The Prayer That Heals a Nation | 2 Chronicles 7:11–15

You're listening to the Bible Guys, a podcast where a

couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in

practical ways. Good morning, good morning, we talk hone that through.

Good morning, good morning to you.

And man, how great was that? I picked up It's

been weeks since I've been able to witness. Oh well

then you were in person. Yes, it's so much more glorious.

I wish I wish everybody, all of our listeners could

be sitting here in this moment. What you break out

into song?

What a privilege to sit next to the own song.

That is incredible.

Yes, but hey, good morning everybody. Welcome to the Bible Guys.

I am Chris and I'm Jeff, and.

We're here today to talk about in the middle of

a series we're in called Dangerous Prayers, and today this

week is intercessory prayers. Yeah, to intercede on other's behalf

and uh, anyway, before we get into that, we have

a sort of a different kind of segments.

Yeah, okay, So well I've done this a couple of times,

I know. So this is a fill in the blank. Yes,

So I'm going to start a sentence and then you

have to complete it in an unexpected way.

Yeah, which is very interesting.

Yeah, so let me think. So let's let's let's get it.

But oh, I know, driving in today, I saw something. Okay,

so I'm going to start the sentence. You have to

finish it, Yes, go ahead. The one thing Bigfoot refuses

to talk about at his family reunion is how sorry

about that? That's a hard one. Well, there's a lot

of silence on this podcast going.

To I was going to say, how poop sticks to

his fur?

Oh no, now you're in trouble, but you know that.

Right then I hesitated, but then I said, you know

what I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say it.

Yes, okay, because it's not that bad.

Come on, I mean, let's we all have you know

any anybody with animals like dogs? Like?

Come on for yes, there it is okay.

And by the way, I could have gone on and

done a more lengthy thing, but I was I was

holding back because it's a it's anyway.

Yes, that was a quick one. I was driving in

today and just as I was pulling in the parking lot,

there was a Subaru in front of me. Yes, they

had a great, big but bigfoot sticker on the back.

Of the.

One another one?

Okay, so quick to see podcast. Uh, if pirates ever

hijacked the Bible guys podcasts, they would replace me with

they replaced Jeff with.

Blackbeard? Why, and they would replace me with Johnny Depp?

Okay? Why? Well because why would that make for a

more compelling podcast?

Well it wouldn't because who could be more compelling than

the original Bible?

Well there you go.

Okay, but the but the but the scenario was if

they hijacked the Bible guys, who they replaced him with?

And I'm just picking with two people, black Beard and Johnny.

Yeah, black Beard. Actually I've read a lot of Bye

black Beard, and he was this big, huge guy who

nobody could defeat. So I gave you a pretty big confidence.

Okay.

And Johnny Depp is more along the lines of like

Hollywood big pirate, Hollywood Hollywood guy, a handsome guy. Well, yeah,

he's definitely is handsome. So that lines up.

Okay, sure, sure, okay, that all wines up. So I

saw a thing that said that it was a black

Beard that used to put gumpowder in his beard. Yes, yes,

that was just kind of crazy guy.

Yeah, he he was sort of crazy.

Okay. Well, hey, there's two of them pirates in a bigfoot.

Yeah, well we get formally.

Oh gee, I don't have another one.

Just start anything, any sentence at all, go.

Okay, any sense?

It could be normal.

The reason I look like this is am I speaking

about you? Oh yeah, yeah, I started your sentence.

Okay, so say it again.

So the reason I look like this is I had.

The blessing of my parents awesome genetics.

Oh is that it?

Yes?

Is that it?

Well? What else am I going to say about me?

You set me up to say something? I gotta say

something like that?

Okay. Well, it's the humility, Chris. It's your humility that

just makes everybody love.

Well. I don't know if you've heard, but nobody is

as good as humility is me.

Yeah. Yeah, you're just about the best. I'm the most humblest.

Yes.

Yeah, well, speaking of things we need to repent of.

