Copyright ©2019 by The Good Elder. All rights reserved.
The scripture from 2nd Chronicles 7:14 has found its way into the mainstream in recent years. It is not surprising, given the unsteady predicament of our society today, including our religious institutions. Given that church folks have almost made this scripture into a religious cliché, I sought additional context and insight from this scripture, instead of settling for the run-of-the-mill habitual response of "begging God when things don't go our way." Those meditative moments revealed the following insights.
One of the most unusual (and most humorous) elements of a medical physical examination is the test of reflexes. Particularly for children, it is funny to observe the reflex action of the leg when the doctor taps just the right spot on the knee. This physical response is called a reflex because, no matter what conscious effort one may make to resist (or ignore), that magical tap causes the action (unless, of course, something is wrong).
A reflex is not a learned behavior. It is hard-wired into our physiology. It is so reliable until the body's wellness is, in part, determined by its response to a stimulus at a reflex site during an exam.
With this in mind, I offer that the prescription given by God to Solomon is a test of our spiritual reflex. More specifically, it is a test of the wellness of our spiritual connection. Let us, then, explore this process of testing our spiritual reflexes.
The aforementioned scripture chronicles some sublime moments between Solomon and the LORD at the dedication of the Temple and observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. On the eve of this celebration, the Bible records Solomon praying to the LORD about the blessing of this newly built Temple, and its purpose as a nexus of communion with and connection between God and Israel. In short, Solomon was begging, "LORD, this was a long time coming! Now that we've finally gotten it build, please let this Temple work as intended! Also, please give us a chance to be human, and stick with us even when we mess up, as long as we come to our senses and return to the Way that we know is right."
Solomon drew upon the assurances that God had given his father David, but he also drew upon his understanding of our human frailties. In 2nd Chronicles 6, Solomon concludes:
[40] Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
[41] Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the Ark of Thy strength: let Thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let Thy saints rejoice in goodness.
[42] O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.
Subsequently, the LORD returned an answer to Solomon's prayer. His answer came in two parts. The first part is found in 2nd Chronicles 7:
[13] If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people;
[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.
Sadly, we tend to focus only on this part. The part that too many of us overlook, however, is the else part of the answer. It isn't pleasant, but it is still true and real (also from 2nd Chronicles 7):
[19] But if ye turn away, and forsake My statutes and My commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
[20] Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of My land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for My Name, will I cast out of My sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
This prescription, this utterance, this formula helps God to test our spiritual wellness by defining several key concepts, including a reflex that exists among the people of God.
Even those who are blessed (e.g. Abraham) have fulfilled some obligation or passed some tests. One has to prove one's self worthy to receive before God gives the bestowal (i.e. not something transient, but lasting). Often, the covenant/condition is given first, perhaps to provide an incentive to one who is about to face some upcoming challenges and tests. Sometimes, it comes after triumph or the fulfillment of an obligation (e.g. Jacob).
Problems (especially those that we didn't bring on ourselves) aren't haphazard chaos from "the world", although is often disguised as such. Yes, God sometimes visits the consequences of our sin upon us. But sometimes, God uses trouble to mold us or to test our readiness to receive a blessing.
One of the tests of truly spiritual people is to learn to seek and discern the presence of God in the world. We must come into an ever increasing appreciation and understanding that everything is because God says so, that there is no such thing as coincidence; and, as Paul wrote, "All things work together for good..." This includes things that we may find difficult or unpleasant. In truth, what other Force or Power could there be in the world? "To whom will ye liken God...?"
The Bible clearly states that God might "...shut up heaven that there be no rain, or ...command the locusts to devour the land, or ...send pestilence among [His] people" (2nd Chronicles 7:13). Also, Proverbs 16:4 tells us, "The LORD hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."
We have, however, been indoctrinated or acculturated to separate bad or evil from God. However, as we learn from Genesis, if our eyes are to be opened, we have to come to see and know both good and evil, but also understand that they emanate from the same Source.
Verse 14 reads, "If My people, which are called by My Name will humble themselves... then will I hear from heaven..."
If we do this, God will do that. It is a reflex. But, just as in the case with the body, if the reflex is weak or doesn't function, it indicates some sort of problem! If God doesn't hear us, forgive us, or heal our land, then why not? What is wrong in the body of Israel? Did we humble ourselves? Did we pray? Did we seek God? Did we turn from our wickedness?
If the reflex action does not happen, then something is wrong in the body! There's no need to look funny at God... There is no need to lose faith. As God asked through Micah, "O My people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? Testify thou against Me" (Micah 6:3).
We love to lay blame at the feet of our fellowmen for what they did to us, or even at God for what He did (or didn't do) to/for us. But, how often do we do like David and say, "I have sinned against the LORD?" How often do we say like the Prodigal Son, "I am no more worthy to be thy son. Make me as one of the hired servants"?
The Land belongs to God! God put out the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perrizites, the Jebusites, the Girgizites... because of their sin, and He promised to give it to Israel. But, as He told Solomon, "If y'all don't do right, I'll put y'all out, too!"
There is not a hand strong enough to hold onto a thing that God intends to take from you. As Spirit said to the angel at the church in Philadelphia, there is One "that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth" (Revelation 3:7).
We tend to focus so much on the fact that God is in the blessing business; and indeed, He is. God has blessed us immeasurably just today! But, just as God continually blesses us, just as God bestows upon us His everlasting tender mercies, God is also just.
There is nothing punitive that God does that He didn't forewarn the people about.
As Paul told the Galatians, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (chapter 6 verse 7). There will come a time when Creation will re-establish its balance. And, if we're the cause of the problem, we must repent and rectify, or it will be done to/for us.
Let us not read the Bible with rose-colored glasses, seeing only the goodness and blessings and bestowals, but redacting all of the "else" clauses, all of the obligations, all of the consequences, all of the reckonings.
If we sign a contract with the mechanic to work on our car, and we pay our money, if we find something wrong, we expect to take our car back and have it worked on (free of charge) until the problem (we already paid for) is finally fixed. If we expect this basic reciprocity from our fellowman over things so mundane, how much more does God expect us to do right and live right in His Creation?
In the Bible, Jesus tells us that "It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom!" But, the question from Psalms tests our reflexes, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart... he shall receive the blessing from the LORD..." (Psalm 24:3-5) So, the next time we pray and don't hear from heaven, the problem is not with God! Thus, the question always is, what problem is there in the body that is revealed when God tests our spiritual reflex with trouble and tribulation?
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