2 Chronicles 7:13-14 Question, answered by David Brewer
Hi David. I have a question that I am pretty sure you have some insight into. Ben and I were talking to my Mom yesterday and she brought up the verse that says “If my people shall humble themselves and pray…then I will heal their land…”. Ben’s response upset my Mom a bit because she believes that is for all people (we were discussing the condition of the U.S.A. at the time). Ben said that verse applies to Israel. I recently heard something about Gentiles being included as God’s chosen people but I don’t know how to explain that Biblically. Hope I am making sense with this question but, any insights you have to offer regarding this would be great. Thank you.
Sarah, this is an excellent question. It always bothers me when I hear this verse quoted in church and the one quoting it doesn’t bother to explain the original context. Whenever I do a topical sermon/teaching, I ALWAYS take time (if even for 60 seconds) to first explain the original context, look at the underlying theological principle(s), and THEN make the application.
Another problem with pastors/church leaders/Sunday school teachers doing this (taking things out of context) is it is a terrible example to those listening to him/her. The people in the class or congregation then think, “Oh! That’s how you interpret the Bible!” And I want to say, “NO, that’s NOT the way you interpret the Bible.”
Another problem is in our entertainment/video/TV/ipod-focused world, most Christians don’t study the Bible in a serious way (at least that’s generally true in the US). The more they entertain themselves, the quicker they get bored with serious study. This is one reason (I said “one reason;” I recognize there ARE other reasons) why so many people have Attention Deficit Disorder today.
I did a “Top 10 (like David Letterman’s “Top 10”) Verses Taken out of Context (I do this when I teach hermeneutics [the science and art of how to interpret the Bible]); this passage (2 Chr 7:13-14) is in that Top 10, along with is 55:8-9; Jer 29:11; Matt 18:18-20; 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 10:4-5; Phil 4:13, 19; Heb 13:5, 8.
Ben is 100% correct (great job Ben!). 2 Chr 7:13-14 was written specifically for Israel. God gave Israel in Deut 28 (also Lev 26, but here I’ll focus on Deut 28) the blessings (Deut 28:1-4) and curses (Deut 28:15-68) of the Law. In verse 14, the phrase “heal their land” means restore the damage done by the drought, locusts and plague mentioned in v. 13.
More detail about the blessings Israel was promised if they would obey the Lord: if the Israelites heed God’s laws, they would experience blessings in their towns and in the country. They would have many children, ample crops, and large flocks and herds. They would have victory in war and lend to many nations, borrowing from none. They would be the head and not the tail.
Disobedience would result in diseases, plagues, famine, drought, dust storms, defeat in war, infertility, constant fear and frustration, and the enslavement of their children. Disobedience would also cause the Israelites to be surrounded by their enemies, reduced to cannibalism, removed from the land, enslaved, and dispersed among the nations. They would become a proverb and an object of horror and mockery among the nations, and they would find no rest there. The Lord would cause them to tremble and despair. They would live in constant fear, with no reason to believe that they would survive.
But we can derive a few theological principles from the passage that we can apply to Gentile believers now. God desires to have a relationship with us and vv. 12, 15-16 testify to God’s gracious disposition. He will show mercy to those who humbly seek him. Chronicles’s story repetitively demonstrates this principle—Rehoboam (2 Chr 12:12), Asa (2 Chr 15:1–15), the northern pilgrims (2 Chr 30:11, 18–20), Hezekiah (2 Chr 32:24–26), Manasseh (2 Chr 33:12), and Josiah (2 Chr 34:27). Chronicles’s story provides the confidence that God will show mercy. When his people seek him, he will be found (cf. 2 Chr 15:2).
This passage shows how to avoid the consequences of disobedience: submit to God, pray,
and repent (i.e., change direction, not just feeling; v. 14). God has not promised specifically to heal the land of other believers who obey His will for them. However, He has promised to bless generally those who do so (Ps. 1; Matt 6:33; Gal. 6:7-8; et al.).
A good summary of 2 Chr 7:11-22 (that we can apply to us) is: sin plus repentance equals restoration (vv. 11-18) and sin minus repentance equals loss of fellowship with the Lord (vv. 19-22).
Sources Used
The College Press NIV Commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles, by John Mark Hicks.
Dr. Constable’s Notes (http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/2chronicles.pdf)
The NET Bible First Edition Notes
The Outline Bible by Harold L. Willmington