Wow, wow, I'm not sure we've ever had a transition

like that. It's like a transition slam no no.

So today we are in Second Chronicles, chapter uh six

and seven, and these are some of my favorite passages.

Oh stop, stop, that's going to become a running.

Joke now, Chris accuses me every time we read a

passage that I always say, this is my favorite passage.

Well, and I mentioned this before, uh, and I think,

did I say this on stage? I didn't say this

on the podcast. I said this on stage, didn't I? Yeah?

So Jeff and I taught recently on stage and he

had said, oh, this is one of my favorite verses.

And I said, okay, or no, I did say this

on the podcast. It doesn't matter, but I said, I

started to take note every time you thought, hey, this

is my favorite passage. I oh, okay, well I need

to remember that this is Jeff's favorite page. Yeah, And

then you would say it again. I'm like, oh, he

likes these two things. And then you said it again.

I'm like, oh, these are his three favorite. Now it's

like every Bible verse that is in the Bible is

your favorite.

I love the words. So I'm like, I love the Bible.

This is now a meaningless comment.

It's not meaningless. I love it.

That's like saying, do you ever see jingle all the

way with arn a sour snagger. Yes, where he goes,

remember you'll buy number one customer, and he says it

to everybody and then he got out the pub with

his wife and he says, remember you my number one

custom one and she's like, oh yeah.

So this segment here Second Chronicles, the early chapters of

Second Chronicles, Solomon has built the temple.

Put that cookie down.

That's another good thing. Good quote. Yeah, that it doesn't

happen in this passage. No, it's still on the movie.

Yeah, okay, oh I just have we moved on?

Yeah, I moved into Second Okay, where Solomon has built this. Sorry,

Solomon has built the temple, is what he just said.

And so the first permanent temple in Jerusalem.

Yeah. And by the way, can I just interject and

say I sort of was reminded when we went through David.

Member, Yes, we.

Went through the Old Testament, and uh, David wanted to

build the temple, but said, your hands are too bloody,

remember yes, And he said, you know you're a warrior,

who is you know? Your assignment was to take care

of all the enemies that blasphemed against me, And so

we're gonna let Solomon do it because his hands aren't bloody.

And so Solomon was given this responsibility by God. Right anyway, sorry,

go ahead.

So I'm asking Chett Gbt how expensive was Solomon's temple?

Oh? My word, are you kidding me?

It was billions?

Me in the billions, It was billions. I mean, didn't

Solomon just give a billion of his own money? It

was over a billion dollars just of his own money.

Yeah. So it says it took seven years to complete,

involve tens of thousands of workers, was covered with enormous

amounts of gold, silver, cedar, and precious stones. It mentions

one hundred thousand talents of gold and a million talents

of silver plus bronze, iron, timber stone in abundance. A

talent is about seventy five pounds, so it's about seven

and a half million pounds of gold word, which would

in today's gold prices, that's over two hundred and ninety

billion dollars worth of gold. Oh, a million talents of silver.

At seventy five million pounds of silver, it would be

about thirty five billion dollars worth of silver, so Solomon's

Some would suggest that Solomon's temple would have cost three

hundred to five hundred billion dollars in today's money, and

some estimates push it over a trillion dollars it's most

expensive building ever created.

Ever created in the history of the world.

Yeah right. And by the way, that's a level budget expensive.

Yeah, that's what that's what it says.

Yeah, so it may have been the most expensive building

project in human history.

So it's no wonder excuse me, we and when we

go to Israel, and if you've and you've been there

at the western wall, yes, uh so the western wall

is the only remnant of the entire temple.

Correct, that's right. We have the temple mount is where

alacksa mosque sits. Okay, but this western wall is the

only only piece of the remaining piece of the temple

that the is that her the Israelites are able to touch.

Was that was that Solomon's temple the western wall or

is that Harrod's temple?

The western wall is Herod? Is Solomon's temple the bottom

stones and then Herod built on top.

