READING SCRIPTURE IN CONTEXT - 2 CHRONICLES 7:14

 

One of my favorite verses is 2 Chronicles 7:14. I used to think this verse could apply to us in America.  But, if you read the verses before AND AFTER verse 14, you'll see this verse applies to the nation of Israel, not to America.  Israel is the only nation with whom God has made a covenant with.

So, what is the context of this verse?

In this chapter we see that Solomon has just finished building the temple and held a dedication service where the priests performed the first sacrifice.  At the end of the sacrifice and dedication, Solomon sent all the people home.

In verse 12-15 it says:

"Then the LORD appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: 'I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice.  When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.'"

God goes on to tell Solomon that He has chosen and consecrated the temple, and that His eyes and heart will be there at all times.  God then warned Solomon starting in verse 19 that if the nation of Israel turns their back on Him and begins worshiping other gods, He will "pluck" them up and remove them out of the land and they will become a byword to other nations for their disobedience.  We know later on that Israel did indeed turn away from God and began worshiping idols and were conquered by Babylon and taken into captivity with the city of Jerusalem being destroyed.

His words in verse 14 was His promise to ISRAEL that when they came to their senses and turned away from idols and repent of their sin of idolatry, He would forgive their sin and heal their land.

This promise is for the whole nation of Israel.  At no point has America been driven from her land and held captive in Babylon.  When they had finally repented and turned back to God, they were allowed to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild their city.  Since the end of WWII, we have witnessed many Jews returning to the nation of Israel, and land that was once desolate and unable to grow much of anything, is now flourishing with olive trees, vineyards, and able to sustain a healthy agricultural society.

For more info on this verse and the proper context check out this video from Got Questions.