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Bible Study On 2 Chronicles 7 14

If you’re looking for a Bible study on 2 Chronicles 7:14, this article is for you. I’ll show you what the Bible says about the topic and help you discover how to apply it to your life. Then, I’ll give you some of my own personal insight to help you understand the subject even better. Homecoming in 2 Chronicles 7:14 Finally, God said, “If my people … will turn from their wicked ways.” The hard work that precedes the greater blessings of God is not only about whom we turn to, but just as significantly what we turn away from. God is clear. He has no interest in cohabitating with our wicked ways.

While 2 Chronicles 7:14 was originally directed to the nation of Israel, its message holds relevance for believers today. When we, as God’s people, humble ourselves, pray, and turn from our wicked ways, we can trust in God’s promise to bring healing and restoration to our lives and the world around us.

We read in these verses a promise from God to the people of Israel. If the land has no rain or if it is covered with a disease or locust, then God promises that if the people cry out to him, telling the Lord that they are sorry for their sins, he will forgive them and he will heal the land.

Bible Study On 2 Chronicles 7 14



2 Chronicles 7:14 is a powerful verse that emphasizes the importance of seeking God’s face, turning from sin, and seeking His forgiveness. This verse is a call to repentance and restoration, reminding believers of the essential principles of humility and obedience to God’s Word. Let us delve deeper into this verse and explore its significance through the following 10 Bible verses.

Key Verses
  • 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV): “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”


  • Psalm 51:10 (NIV): “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”


  • Isaiah 1:16-17 (NIV): “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”


  • Proverbs 28:13 (NIV): “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”


  • James 4:8 (NIV): “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”


  • Jeremiah 29:12-13 (NIV): “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”


  • 1 John 1:9 (NIV): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”


  • Galatians 6:1 (NIV): “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”


  • Acts 3:19 (NIV): “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”


  • Ephesians 4:32 (NIV): “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”


  • 2 Chronicles 7:14 serves as a powerful reminder of God’s promise to forgive and heal those who turn to Him in repentance. It is a call to humility, prayer, seeking God’s face, and turning from sin. These key verses provide a roadmap for believers to follow in seeking forgiveness and restoration in their relationship with God. Let us heed the call to repentance and experience the fullness of God’s grace and mercy in our lives.

    2 Chronicles 7 13-14 Explanation

    In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God tells the Israelites that if they will turn back to him and ask forgiveness for their sins, he will forgive them. He also promises to “heal their land.” So what does this mean for us today?

    First of all, it means that we should seek forgiveness from God and other people when we have done something wrong. We need to ask for forgiveness from God because he is our creator and we are his children. It also means that we need to ask forgiveness from others because they are created by God too! And as Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins so that we can be forgiven by God (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

    But what does it mean when God says he will heal our land? This is talking about a spiritual healing—we can’t expect any physical change in our environment if we truly repent of our sins as individuals and as a nation. However, if you are willing to turn away from your wicked ways, then God will bless you with whatever is necessary in order to live out your faith in him!

    2 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 will I hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

    The first thing to note about this verse is that it is a conditional statement. The condition for God’s forgiveness of the sin of His people is that they “humble themselves.” This word carries with it the idea of confession and repentance. It also carries with it an idea of acknowledging one’s need for help in doing what is right.

    When we humble ourselves before God, we are admitting that our waywardness has separated us from Him—and that He needs to intervene in order to bring us back into relationship with Him. We must confess our sins against Him and ask for forgiveness through Jesus Christ alone (1 John 1:9). Then we must turn away from those sins so that He can bless us again as His children (Psalm 103:12). Without this action on our part, there can be no healing of our land or ourselves!

