Please turn with me to 2 Chronicles chapter seven. 2 Chronicles chapter seven. And just as you're turning there, it's found on page 499 to 501 of your Bibles. If you were to say your top five or top 10 Bible books, how many of you would pick 2 Chronicles? There was a survey that was done not too long ago where they took a poll and 2 Chronicles didn't make it. What was interesting is that it didn't make the top five, but it also wasn't in the bottom five. But either way, Sometimes we struggle with this book because of names, because of genealogies, and we just don't have a connection to it except for this one verse in 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14, and that's going to be kind of the verse and in turn the text that we're looking at in light of our series called Untwisting Twisted Scriptures and looking at if my people who are called by my name. But to set a context, let's look at chapter 7, beginning with verse 1. We read, When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshipped and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 bulls. and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God and the priest attended to their services, the Levites also with instruments of the music of the Lord, which King David had made to praise the Lord saying, for his mercy endures forever. Whenever David offered praise by their ministry, the priest sounded trumpets opposite them while all Israel stood. Furthermore, Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the Lord, for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat. At that time, Solomon kept the feast seven days and all Israel with him in a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. And on the eighth day, they held a sacred assembly for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days. On the 23rd day of the seventh month, he sent the people away to the tents. joyful and glad of heart for the good that the Lord had done for David, for Solomon and for his people Israel. Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the Lord and in his own house. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, I've heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain or command the locusts to devour the land or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name will 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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to prayer made in this place for now I have chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there forever and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually as for you. If you walk before me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and my judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom as I covenanted with David your father, saying, you shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel. But if you turn away and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I'll uproot them from my land, which I have given them. And this house, which I have sanctified for my name, I will cast out of my sight and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, why has the Lord done thus to this land and this house? Then they will answer, because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt and embraced other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore, he has brought all this calamity on them." Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. May he add his richest blessing to the reading and hearing of it this day, remembering that all flesh is as grass, but the word of the Lord abides forever. Amen. In real estate, the three greatest rules, and you might want to write this down. Y'all know where I'm going, right? Location, location, location. Although I think I mixed up the first two points. Same thing in terms of the scriptures. Context, context, context. As we've been going through this series for the last few weeks about untwisting twisted scripture, we see how that has just become the key. That if you have a wrong context or if you come with a wrong key in order to unlock the door, you may unlock that door, but the room you go into isn't the room that the door really is for. And so consequently, people come up with all sorts of furniture and ideas and everything else in relation to that room, and yet in the end, it doesn't fit the text. Well, sadly, in 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14, that has been done. A couple of ways in which we see this. And so those of you who are taking notes, this really is the first point. What are some of the various views related to this passage? Well, in our country, the good old US of A, individuals love to go to 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14 and say, this is about our country. If my people, which are called by my name, would just humble themselves, then I will hear them and I will act and everything will be great. Basically, the idea is that America has been viewed as God's people, that Christians who are called by the name of Christ, they simply just need to call out to God and God will heal their land. And so God will take care of America. Sadly, we see that In the 50s, Eisenhower, after he had been elected, but before he had been inaugurated, talked with Billy Graham, and Billy Graham gave him this encouragement, and this was the passage that Eisenhower had his hand on the Bible as he took his oath of office. even prior to that, during the war between the states. In April 30th, the Senate noted that they recognized the supreme authority of Almighty God and consequently, in light of their circumstances, they then, through prayer and humiliation and independence upon God, were calling upon the entire nation to confess their sins and their transgressions and even to note humility, repentance, mercy, and pardon, and that if they would do so, God would just simply bless the land and eliminate the pestilence and the punishment