The Disease and The Cure

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II Chronicles 7:14 "...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."

This scripture has been quoted numerous times by numerous people.  The problem with quoting this verse is that few people read the whole chapter.

Please take 5 minutes to read the entire chapter before reading further.

So, Solomon decides to build a temple to the Lord. He prays that God will accept the temple as a dwelling place among His people.  God responds to this in verse 12 by saying, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice."  The temple is established as a place of sacrifice.  Look back at 7:1-2, "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."

Now, let's go forward to verse 13.  This is very important!!

God says, "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,"

Let's stop there for a minute!

God says, "WHEN I"  This means it WILL happen!
A good question would be, "Why will God stop the rain, send locusts to devour the earth, and send pestilence (a fatal epidemic disease) upon His people?

  1. It will happen because God knows "His people" are prone to sin and will turn from him. Just read the entire Old Testament for proof of that!
  2. God will send judgement on "His people" for falling away from Him.  Look ahead to verse 19 where God says, "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 will uproot them........."

So, the reason God "WILL" stop the rain, devour the land, and send pestilence, is to punish/discipline His people.

OK, onward to the oft quoted verse 14!
",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."

Notice how verse 13 ends with a comma, and verse 14 begins with a little I in "if".
This means that verse 14 is continuing the thought of verse 13.  You cannot separate the two. You cannot just quote verse 14, like so many people do, while ignoring verse 13.  You cannot talk of God's love and healing without also talking about how his justice and righteousness must punish sin and rebellion.  Too many people just want to quote verse 14 and talk about God's love and mercy.  Don't forget about the discipline!!

Some more things we need to notice about this scripture.....

  1. God says, "If MY people"

He is talking to those of us who know Him, not unbelievers

      2.  A lot of people see the "humble yourselves, pray and seek My face", but tend to overlook the "turn from your wicked ways" part.  Again, God is talking to believers here!

     3.  God says in verse 14, "Then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land."  You cannot have the THEN without the IF.  If you are not willing to repent, "the if", don't expect forgiveness, "the then"

So, back to the title of this post, "The Disease and The Cure"
The disease is punishment, the cure is not just prayer, but repentance.

Am I saying that COVID - 19 is God's punishment on us?

I believe this virus is a combination of II Chronicles 7 and Revelation 6. I firmly believe we have already taken several steps into the final days spoken about in the Bible.  I believe everything that is happening in the world right now is a call from God to the church to wake up, repent, and turn back to God.
I also believe it is the beginning of judgments upon the people who belong to this world

I will talk more about why God is judging the earth in another post.
I will also address the sad state of the church in another post.

For now, I want to leave you with a few verses and a prayer.

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.  Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Psalm 51: 7-10

"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and with garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.  Therefore be zealous and repent." Revelation 3: 1-19.

Thank you God that you love us enough to dwell among us, and thank you for loving us enough to discipline us.  Help us to examine our own hearts and see how we have turned against you.  Please forgive us, and please heal us!

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