    2 Chronicles 7 13-14 Explanation

    A. A joint prayer and sacrament of dedication.

    1. (1-3) (1-3) God sends heavenly fire to the temple as a sign of his dedication.
      After Solomon finished praying, fire from heaven swallowed up the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the LORD’s glory filled the temple. And the priests were unable to enter the Most Holy Place, for the glory of the LORD had filled it. When the Israelites saw the fire descend and the glory of the LORD resting upon the temple, they fell to their knees in worship, praising and thanking God as they knelt on the asphalt.

    Because “He is good” and “His mercy lasts forever.”

    This is one of several remarkable occurrences in the Old Testament in which God sends fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice. a. Fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The presence of the LORD filled the temple in a mighty and manifest display of divine approval.

    Some say it was miraculously rekindled during the reign of the Maccabees. i. “This fire was kept alive until the captivity of Babylon.” (Trapp)

    This incident is similar to the one described in 2 Chronicles 5:14, where priests were barred from entering the Temple of the LORD.

    The way they bowed down on the pavement revealed the people’s reaction to be one of awe and worship. Their profound thanks gave God the acclaim He deserves for his grace and mercy.

    It stands to reason that being subjected to God’s wrath and power in the form of a heavenly fire would increase one’s awareness of those things. Yet the experience appears to have deepened their appreciation for God’s grace and mercy.

    This familiar refrain is linked to Psalm 136, Psalm 118, and 2 Chronicles 5:13. d. For He is good, for His mercy endures forever. After taking in as much of the evidence of God’s greatness as they could, they could not help but put a premium on God’s kindness and mercy.

    (2-4) Humans perform numerous sacrifices to mark the occasion of the temple’s dedication.
    At that time, the LORD was honored with sacrifices from the king and his subjects. King Solomon offered up 20,000 bulls and 100,000 sheep as sacrifices. So the temple to God was consecrated by the king and the people.

    The program and the praise were wonderful, but they weren’t as meaningful as the sacrifices the king and the people made to the LORD. Blood sacrifice was still necessary, both for atonement and as a sign of devotion to God.

    b. King Solomon slaughtered a staggering (almost grotesque) amount of animals when he offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. Every animal was sacrificed ceremonially, with some of it going to the LORD and the rest to the priests and the people. For two weeks, it could have sustained a large population.

    Three, from days six through ten, are the celebrations surrounding the temple’s inauguration.
    When David offered praise through their ministry, the priests were there to assist him, and the Levites brought the instruments of the music of the LORD that he had made. Across from them, the priests blew trumpets, causing all of Israel to stand to attention. In addition, Solomon set aside a portion of the court in front of the House of the LORD for worship, and there he made sacrifices of burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings because the bronze altar he had fashioned was inadequate to hold all of these items at once. This celebration lasted seven days, and Solomon invited the entire nation of Israel.

    They celebrated the altar’s dedication for seven days, and the feast itself lasted for seven days, so on the eighth day, they gathered together in a holy assembly. He sent the Israelites back to their tents on the 23rd day of the 7th month, filled with thanksgiving for all the LORD had done for David, Solomon, and Israel.

    On such a momentous occasion, the priests did their duties, and the Levites played the instruments of the music of the LORD. Since Solomon’s bronze altar could not hold all of the burnt offerings, the priests had to set aside the area in front of the temple as a holy space for the sacrifices.

    b. At that time, Solomon kept the feast for seven days, and all Israel was present; considering the season and the length of the celebration, it is safe to assume that this was the Feast of Tabernacles, celebrated for a full ten days.

    i. “Their spiritual and physical oneness are expressed in the widest possible extent of Israel’s occupation of the Promised Land, from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt.” (Selman)

    c. Because of all the good the LORD did for David and Solomon and for Israel, his people: This recounting of the temple’s dedication concludes with David, not Solomon, just as the temple’s history did. As the author recalls, it was David’s enthusiasm and foresight that kicked off temple construction.

    Fourthly, in summation, the job was done successfully.
    In this way, Solomon completed both the Temple of the LORD and the King’s House, and he also accomplished everything he had set his mind to in both buildings.

