What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 7:14?
Answered from the commentary of Arno Clemens Gaebelein, Leslie M. Grant, Henri L. Rossier and 1 other
2 Chronicles 7:14 means that when God’s people Israel were under His governmental chastening, recovery depended on their humbling themselves, praying, seeking His face, and turning from their wicked ways; then He would hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. The promise is God’s gracious answer to Solomon’s prayer, and the words “my people” show that He still owned Israel as His. This was a promise concerning Israel and its land, given in connection with the house God had chosen and sanctified.
The forgiveness promised did not remove the people’s responsibility: persistent turning away and idolatry would bring judgment upon Israel and its temple. Yet God’s answer was sure, and His mercy gave them a way back through repentance.
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What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
The passage
Verses 12 to 22 of 2 Chronicles 7 differ little from the account of Kings. Nevertheless it should be noted that here, as in 2 Chronicles 1: 7, the Lord's appearance to Solomon has a character perhaps more direct than in the book of Kings, for it is not said that God appeared to him "in a dream" (v. 12). The house which the Lord had chosen is called "a house of sacrifice" according to its character as a place of worship which we have observed all through this book. God's free choice in grace is also emphasized more in our chapters: God chose Jerusalem, chose David, chose the house (2 Chron. 6: 6; 2 Chron. 7: 12). In response to the office of advocate and intercessor which Solomon had taken in the preceding chapter, God gives him a full answer (vv. 13-14) which is absent in Kings. The consequences of the responsibility of the people and their leaders are exposed completely in this passage, as they had been in Solomon's prayer, but also the certainty that, by virtue of this intercession, God would forgive their sin and heal their land. And He assures His Beloved by this single word, omitted in the book of Kings: "Now mine eyes shall be open," etc. From the moment Solomon appears before God, the answer to his intercession is sure and, however delayed it must be on account of the people's unfaithfulness, it is no less real a fact granted at the request of the Lord's anointed.
v.12-16Sin and its judgment, a possible repentance, and forgiveness from God, occupy his mind and are the subject of his prayer. But the mercy of God is as prominent in Solomon's prayer, as was the inflexible righteousness of God in the law given by Moses; and it was on this mingled system of grace and righteousness that God dealt with Israel until the Lord came, the fruit of mediatorial intercession really. God (to speak after the manner of men) accepts Solomon's modification of the old covenant. "And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer" (2 Chron. 7:12), and takes up special cases of judgment; if the people repent, He will hear and forgive. But He did more; He did not wait for their repentance, but sent prophets to rebuke, warn, of the inevitable judgment that must follow sin; to invite, yea plead with, them to repent, and ii they did repent, to say what grace would do for them.
v.12-16God's gracious words to Solomon form a fresh starting point with Israel, and the message of the prophets is founded on it. Isaiah says, "Repent, and God will abundantly pardon." The law visited the sins of the fathers upon the children. Ezekiel says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father," nor his own, if he turn from his unrighteousness. And in view of this grace rising above law, both the people and their kings sank deeper in iniquity until God says, as if giving a reason for His judgment, "What could I have done more for my vineyard that I have not done?" The first words of Isaiah are that God had brought and nourished children that became rebellious, and that the ox and the ass were more faithful to their owners than Israel to God.
A second time the Lord appeared unto Solomon. At this time He did not say again "Ask what shall I give thee," but He assured him that Solomon's prayer had been heard and He had chosen the dedicated place for Himself. He graciously assures the king that if He has chastised His people by sending drought, locusts or pestilence and they humble themselves, and seek His face, turning away from their wicked ways, that He will forgive and heal their land. There can be no recovery apart from the conditions mentioned in these verses. His people who have failed must first humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn away from their evil ways. The warning given in verses 19-22 had passed into history and found its literal fulfillment.
1892 68 The Lord manifests His acceptance of the worship of Israel, and of Solomon's prayer, for fire descends from heaven and consumes the sacrifices, and His glory fills the house, and He also graciously grants the King's requests. He will hear and forgive if the people humble themselves and pray to Him. He will look on that house and be attent to the prayer that is made in it. And the Lord is as minute and particular in His answer as was Solomon in his prayer. "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. Now mine eyes shall he open and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there for ever and mine eyes and mine ears shall be there perpetually" (2 Chron. 7:13-16). Solomon prays for Israel as the Lord's people; he said in his prayer, Thy people. And the Lord owns them as His, and says, My people.
v.14
and my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.
The Lord then spoke of specifically answering Solomon's prayer in regard to His governmental chastening of Israel by His withholding rain or sending locusts or pestilence. If Israel would humble themselves and pray, seeking God's face, turning from the evil of their ways, then God would indeed hear from heaven, forgive them and heal their land (vv. 13-14).
If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.