

2. I will forgive their sin’s

3. I will heal their lands

B. This is a promise of God. God does not lie.

Conclusion:

God calls people to turn to Him. He wants to save the world, which is alienated from Him, and to restore those of His backslidden people who return to Him and renew their commitment to the covenant.

God promises that His eyes and ears will be attentive to the prays offered. God is waiting for His church to respond.

This passage of scripture was written for Solomon and the children of Israel. However, it is the recipe for healing today in this broken world we live in. Remember, God said, If My People. It is up to God’s Church to bring healing today!

I challenge you this morning to Humble yourself, Pray, Seek God, and to Turn from wickedness.