That's what it was. Yeah, okay, So so anyway, uh,

It's all I was going to say is there's no

it's no wonder why that temple was pillaged. Oh, it's

wonder why it was stripped there, Yes, right, I mean

two hundred and ninety billion dollars just in gold, right,

that is corazy magnificent.

So so when when we describe Solomon being one of

the wealthiest people that have ever lived.

Correct, is this weekend, by the way?

Yeah, and and just just incredible. So this space is amazing.

And Solomon gave billions upon billions upon billions of his

own wealth, and David gave billions of his own wealth.

And then the people gave billions of their own wealth.

And they said, we want to make a permanent home

for God, and so they build this temple. And then

Solomon praise and he says, listen, I know you are everywhere,

and you don't have to confine yourself to one place,

but this is where we are saying. We are honoring

you in this place. And so then in chapter five

I love this. It says the trumpeters were singing, and

the singers were performing together in unison to praise and

give thanks to the Lord all of the Levites, who

were dressed in fine Linden robes, and they stood at

the east altar. They were playing cymbals and leers and harps,

and they were joined by one hundred and twenty priests

who were playing trumpets. This is quite the orchestra. Yeah,

and they're going nuts, and the singers are praising, and

they raise their voices and praise the Lord with these words.

He is good, his faithful love endures forever. And then

the Bible says, at that moment, a thick cloud filled

the temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue

their service because of the cloud. For the glorious presence

of the Lord filled the temple of God. So for

a guy who thinks the movies, yes, can you imagine, Yes,

there's so powerful. Another translation says, the priests actually all

fell to their knees. They couldn't continue to stand in

the presence of God. Right, So yeah, that then Solomon

comes out. There's a big platform and that he built

in the temple, the outer court of the temple, and

he gets up on that platform and he bows down

on his knees. Here's the most powerful king in the

world at the time, bows down on his knees and

he begins to pray, and he says, God, we're dedicating

this to you, and we are thrilled to do so.

And would you honor our prayers when we turn to

you in this place? Would you honor our prayers? And

then he acknowledges sometimes we're going to sin. He At

one point, he says, and who doesn't sin? He says

that in here right. So at points we're going to sin,

and your judgment is going to come. And when we repent,

we turn back to you God. Would you hear our prayers?

Would you write? Would you hear us? And so then

if you look in chapter six, verse twenty what is it?

Twenty four twenty four, he says, if your people Israel

are defeated by their enemies because they've sinned against you,

and if they turn their back and knowledge your name

and pray to you here in this temple, then hear

from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel,

and return them to this land you gave to them

and to their ancestors. If the skies are shut up

and there's no rain because your people have sinned against you,

and if they pray toward this temple and acknowledge your

name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,

then hear from heaven and forgive their sins of your servants,

your people Israel, and teach them to follow the right path,

and send rain on your land. That you have given

to your people as their special possession. And if there's

a famine in the land, or a plague or crop disease,

or attacks the locusts or caterpillars, or if your people's

enemies are in the land besieging their towns, whatever disaster

disease there is. And if your people Israel, pray about

their troubles and sorrows, raising their hands toward this temple,

then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive, give

your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know

each human heart. Then then they will fear you and

walk in your ways as long as they live in

the land you gave to their ancestors. Is that where

we end on that one? Keep going up through thirty one, Yeah.

And then we're skipping over to second chronicles seven.

Right, So then he continues praying like that, if we

sin against you, God, would you hear our prayers? And

then when he finishes, the Bible says in seven verse one,

it says, when Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from

heaven and burned up the burn offerings and sacrifice. The

glorious presence of the Lord filled the temple. How cool.

This is quite the event.

Yea, quite the event.