that had come upon them because they had simply forgotten God and His gracious blessing. Now, should nations recognize God? Absolutely. Should nations desire the blessing of God? You bet. Should nations see the times in which they're not following after the Lord and consequently repent of that? 100%. But to note that because of 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14, That if you simply follow after certain steps as the people of God, then God will automatically eliminate any problems, any issues, and will resolve everything in your land is a stretch from this verse. Part of the reason that we don't really see this applying to any nations today is that nations are not in the same covenant relationship that Israel was in with God. This relationship that Israel had was something that was unique and exclusive and for no others. Sometimes people say, well, it's not so much the nation, it's just Christians in the nation. If Christians would just act, if Christians would just pray, if Christians would just pursue this thing, then everything would be okay. The problem, again, as it relates to this verse, is that this verse doesn't note simply Israel as a small group engaging with God to confess their sins. It notes the entirety of the nation. And so this isn't just simply a righteous remnant that are concerned. This passage notes the whole group of people coming before the Lord. There's another aspect to this view, and we've touched on it a little bit, but developing at a different strand, and that's this. Well, the point of this passage really is the call is for revival. You see Solomon notes that, or God notes to Solomon, you know, I've heard you and I call upon you and simply if you call on me and humble yourself and pray and seek my face and repent of your sin, then I'll hear and I will heal and everything will be right and things will be blessed and glorious and go on great. It's a call for revival, some have argued and interpreted it in this manner. Here's the issue. In order to affirm that position, you have to manipulate the word, my people. The argument they make is as follows. Well, it calls for my people. God has his people in all times and in all places. And so consequently his people just need to come together. And as they come together in response to various disasters and circumstances, that if they then come before God to seek deliverance, he will bring it about. Whereas the first pass, the first issue was focusing on a nation, this issue is not understanding who are the people. The statement here wasn't just simply made to the category overall of God's people, but it was noted particularly for a group of God's people. It's connected to Israel as a nation. And so to try to affirm from this passage that it is a call for revival misses out on really what's the substance of this. And so this morning then we do want to walk through this passage. We want to see what is brought here, but then go, well, does it have any bearing or any significance or any connection to us today? And I'm here to tell you at the outset, it does. Now, as we noted in terms of the whole issue of location, we note firstly, as you look at the top of your Bibles, you see 2 Chronicles. If you're looking at the top of your Bible and see that, good job for finding it. The location of 2 Chronicles in our Bible is different than the Jewish Bible. In the Jewish Bible, this would have been the last book of the Old Testament. And in it being there, Ezra had compiled this in roughly 550 or so, or later in time than that. But he put this together for the purpose of noting and marking the history of Israel from the time of Solomon to then the time of the Babylonian captivity. And he's writing this book in order to inform those who have now left the Babylonian captivity and are now in Israel to remember their history. And in remembering their history, to learn from it so that they then would not repeat the mistakes that had been made before, but also then to be encouraged, to be informed, even to be strengthened in the work that was before them. Two parts. the building of the temple, and the building of the wall. Because as Ezra starts out here, through these first seven chapters, what do we see? Solomon engages in the work of the temple. This engagement was initiated by David, but God had said, David, you can't do this because you're a man of war. But David set aside funds, he set aside resources to ensure that this could happen, and then Solomon took up the work, so that through the first five or so chapters, we see all of this then coming to be. The temple is built, it's dedicated, chapter 6, the Ark of the Covenant enters into the Holy of Holies, and then Solomon prays. And we see then in beginning in chapter six, verse 12, and going all the way then to chapter six, verse 42, this lengthy prayer of dedication. He's come before the people of God in order to note that, Lord, you have to be in this, you have to be at work, you have to be present, you have to show that this is blessed by you. And in this prayer, he hearkens back to the language of Deuteronomy chapter 28, which notes blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. And he then notes, God, we obligate ourselves as your people to follow after you and to obey you. And furthermore, to note that if we don't, that you then will judge us and you will address these issues in terms of our situation in order to call us back. And yet he pleads for God to act graciously and in the manner of forgiveness, as they would call upon him. And so immediately after Solomon finishes praying, as we read this morning, some amazing things happen. God responds. He shows up. His response first was to look at all of the offerings that they had before them, and he then takes it to send fire down from heaven in order to consume those sacrifices. He demonstrates his approval. God does this a couple other times in the scriptures. You