If My People

[Hammster]

She preached

And that's where I stopped reading.

 

[JESUS=G.O.A.T]

And that's where I stopped reading.

why? I mean are you one of those that don't believe in females preaching? If so can you at least look past that so you can get what i'm trying to help you understand?

 

[jimmyjimmy]

if my people who are called by my name 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. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

For discussion. How is this verse applicable to us today?

I hear that verse a lot, in 4-year cycles. Strange. . .

 

[RisenInJesus]

We agree on something.

Yes, nice for a change. Surprising though. I have found that most from the Reformed perspective seem to conclude that the church has replaced Israel and misapply verses or passages given to Israel to the church, ignoring the context and making them say something never intended.

 

[Hammster]

Yes, nice for a change. Surprising though. I have found that most from the Reformed perspective seem to conclude that the church has replaced Israel and misapply verses or passages given to Israel to the church, ignoring the context and making them say something never intended.

Just had to get the one dig in.

 

[AKAP]

if my people who are called by my name 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. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

For discussion. How is this verse applicable to us today?

if my people who are called by my name 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. - 2 Chronicles 7:14

For discussion. How is this verse applicable to us today?

The context validates that it is not applicable for us today. It was for Solomon and his people that God chose as his own. It spoke of the way God would heal their land from natural disasters if they would worship him and not turn to idols and other gods....unfortunately they failed this test.

 

[RisenInJesus]

Just had to get the one dig in.

I didn't really mean it as a dig or insult. I am sorry it it came across that way. I spent four years in a Reformed church and that was just the reality I experienced there.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Hammster. Yes, we are told to Love God and love our neighbour. That is what God wants from us, Jesus our Saviour died for us, that we might live and have eternal life with our Heavenly Father. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God and love each other. God wants loving children, and all we have do is "ask and you shall receive." God is Love and God wants loving children to live with for ever.
In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told Ask and you shall receive, we ask God for Love and Joy, then we thank God and share all with our brothers and sisters. God sees our loving efforts, and God will BLESS us. What could be more easily understood, we ask for love and joy, then thank God and share all with our neighbour, all around us. Love is very catching. Why not give it all a try Hammster? I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Monitor. Please look after my answers. I thank you and shall keep answering questions. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Hammster]

Dear Hammster. Yes, we are told to Love God and love our neighbour. That is what God wants from us, Jesus our Saviour died for us, that we might live and have eternal life with our Heavenly Father. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God and love each other. God wants loving children, and all we have do is "ask and you shall receive." God is Love and God wants loving children to live with for ever.
In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told Ask and you shall receive, we ask God for Love and Joy, then we thank God and share all with our brothers and sisters. God sees our loving efforts, and God will BLESS us. What could be more easily understood, we ask for love and joy, then thank God and share all with our neighbour, all around us. Love is very catching. Why not give it all a try Hammster? I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

What does this have to do with the OP?

 

[Philip C]

The context validates that it is not applicable for us today. It was for Solomon and his people that God chose as his own. It spoke of the way God would heal their land from natural disasters if they would worship him and not turn to idols and other gods....unfortunately they failed this test.

To some extent I agree. However there are some interesting cases. In 1940 UK should have been invaded by the Nazis but against all odds survived after the Church of England, King George VI & Winston Churchill united in calling the nation to a day of prayer in May of that year.

In 2007 I was in Jamaica when it was due to be devastated by Hurricane Dean. The Jamaican PM went on national TV and both quoted Scripture and encouraged the nation to pray. The next day the hurricane slowed down and changed course only to speed and go back to it's original course after it had passed Jamaica.

True neither of these cases is an exact outworking of the prophecy in Chronicles. I think though that it is still true that God can and does respond to genuine, heartfelt prayer offered by Christians when their nation is at risk and willing to reach out to God.

 

[AlexDTX]

So the verse prior to 14 has no bearing on your understanding?

We are called to be salt and light in a lost and dying world. The judgements in verse 13 are because Israel (my people in the context of the passage) are not calling upon the Lord. As salt and light if we lose our savor and become dark, the judgments come because we are no longer salt and light. Peter (1 Pet. 4:17) tells us that judgment begins in the house of God first. So, yes, verse 13 of 2 Chron. 7 applies.

 

[Hammster]

We are called to be salt and light in a lost and dying world. The judgements in verse 13 are because Israel (my people in the context of the passage) are not calling upon the Lord. As salt and light if we lose our savor and become dark, the judgments come because we are no longer salt and light. Peter (1 Pet. 4:17) tells us that judgment begins in the house of God first. So, yes, verse 13 of 2 Chron. 7 applies.

What does verse 13 have to do with being salt and light? Where does it say the reasons for God bringing this upon them?

 

[AlexDTX]

What does verse 13 have to do with being salt and light? Where does it say the reasons for God bringing this upon them?

Are you playing devil's advocate?

Solomon has built a temple and dedicated the temple to God, even though, God told David through Nathan the prophet that he did not want the temple. God is letting Solomon know that if the temple is used as a house of prayer, when Israel backslides and God judges their backsliding by the the plagues, if they will humble themselves and pray, he will stop the judgments.

Plagues of drought, locusts and pestilence are known biblical judgments. As children of salt and light through Christ we are scattered through the nations. Our influence upon the nations preserves godliness amidst the pagans. The blessings of God through Christ to the body of Christ overflows and benefits all people in a secondary way. When we stop following Christ we remove ourselves from those blessings and the pagans no longer receive the secondary benefit that godliness brings to a people.

To humble our selves in verse 14 implies repenting for sin and forsaking the way. So it is not just prayer that is required it is actual repentance.

When one considers the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, who is fruit for? The tree? Or the animals that eat the fruit that falls to the ground? The answer is both. When animals eat the fruit, they are fed and the seed swallowed will pass through their system with fertilizer for new trees to grow. As Christians we are to bear the fruit of the Spirit for the pagans to swallow the seed of Christ into the soil of their hearts so Christ may form in them too.

This is how the Gospel has spread throughout the centuries. One heart at a time, but its growth is exponential when each new heart bears the fruit of the Spirit.

This is what I mean by salt and light. And when the fig tree no longers bear fruit it is brought down by drought, locusts or pestilence.

 

[-V-]

For, not "to".

That's not a meaningful difference.

 

[Hammster]

That's not a meaningful difference.

It is if you know the difference.

 

[-V-]

It is if you know the difference.

Yeah, yeah. You love to split hairs and nitpick and simply be argumentative. Have fun with that.

 

[Hammster]

Yeah, yeah. You love to split hairs and nitpick and simply be argumentative. Have fun with that.

There's a difference between for and to. For instance, Luke was clearly written to someone. But it is also for our benefit. That's not splitting hairs.

 

[-V-]

There's a difference between for and to. For instance, Luke was clearly written to someone. But it is also for our benefit. That's not splitting hairs.

Yes, it is splitting hairs. If it is for us, the English language allows it to be expressed as being "to" us.

 

[Hammster]

Yes, it is splitting hairs. If it is for us, the English language allows it to be expressed as being "to" us.

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:1-4‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭NASB‬‬


For us, not to us.