HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND FORGIVE

2 Chronicles 6

            For several days I have been reflecting on Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple.  There was something about it that stuck in my mind and I had to think about it for awhile before I realized what it was.  Then it hit me…

            Can you picture the situation?  How many people were there?  Thousands, I would suppose.  The temple was brand spanking new.  The massive altar stood there in the temple court.  Solomon had ordered a platform constructed from bronze.  It was over seven feet square and almost five feet high.  He climbed up onto this platform and knelt down in front of all the people of Israel.  In Hebrew fashion he spread out his hands, palms up toward heaven, and began to pray aloud.  He praised God for keeping his covenant with David, his father, and asked God to continue to be faithful to his promises.  Then he began to pray that God would always listen to his people when they prayed toward the temple which symbolized God’s presence with his people.

            In verse 21 we hit on a theme.  “Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place.  Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear forgive.”  That may not really strike us as significant until we continue reading the rest of the chapter. 

            “When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when the turn back and confess your name…then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people” (vs. 24, 25).

            “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin…forgive the sin of your servants…” (vs. 26, 27).

            “When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them…whatever disaster or disease may come, and when a prayer or pleas is made by any of your people Israel…then hear from heaven…Forgive” (vs. 28-31)

            (This next one is astonishing in its prophetic nature!)

            “When (not “if”) they sin against you…and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity…and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul…and pray toward the land you gave their fathers…and toward the temple I have built for your Name; then…hear their prayer and their pleas and uphold their cause.  And forgive your people, who have sinned against you” (vs. 36-39).

            I was amazed by the way Solomon saw Jehovah as a forgiving God!  Solomon had insight into the hearts of men and knew there would be many times the people would sin against God and he interceded for them.  He prayed that God would show mercy and forgive the sins of the people so the covenant would not be broken!

            As I reflected on this truth I realized that we, the church, the people of God, need to learn this same attribute of God.  Instead of being judgmental when people sin we need to learn to forgive.  Instead of shunning people in the name of church purity we need to hear the heartbroken cries of the repentant and show mercy and forgive!  We need to bring them back into the fold and show the love and forgiveness Solomon saw in the nature of a forgiving God!