    Thus, Solomon completed the Temple of the LORD and the King’s Palace: In 1 Kings 7, more information about Solomon’s palace is provided. It took him longer to construct his palace than the temple, suggesting that it was even more impressive than the latter.

    b. Solomon accomplished all that was in his heart to do; it was the culmination of a job well done that had begun with David, Solomon’s father.

    In Part B, God once more communicates with Solomon.

    1. (12-16) (12-16) The temple’s promise of prayer fulfillment.
      Finally, the LORD made a nighttime appearance to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If those who bear My name humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land when I shut up heaven and there is no rain or when I command the locusts to devour the land or when I send pestilence among My people. Now that you have opened My eyes, I will pay attention to the prayers offered here. The Lord says, “I have now chosen and sanctified this house so that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart may remain here forever.”

    This was the LORD’s second major visitation to Solomon, and it took place during the night (1 Kings 9:1-2). First, take a look at 1 Kings 3:5-9. God’s first appearance to Solomon was good, but God’s second appearance to Solomon was even better because it was so personal.

    i. “Brethren, we want renewed appearances, fresh manifestations, and new visitations from on high; and I recommend to those of you who are getting on in years that while you thank God for the past and look back with joy to his visits to you in your early days, you now seek and ask for a second visitation of the Most High.” (Spurgeon)

    As a result of his great success and blessings, Solomon entered the most perilous time of his life after constructing the temple and palace. Just before this perilous time, God gave Solomon a new revelation of Himself, which he carefully guarded.

    The words have something to say to us as well. Nothing we do, achieve or receive can guarantee that we will remain in God’s favor. Only consistent devotion can accomplish that. (Morgan)

    The great prayer of Solomon recorded in 1 Kings 8 would have been for naught if God had not heard it. Whether or not God in heaven responds to our prayers is the true test of how effective they are.

    The answer appears to have been provided long after the temple was dedicated. i. Even so, God gave Solomon an instant answer of approval at the time of the dedication, when fire from heaven consumed the sacrifices (2 Chronicles 7:1–7).

    The temple was constructed by King Solomon under the direction of the LORD. c. I have selected this site as My house of sacrifice. God Himself did the honor of dedicating the structure. Solomon was able to construct buildings, but only God could make them sacred.

    It is to serve as a place of worship and a place of sacrifice (in the literal sense). This striking overlap between the temple’s two primary functions is just one of several clues scattered throughout 2 Chronicles 5-7 suggesting that worship and sacrifice are complementary rather than competing uses of the building. (Selman)

    ii. “By presenting the temple as a place where proper sacrifice and prayer could be accepted, an opportunity was provided to trade Israel’s present despair for a brighter tomorrow.” Potentially altering Israel’s historical trajectory was within reach. (Selman)

    This wonderful promise is set in the context of God’s promise to answer prayer from the temple which He chose to hallow with His presence. d. If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face. When Israel acted in a manner befitting their humbling, they prayed and sought God’s face, and God promised them a unique blessing.

    True prayer has an inherent quality of modesty because it acknowledges that one must look to God for answers rather than to oneself. Those who pray humbly and earnestly will receive a special blessing from God.

    ii. The expression The Israelites in the land God had promised them were the first to embody the concept of “My people who are called by My name.” But the same God who made this promise to Israel is Lord of the Heavens and will hear the prayers of His lowly worshipers even now.

    Though God’s invitation is first extended to my people (2 Chronicles 7:14), 2 Chronicles 6:32–33 make it abundantly clear that anyone who recognizes God’s name and authority can pray with the same assurance of a hearing. Since the invitation is extended to “all who call upon the name of the LORD,” this verse is in line with others that make a similar statement. (Selman)

    This wonderful promise of answered prayer in 2 Chronicles 7:14 includes the condition of repentance, which is stated as follows: e. and turn from their wicked ways. The people of God need to repent of their sins as they humble themselves, pray, and seek God’s face. They needed to give their whole selves to God, not just their hearts.