Here's the most expensive building ever built in human history,

and God's showing up. Yes, yes, right. So they're in

the glory of the Lord. The presence of the Lord

filled the temple. And when all the people of Israel

saw the fire coming down, the glorious presence the Lord

filling the temple, they fell face down on the ground

and worship or praise the Lord, saying he is good,

his faithful love endures forever. Then they do a bunch

of sacrifices, thousands and thousands of sacrifices, and so the

Bible says in verse eleven of chapter seven. So Solomon

finished the Temple of the Lord as well as the

royal Palace, and he completed everything he'd planned to do

in the construction of the temple and the palace. And

then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said,

I have heard your prayer and have chosen this temple

is the place for making sacrifices. At times, I might

shot up to heavens so that no rainfalls or command

grasshoppers or devour crops, or send plagues among you. And

he's talking about because of the sins that Solomon admitted,

they'll probably commit, right, He says, then, so if this

judgment is coming, then if my people who are called

by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek

my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will

hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore

their land. My eyes will be open and my ears

attended to every prayer made in this place, for I

have chosen this temple and set it apart to be holy,

a place where my name will be honored forever. I

will always watch over it, for it is dear to

my heart. Wow, it's amazing.

Yeah, it's amazing. So I want to go back to

Solomon's original prayer. Let's talk about chapter six first. So

Solomon is praying, and just like you said, he's admitting

all of these things. There's a note in my Bible,

the Transformation Study Bible, and it actually says this. It

says in his dedicatory prayer, Yes, Solomon mentioned seven circumstances

that he knew would arise it might cause offense to God.

He asked God to hear from heaven respond with mercy

to those who approached him at the temple if they colon,

and then it lists the seven things. If they number one,

had wronged another person Verses twenty two and twenty three.

If they had suffered defeat from enemies, if they had

experienced drought, if they had been struck by their own

natural disasters, or they were sincere seekers of other nations,

if they were preparing for war, or if they had

sinned against God in any way that had led to captivity.

It says Solomon recognized, as we should the more often

than not, that we should approach God with sinful offenses

in our lives. But rather than this fact causing him

to turn away and shame and guilt, it ought to

cause us to run toward God with hope and mercy.

Solomon anticipated the words of the writer of Hebrews. I

don't know if that's true, but it's the same concept,

I guess. So let us come boldly to the throne

of our gracious God. Then we receive his mercy, and

we will find grace to help us when we need

it most Hebrews four sixteen. So I don't know. This

pretty cool?

Yeah, well, I think it's interesting Verse thirty six. In

chapter six, he says, if they sin against you, and

who has never sinned what he says, you might become

angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and

take them captive to foreign land for our away. But

he said, in that land of exile, they might turn

to you and repentance and pray, we've sinned, done evil

and acted wickedly. And if they turn to you with

their whole heart and soul in the land of their

captivity and pray toward you, to the land you gave

their ancestors, then hear their prayers and their petition from

heaven where you live, and uphold your cause for your

people who have sinned against you. I love that right.

So this is his prayers. God, listen, we're going to

mess up. And there takes a certain amount of humility

for a king this powerful to admit, Hey, we're likely

to mess up. He's not saying it's okay that we're

messing up. God, if you have to bring judgment against

us because we've sinned so deeply, we understand. And then

just hear us. When you finally get our attention and

we turn to you, don't turn your back ons right,

and we're going to trust you that you're going to

hear from us, and that you're going to hear us,

and that you're going to forgive us. And then God says, listen,

if my people who are called by my name will

humble themselves and pray and seek my face turn from

their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven? Right?

And he says, and I will forgive your sins and

restore your land. And I think about that a lot.

I think, you know, this idea of praying on behalf

of our nation I think is really important.

Yeah, you just that verse on Sunday. Yeah, yeah, about Sunday.