recall with Elijah and the prophets of Baal, whose God will respond? Whose God is true? Whose God is legitimate? Let him show this by fire coming down from heaven to consume the sacrifices. God shows this again. And not only then does he approve of what they've done, he then fills the place. His glory shows up, that cloud that would manifest, his very real presence was there. And the people then respond. Not even connected to what we're really looking about, but something that we need to note here just as significance. Notice how the people respond to this. The first thing is they fall down on their faces before God, they are humbled. But in their humility, their humble response isn't one of woe, it's one of joy and gladness. Did you catch that as we read this? I mean, God is there. And remember in Exodus 19, Israel's like, oh, don't have God before us, Moses, you go. We can't handle this. But here, in the context of temple worship, they see that God comes down and accepts, and their immediate response is, God is good. God's mercy endures forever. This isn't one of fear in the sense of being scared. There is fear in the sense of awe and reverence, but alongside of that is the expression of joy and celebration because God is showing His enduring, loving kindness forevermore. That's something for us to be mindful of in the context of worship. That when we come here for worship, we don't have to be afraid. that God is somehow gonna show up and strike us down. Because we are connected to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ and we have experienced His love and His mercy and His grace and consequently when we come here, we come here not with dourness but instead with celebration. Going, it is good to be in the house of God and to give Him praise and to exalt His name. In the expression of this celebration, they bring all sorts of goods. Did you note the number? This wasn't some small party as it were. They could feast on it for two weeks. 22,000 bulls, 120,000 sheep, people in places in order to be able to handle and manage all of this that was before them. This shows the elaborate celebration that they're having in response to the goodness of God. And yet this praise of God's mercy enduring forever and continuing on is because they saw what? It started with David, God continued it through Solomon, here they are to be a part of it, and now it is fulfilled. God is faithful, God is true, God is real, God is acting, and God is bringing about the things that he promised. God's not simply a God who says stuff and then can't do it. He brings about His holy will and intends to accomplish His purposes. And that, I think, is a key component to all of this as we move into this other text here. God keeps His word. What is His word? Well, he shows up to Solomon in light of the prayer that he had offered at the dedication, and he then tells Solomon, verse 12, I've heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. God tells him, I'm there. I've chosen to be here, and yet he's now beginning to draw attention to the fact I'm with you guys. I'm in your midst. My name being here, my glory being here has significance. You ascribing worship to me, you coming before my presence in prayers and in offerings and in other things, that means something. You've invoked, as it were, this special, significant connection as having me as your God and as you being my people. And so guess what? You and the nation need to be attentive to this as you go about your lives. You and the nation of Israel. the nation who God has affirmed as his people under Abraham, the ones whom he said, these are my children, my son, who I've called out of Egypt. This is mine. This is the nation that I have chosen to place my name and my presence over. This is the one for whom I act, this is the one whom I have revealed myself in a special way that to no other nation I have done so. There is an amazing, unique, covenantal relationship that is here and God is continuing to affirm that. So that he then says, as I covenanted with your fathers before back in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and noted blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, that hasn't changed. Although you're no longer worshiping me at the tent and now I have this structure, yet nonetheless, it's still me. And so consequently, when you forsake or abandon the call for holiness, it means something. And yet even as that would happen if You would humble yourself and pray and seek my face and turn from your wickedness. I will hear your prayers and I will act accordingly. God goes on to then direct Solomon in terms of his own life as well towards the latter half of this passage. And he notes basically to walk in the steps of his father and the Lord would bless that. And yet if he would turn aside, that correction would be had and Solomon or his line would be forsaken. The point of this is that this is how God continues to act with Israel. He did so under the time of Moses when he made a covenant with them. He fulfilled that in the book of Judges. For example, when the children of Israel were obedient and remained close with God, God was their God and blessed them. But when they abandoned him and fell into sin, then judgment would come upon them and they would then cry out to the living God and he would raise up a judge who would lead them and deliver them. And then they would follow the Lord for a time only to fall away. This is the cycle of sin. in the life of God's people if we fail to walk before the living God. And it's the point that is being made in this passage. And yet if it's simply that, what do we then do with this? What do we then learn from this? How do we then connect with this passage? Verse 17 and 18. You see, it's sad that people have gotten so focused on verse 14 that they have failed to make a better connection. Look at what he says in verse 17. As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked, and