    If His people are truly contrite and repentant, God promises to hear their prayers, forgive their sins and heal their land (verse f). As a result of His work, His people will be forgiven and their land will be healed.

    Instead of seeing them as four distinct stages on the path to redemption, i. “These expressions are best understood as four facets of one attitude: that sinners should seek God himself in humble repentance,” (Selman)

    The examples of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 12:6, 7, and 12), Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:26), and Manasseh (Jeremiah 11:11) show us what it means to be contrite and humble (2 Chronicles 33:12, 19, and 23).

    The examples of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30:18 and 32:20) and Manasseh (2 Chronicles 36:24) show us what it means to pray (2 Chronicles 33:13).

    Jehoshaphat and the returning priests and faithful (2 Chronicles 11:13-16) illustrate what it means to seek (2 Chronicles 20:3-4).

    By observing Hezekiah, we gain insight into the meaning of repentance (2 Chronicles 30:6 and 30:9)

    All over the Old Testament, we see that healing serves both spiritual and physical purposes. Depending on the context, “healing” can mean either forgiveness or physical restoration (see, for example, Hosea 14:4; Isaiah 53:5, 57:18-19, and Psalm 41:1). (e.g. Genesis 20:17; Numbers 12:13; 2 Kings 20:5, 8). Applying it to the land as it is here, it can mean either the return of exiles to the Promised Land (Jeremiah 30:17; 33:6-7) or the establishment of peace and security in the land and among its people (Jeremiah 33:6; Isaiah 57:19). (Selman)

    God promised to pay special attention to prayers made in the temple that Solomon, son of David, built. g. Now My eyes will be open, and My ears will be attentive to prayer made in this place. Praying in the name of Jesus, the Son of David, increases the likelihood that God will hear and answer our requests. He’s a more direct line to God than ever before, surpassing even the temple.

    h) Always and forever, I will keep my eyes and my heart there: God’s suffering heartache at the wickedness of humanity is the only other clear biblical reference to God having a heart (Genesis 6:6; cf. also Genesis 8:21; 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) It’s hard to imagine a more personal way to show God’s presence or to inspire prayer. (Selman)

    Second, God’s warning to Solomon (17-22).
    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,” if you walk before Me as your father David walked and do according to all that I have commanded you. This house that I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples, 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. And all who pass by this elevated house will wonder in dismay, “Why has the LORD done thus to this land and this house?” “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,” they will reply.

    God’s answer to Solomon’s prior prayer had a great condition. a. If you walk before Me as your father David walked…then I will establish the throne of your kingdom. Solomon’s reign, and the reigns of his descendants, would be blessed by God if he followed God’s law, and the Davidic dynasty would last forever.

    However, God did not require Solomon to be a perfect servant. Although David did not always follow God’s rules, God commanded Solomon to do so. Solomon could certainly accomplish this.

    The positive promise is counterbalanced by a negative one: b. But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments…then I will uproot them. God warned that a disobedient Israel would be punished if Solomon or his descendants rejected God and His Word.

    God’s response to Solomon’s prayer was not an unconditional promise to bless the temple under any circumstances because of clause (c). God showered His glory upon the Temple, but if the kings of Israel abandoned Him, He would destroy the building.

    Israel, seeing this magnificent structure, might be tempted to worship it instead of God. At this point, they realized that the LORD would never bless such a mistake.

    Will cause it to become widely used as a cliche and byword d. It will astonish anyone who sees it: God’s promise to use Israel to bring glory to Himself among the nations was a cornerstone of the Old Covenant. If Israel listened to God, He would bless them so abundantly that everyone would see that He was at work. If Israel disobeyed, the LORD would punish them so severely that all the other nations would be shocked by His judgment on His disobedient people.