And so sometimes we can get frustrated thinking, you know,

the answer to solving all the problems in our nation

is to get bad people to be better people. Right,

if we could get the enemies of God to be

good people. And God says, listen, if my people who

are called by my name right will humble themselves, So

first requires those who claim to be followers of God

that we have to humble ourselves, and we have to

confess our sins, and we have to decide we're going

to turn from our wicked ways instead of always pointing

fingers that everybody else and all the things that everybody

else needs to change. Like the Pharisee did when he

was praying and the text collector was standing next to him,

he was willing to point out that other guy's sins

because he feels like he's pretty good at least I'm

not as bad as that guy, right, right, And God says,

don't be like that. Instead, my people can get my

attention when they humble themselves and they pray, and he says,

that's what I'm going to hear from heaven. I'm going

to forgive your sins and I'll heal your land. That's

the beginning of healing for our nation is when God's

people begin the repentance.

Yeah, and there's a note here that talks about this

in my Bible as well. For this section, it says,

as he had done at Gibeon in chapter one, God

appeared to Solomon and spoke the word that he needed

to hear. He assured the king that he that he

had heard his prayer and that he would answer it.

God's eyes would be on the house of Solomon and

the house that he built and dedicated, and his ears

would be alert to hear the prayers of his people.

The people in their king had dedicated the temple to

the Lord, but now God would sanctify it and make

it his own. God's name was on the temple, and

God's eyes were watching, and his ears were listening. It

was indeed the house of the Lord. That is not

the note that I intended to read. Yeah, the note

that I intended to read, I'm not even know look

for it now because I obviously don't know where it is.

But the note that I intended to read said it

was about that one verse that we just read, if

my people who are called by my name, It said

that God has only made a covenant with Israel, but

and not with us ever, because we are in Christ

and we are in God's family, we too are called

the people of God in any Testament. So therefore, because

we are God's people, we too can claim that promise

for us. Right right, so so so so, God is

speaking obviously to Israel, his chosen people, who had made

a covenant with when he says, if my people who

are called by my name, but since Jesus Christ, since

God died in the cross, or you know, sent Jesus

to die on a cross for us, Uh, you know,

through the through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are also

God's people. Right, That's that's what I was saying. That's

what the note was trying to say, that I that

I can't seem to find.

I'm glad you brought it up, because I was going

to mention something similar, and that is, we want to

always be careful not to take verses out of context.

The context of this is these are promises between God

and the people of Israel through Solomon. That's right, very specific,

that's the context. But the principle is when God's people

choose to humble themselves and seek his face and confess

their sin and turn from their wicked ways, the principle

is God also responds He's the same same God, yesterday, today,

and forever. Right, and so God never changes, and so

we can see how He deals with the people. This

is why both the Book of Acts and Peter tell

us that God gave us all of these things in

the Old Testament for our example. Right. So it's not

that every promise is a promise to us. But the

principle of how God behaves in the Old Testament when

he offers forgiveness and when we repent is the same

principle that we can apply in our own lives during

this time. Because the principle because God.

Doesn't change, that's right, He's the same, yesterday, tam, forever.

So how God, you know, responds to people as the same.

You know, God's God's judgment of sin is different than

the Old Testament of the New Testament at times because

of Jesus. So, but God's view of sin is the same.

God's response to sin is the same. I mean, God

doesn't change his stance on sin. All of that is

the same. The only difference is is that we are

under the blood of Jesus Christ, who has paid for

our sin. Whereas sin they didn't have Jesus back then,

so sin played out in judgment in far more disastrous ways.

Yeah, they didn't know who Jesus was. They were looking

forward to the Messiah. But yeah, it's it was a

difficult thing for people because they were going through the

religious side of things not knowing having a relationship with

Jesus himself. And now we have the full picture of it, right,

so we're looking back. They were looking ahead. We're able

to look back. We were able to see it and

experienced a little bit different.

Yeah, but it rings true that Jesus or God is saying,

if you turn from your wicked ways, I will hear

your priss and right, that's the same. Everything is the

same God's response to us when we go to him.

It always was and always will be that.

Yeah, that's great, it's exciting. It's exciting to know that

our prayers matter, that God's paying close attention to our heart.

His eyes are open and ears are attentive to every prayer. Right,

that's his promise.

That's awesome. Well, hey, that is our time, so hopefully

we will see you tomorrow on the Bible. Guys,