Pray for righteousness today and for healing of our land

[Guest]

2Ch_7:14 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.

[Andy]

IMO, one of the most misused and misapplied verses in modern day.
I "get" that a verse can be taken out of context and stand alone but I just don't see that with this verse - because nowhere do we see in the N.T. (which applies to the church) that this is a promise. It's not "our" land like the land God gave to the sons of Israel.
In context this verse is talking about the Temple in Jerusalem.
We have no temple (except ourselves, if we're indwelt by the Spirit) and we look to a heavenly city, not to an earthly one.

I'm happy to discuss and consider that I'm wrong but...that's my take.

(I'm also not suggesting we shouldn't humble ourselves and confess our sins! Yes, double-negative...clearly we SHOULD humble ourselves and confess our sins!)

[Guest]

For the sake of our Lurkers who might not be acquainted with this verse, it can be found at:

2 Chronicles 7:14

Just in case the "2C_7:14" wasn't recognized.

[Doug Fowler]

Part of the question is whether these promises are to be taken individually, or must be taken together.

Taken together, you're right - the land refers to to Israel. Taken indiidvually, we are grafted in so we as the Church are His people in that sense, though also His children. (John 1:12, etc.). "Hear from Heaven and forgive our sins" can still fit - and forgiving a nation's sins does bring restoration, even if not healing. (So it doesn't necessarily heal the land of the plague, which is the contet from verse 13)

So, we can go to Proverbs 14:34 - righteousness exalteth a nation (not just *the* nation of Israel) but sin is a reproach to *any* people." By confessing and forsaking sin and turning to righteousness, I think a nation's reproach can be taken away, and that righteousness exalt it.

But, it's possible that the promise in 2 Chronicles is meant to be one complete promise and not several promises, and that verse in Proverbs is one we should use instead, perhaps in conjunction with 1 John 1:9.

[Guest]

The Church is certainly God's people called out from among the nations... Here Imho God is giving an unconditional promise to All His children everywhere... In the Big Inning The promise was to given to Abraham that He would be the spiritual and physical father of ""Many nations"... Since the Church is grafted into Israel, this promise of Blessing is for us too!!!
Old testament Israel did not understand that fact, it was not obviously revealed to them at that time...
Yes, Bro Andy, I totally agree that this promise was given to the Jew as was the whole Old Testament.... However, any Gentile could choose to be blessed by God at that time as well... Half of David's mighty men were gentiles !!!
God chose US just like God chose the Jew... So, yes, This promise also belongs to us!!!

[Andy]

Thanks for the replies.
I shall contemplate this.
I'm not convinced, but I'll at least dig a little more into it.

[Issachar]

I’ll post this link from WeDG as it may somewhat apply to this discussion.

starting with Glorify Him; post #5 and then post #6.

https://wedg.millenniumweekend.org/f...o-take-a-stand

Issachar

[Andy]

I'd be amazingly helpful if I actually saw post numbers, Issachar - but thank you for that thread.

[Glorify Him]

Wow brother Issachar. I just went back and read all of that. 2009 and we were having this discussion. Something to pray and ponder about.