do according to all I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and my judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom as I covenanted with David your father, saying, you shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel. That's the key. The key to this passage is what God had covenanted to David in 2 Samuel chapter seven. And in that covenant, he had promised that yes, David would have a son and David would have one who would sit on his throne and David would have someone who was an immediate descendant that would carry on his line and fulfill his work. But the whole ultimate point and promise that was made there was in the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the one who was ultimately the Lord over David and yet from the loins of David. And he is the one to whom these whole chapters point to and should direct the eyes of our faith. because we see the whole truth that's being brought out here in relation to the temple. The temple is the place for worship. The temple is the place for meeting with God. The temple is the place where the sacrifices and the washings and the ceremonies all occurred and yet all pointed to the Lord. The temple was the place that Jesus had pointed to in John chapter two and he said, hey, you destroy this and in three days I will raise it again. And yet his point wasn't that, but ultimately what was it pointing to was him, himself. In John chapter four, Jesus notes as it pertains to the temple with the woman at the well, y'all worship in your place and the Jews worship in their place, but there is coming a time where people will worship and will do so in spirit and in truth through him. The passage that we read in 2 Peter chapter four, or 1 Peter chapter two, that we have this house that Christ is building. And this house that is rooted in Him is composed of not physical stones, but living stones. A spiritual house with a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. You and I are the place of God's dwelling. The scriptures assure us that the Spirit dwells among us and that through the Spirit, Christ then is with us, that Christ is so working in our lives that He raises us up to be used in a mighty manner for Him. And in that, the call that is set before us through this passage is then to recognize that connection that we have in Him. That as we are joined to Jesus, we then bring the acceptable sacrifice of praise. That we have been set apart and identified as his people, being raised into a holy structure. That we worship him, not according to the manner of the forefathers, but instead we worship in accordance with his word and empowered by the spirit. And we do so for the praise of his name. God had made promises long ago to Abraham, and we see the continuation of it and the unfolding of it down through the line, even through David and through Solomon. But it always is pointing to Jesus, because as Paul notes in Galatians chapter three, the direction of the promise wasn't to a plurality of descendants, but to one, a seed. And that one was Jesus Christ. And so as we then have a beautiful, holy, and perfect relationship with the living God who dwells with us and we with Him, He calls us then to recognize that if He is then present, we need to respect that. We need to honor that. We need to praise Him accordingly. And we need to celebrate His goodness to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. How? Well, first, He calls us to walk before Him humbly and praise and adoration of Him. Secondly, He calls upon us as His people to call upon His name, informed and empowered by the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, he calls upon us to worship him with the totality of our beings and praise and adoration of who he is. Fourthly, he calls upon us to recognize that there is no name above any other name than Jesus Christ. And it's in that name that we gather together and that we adore him. And lastly, we recognize then that there is no limitation no boundary to this kingdom that we are part of through the Lord Jesus. The context of this passage is set in our focus as it pertains to the worship of God's people. But in that worship, it is something that is done as is informed as is strengthened, as is directed, and as is filled through the Lord Jesus Christ. No more, no less. We as the people of God then call upon the living God in our time as we come together as he is before us. And we then render unto him praise for the grace that he's manifested to us through the living God. We recognize that he is faithful and he is present at all times because he is with us in the Lord Jesus. And we then humbly walk before him in the manner that he calls us to, that we might adore and praise his name as those who have been called by him. The beauty of this text directs our eyes not simply to Solomon or a building, but to God being our God through Jesus. And consequently, we seek to walk faithfully before him in the expression of gratitude because God has been made our God and he's received us through the Son. May He inform our faith, may He direct our hope, and may He strengthen our confidence as we go forth in praise. Let's pray. Our Father and our God, we pray that You would cause us to so treasure even these passages in obscure books, and to see the meat and the value and the benefit. The reminder that you will be a God to your people and you will act and you will draw them and call them and so engage them. And yet in that engagement, how much value and benefit can we find in it? As we see all that's been given to us through the Lord Jesus. And so direct our attention, our understanding accordingly, that we might not utilize this passage in a manner that would be abusive, but instead would instruct our faith and strengthen us accordingly. And we pray this now in the Lord Jesus' name, who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.