    What Does 2 Chronicles 7 14 Mean In The Bible

    Any Bible verse must be read in its surrounding context to be understood correctly. There is the immediate context, which includes the verses immediately before and after it, and there is the larger context of Scripture, which includes the verse’s place in the larger story. We also have the verse’s original audience’s historical and cultural context to consider. When quoted out of context, a verse that seems to have a clear meaning and application may have a very different meaning altogether.

    Consider the surrounding verses before jumping to 2 Chronicles 7:14. The Lord made an appearance to Solomon after the dedication of the temple and provided both warnings and reassurances. It was then that the Lord spoke to him in a vision, telling him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.” I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways before the time that I close the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land, or send a plague among my people (2 Chronicles 7:12–14).

    Judgment from God could come in the form of drought, locusts, or pestilence, as is evident from the immediate context of 2 Chronicles 7:14, which is connected to Israel and the temple.

    A short while later, God warns: “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and I will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I intend to make it a punchline and source of derision among all nations. This sacred structure will be reduced to ruins. Visitors and locals alike will be shocked by the destruction of the temple and the surrounding land, and they will wonder why the Lord has allowed this to happen. “Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them,” people will say. You can read about it in 2 Chronicles 7:19–22.

    Solomon would have remembered this stern warning from Deuteronomy 28. God made a pact with Israel, promising protection and prosperity in exchange for their obedience. If they disobeyed, he said, “curses will come upon you.” Obedience resulted in blessings, while disobedience brought hardships as a result of the covenant relationship. The benefits of following the law and the penalties for breaking it are laid out in detail in Deuteronomy 28. Once again, Israel’s obedience or disobedience determined whether or not they would receive divine blessing or divine punishment.

    In the book of Judges, we see the good and bad outcomes that resulted from the Law’s stipulations. The name “The Cycle of the Judges” is commonly used to refer to the events of Judges chapter 2. Israel was doomed to sin. God would judge them through a different nation. Israel would realize its sin and seek God. To save them, God would anoint a judge. They would temporarily follow Christ before returning to their old ways of sin. And the never-ending loop would go on.

    The Lord merely reminds Solomon of the prior agreement in 2 Chronicles 7. Israel will be blessed if they follow the rules. There will be consequences for disobedience. God tells Solomon that if Israel will humble themselves, pray, and repent, then God will deliver them from the judgment.

    The context of 2 Chronicles 7:14 reveals it to be a promise that the Lord will save Israel if they turn back to Him in repentance. Though, many American Christians have adopted this verse as a patriotic call to arms. Maybe Christians in other countries have done the same thing. According to this view, Christians are the ones to whom God reveals his name. Christians believe that if they get down on their knees, seek God’s face, and repent, He will restore their nation’s moral and political health, as well as its economic prosperity. This interpretation and application has been called into question.

    The United States does not have the same covenant relationship with God that ancient Israel did, and this is the first difficulty for the modern, “Westernized,” interpretation. The agreement God made with Israel was special and exclusive. The terms that were originally intended for Israel are not appropriate to be applied to another country.

    It could be argued that Christians have inherited the covenant with Israel because they continue to use the name of God and practice some of the sacrificial rituals that were central to the ancient Jewish faith. In all cases, Christians in a troubled nation should respond with prayer and repentance. But there’s also a frequently ignored problem.

    People in ancient Israel turned back to God en masse. Overall, the country changed its ways. It was a national repentance, even though not every Israelite prayed and turned from their sins. There was never any hint that the entire nation’s fate could be altered by the repentance and prayer of a small fraction of the population (a righteous remnant). When the entire nation repented, God said he would save them.

    When 2 Chronicles 7:14 is used to describe Christians in the United States or any other modern nation, it is usually understood that the Christians of that nation will make up the righteous remnant. This includes only those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not true that if a small number of faithful people pray and repent, God will save their country. Perhaps God would spare a modern nation if its people repented, as He did Nineveh in response to Jonah’s preaching (Jonah 3), but that’s a whole other can of worms.

