If My People

2nd Chronicles 7:14 ... "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

I just finished reading a book by a Christian author who made the statement that, if believers in America claim this Old Testament verse and repent ... that God will not bring judgment upon America for it's national sin. Well, I'm open to that thought. It sounds good to me. But truthfully ... I really don't know exactly where I stand on that belief. You see ... America isn't mentioned in Scripture.

I have always thought that the first meaning of this verse was directed to the nation of Israel concerning God's promise to Solomon that if Israel turns away, forsakes God, and even worships false gods ... that the people could repent and God would withhold His judgment from them. I assumed it was speaking of a national repentance ... or is it?

In the above scripture, God is speaking to Solomon in answer to the dedication prayer over God's Temple that Solomon gave in the preceding chapter. Below is part of that prayer, and Solomon's plea on behalf of the nation of Israel, knowing they will later sin against God ...

2nd Chronicles 6:26-31 ... "When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them; Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.  If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be ... locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities ... Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel ... Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive ..."

In Chapter 7, God answers Solomon's prayer ... which includes our key verse ...

2nd Chronicles 7:12-14 ... "And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Even though the words repent or repentance is not used in either portion of scripture, I assume that is what it is referring to when it says to pray and God will forgive their sin.

Notice Solomon asks the Lord to forgive, whether it happens to be "any man" or "all of thy people Israel" that prays. So, may I conclude that when God said to Solomon the words ... "If my people" ... He wasn't referring only to a national repentance, but any of His people, even one person by himself could lay hold of the promise.

Notice also ... God is saying it will be Him that stops the rain, and sends the pestilence upon Israel because of national sin. So in essence, God uses "perceived evil" to turn the hearts of His people back to Him. So I ask ... could He not do the same with America?

Now, to the question ... "Does America or any other nation qualify to receive this same promise from God?" In other words, if you and I start praying a prayer of repentance for America, will God honor our prayer based on 2nd Chronicles 7:14?

Honestly ... I really don't know. I do believe this though ... if enough believing Christians start asking God to bring revival to our land; to bring repentance to His people who have grown lukewarm, even cold or indifferent to the leading of His Spirit, then ... "yes" ... God can change the heart of America.

But here is where I may be different than some. I have no idea what God's end time plans for America are. What I am about to say has "nothing" to do with scripture or doctrine. It's just a feeling that stays with me and has for about the last twenty years or so, ever since our leaders began systematically and methodically taking God out of our nation ... from our laws, schools, city halls, town squares and lately even Christmas.

As a nation, we have told God to get out of our lives so that we can kill millions of healthy babies, calling it "women's health." It has now become acceptable and politically correct to do what is unnatural by nature, perverted and vile ... same sex marriage by homosexuals and lesbians. It's still an abomination to God. So how can He bless and heal our land until we repent?

These are just some of the changes I have seen in America over my life time. So I ask ... has God given us over to judgment as He did with other nations in the past history of this planet? It's still true you know ... sin has it's own reward. We just don't know when it will come.

My second uneasy feeling (if that's the right term) is that America "must fall" from it's super power status to fulfill and bring about the final deception of Israel concerning the so called anti-christ and the 7 years of Tribulation spoken of in both, the Old Testament Book of Daniel and the New Testament Book of Revelation. I believe God raises nations up and also brings nations down at His will and for His purpose.

Dr. David Yeagley once stated ... "The rise and fall of nations is something God tends to. Nations are on probation."

I wonder if America has failed it's probation?

In conclusion ... yes, God can bring revival and repentance to America. I'm just unsure if that's all within His plans for America.

One other thing I know and am sure of ... it won't do any harm to begin asking God to return America to it's roots ... which is, trusting in the providence and love of God.

Comments welcome.