    However, there is no such thing as an inappropriate time to pray or to confess our sins; rather, it is our responsibility as Christians to continually do both (Hebrews 12:1), the former for the benefit of our own spiritual growth and the latter for the benefit of our country and its leaders (1 Timothy 2:1–2). There is no assurance of national deliverance, but it is possible that God will bless our nation as a result of His grace. There is no assurance that the nation would be saved politically or economically even if God were to use our efforts to bring about national repentance and revival. As Christians, not only do we have assurance of eternal life through Christ (Romans 8:1), but we also have assurance that God will use us for His purposes. All who believe will be saved, and it is our duty as Christians to live holy lives, seek God, pray, and share the gospel, but the Bible makes no promises about the political, cultural, or economic salvation of our nation.

    2 Chronicles 7 Commentary Study Guide

    2 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 I will forgive their sin and heal their land.

    2 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

    2 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

    The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said to him: “What do you want me to give you?” Solomon replied: “You have shown great kindness to your servant David my father, because he was faithful to you. You have continued this great kindness for him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne. Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of David my father. Give me wisdom and knowledge so that I can lead your people well.”

    Does 2 Chronicles 714 Apply Today

    Commentary and Exposition on 2 Chronicles 7:14

    The event marked the dedication of Solomon’s Temple to God, which David had envisioned (1 Chron 28:3). Solomon beseeched God to look favorably upon his people and this temple. Following Solomon’s prayer, God spoke these and other words, reiterating his promises of blessings according to the covenant made with their fathers.

    Right from the start, God intended to bless them; he even had back-up plans in case they disobeyed. Assuming that hearts are restless and unable to remain in one place for very long, God made preparations here for their eventual return. He assures them that God will always hear their sincere repentance and forgive them whenever they err. Despite the fact that he does not normally reside in a man-made structure, he promised to do so on this special occasion.

    God delights in forgiving those who truly repent of their sins. If a person is truly sorry and repentant, he will always forgive them. While he calls us to perfection, he also knows that we are imperfect, which is why he sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins and reconcile us to himself.

    The Essentials of 2 Chronicles 7:14 Exposed If those who bear my name, the Israelites,
    The Jews are descended from Abraham, the first benevolent man after Adam. To put it another way, the nation Abraham represented stood in for “all nations.” Although God’s love and blessing were bestowed upon a specific people, this was done so that everyone in the world could benefit. At this point in the atonement process, the descendants of Abraham were Yahweh’s chosen people, the heirs to the promise, God’s own offspring.

    Will #2 “bow down in prayer and seek my face…”
    The Lord understands that we all have bad days. If we fail to admit our guilt when we’ve sinned, we fail the test that determines whether or not we truly belong to God. God favors a contrite spirit that prays, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Lk 18:13). Rather than the proud and self-righteous Pharisee, Jesus said the humble tax collector was the one who went home justified.

    Thirdly, “…and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin…”
    True repentance involves abandoning one’s sinful habits and “wicked ways.” Some people have been led to believe that they can sin as much as they like, provided that they always repent. However, a stubborn persistence in sin is an indication of lack of faith, so this is not true. The Holy Spirit and the Christian community have provided the true believer with everything he or she needs to turn and change, even if it takes several attempts.

    1. And restore the land to health.
      As God had promised for disobedience in order to bring them to repentance, famine struck the land in the days of David and Solomon and the kings that followed them. Fertility gods, especially, held a special allure for the agricultural Israelites. God, being merciful, slowed production so that he could bring his straying and adulterous people back to himself. God said that if people would just repent, he would end the famine and restore the land’s fertility.

    Verses 7:14 of 2 Chronicles in other Bible Translations
    If those who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

    NLT
    That is why it says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins, and will restore their land.”

    I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways.

    KJV
    If those who bear my name (the Israelites) will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

    NKJV
    I will forgive their sin and heal their land if they will humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, says the Lord.

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