REVIVAL
PROMISED BY THE LORD 2
CHRONICLES 7
God
promised Revival in the above chapter, which commenced with Solomon’s prayer to
the living God. Revival, or spiritual
awakening will always be preceded by sacrificial praying, I heard Dr Billy
Graham read this chapter in 1959 during his Australian visit. It impressed and deeply moved my wife and me, especially when he read the
14th verse, ‘If My people, who 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 sins and heal their land.’
Solomon’s
prayer life was a fine example: ‘When he had finished praying all this prayer
and supplication (no short cut here) he arose from before the altar of the
Lord, from kneeling on his knees (humble though regal) with his hands spread up
to heaven. (Focussed on eternity) (1 Kings 8:54) Isaiah (65:24) reinforced this
truth, writing, ’Before you call I will answer, and while you are yet speaking,
I will hear.’
A
longed- for revival will come, as we plead with the Lord, ’Revive thy work oh,
Lord in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years, make known. In wrath remember mercy.’ (Habakkuk 3: 2)
Prime Minister Daniel, who, even in captivity,
served under several kings, spoke, ’O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act. Do
not delay for Your own sake, my God for your city and your people are called by
Your name. Daniel prayed strongly, for ‘While I was speaking , praying, and
confessing my sin ( a heart rapport, no flippancy) and the sin of my people,
The
early church knew how God released mighty power through prayer, ‘When they
prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken; and they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.’
(Acts 4:21) In the
Holy
fire is the fundamental nature of the true and living God; as the fire fell
only after the king had completed his intercession, the fire fell from heaven,
its source. Please notice the fire was
selective, and a controlled, flaming outburst from God Himself. ’It consumed
the burnt offering and the sacrifices’, while the onlookers were
preserved. Unforgettable! A similar
result followed when Moses and Aaron prayed as in Leviticus 9:24, where fire
focussed on the altar, while the onlookers saw it. ’They shouted and fell on
their faces.’ God was merciful in
safeguarding His people from the show of His omnipotence (all-powerfulness).
A
lone Elijah called on his Lord to send fire to authenticate his ministry. (1
Kings 18:24) ‘The GOD who answers by fire, let HIM be God.’ Then the
super-atomic fire fell: selective, controlled and focussed on the altar, but convincing
reluctant spectators. ‘It consumed, the burnt sacrifice, wood, stones, dust,
and licked up the water.’ (v38) God won the battle of their dull hearts, for
‘When the people saw it, they fell on their faces, saying ‘the LORD He is
GOD. The LORD He is GOD.‘ Pray for
revival, God’s selective and unquenchable fire, transforming our entire beings,
bringing us on our faces low before HIM: renewing minds and restoring eternal
values.
When
the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple, ‘The musicians praised the
Lord, ’He is good. His mercies endure forever: and the house, the house of the
Lord was filled with a cloud. That was the Shekinah or heavenly glory. They
were overcome, for ’the priests could not continue ministering because of the
cloud: for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.’ (2 Chron 5:14) Oh,
for the Presence of the Lord in our lives, homes and churches-as we are filled
with HIS glory.
Solomon
experienced the wonder of His Shekinah glory, ’For 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 house of the Lord.’(v2) The unfathomable holiness of the Lord
prevented the priests from entering the house of God. May the Lord give such an experience as we
worship our unchanging God.
It
had a far-reaching effect, for ’All the children of Israel saw how the fire
came down ( divine supervision and control ) and the glory of the Lord had
filled the Lord‘s house.’ They were overpowered, so responding, ‘They bowed
their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshipped and praised the Lord,
saying, ‘HE is good. His mercy endures forever‘. (v2,3) Solomon also was deeply touched.
Isaiah
records ‘seeing the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train
of his robe filling the temple. Above it
the six-winged seraphim, crying to the other,
Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts (Is this an indication of the Triunity of the
Godhead?) the whole earth is full of His glory. Physical proof of God’s
Presence were ’When the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of Him who
cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.’ The Shekinah glory of God
filled the scene. ’My eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts,’ (v5)
explaining why Isaiah remained loyal to his God during the reign of four kings
of
The
prophet Haggai spoke of God’s glory, claiming, ’I will shake all nations, and
they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, ‘who is our beloved Lord Jesus
Christ. No other Being can satisfy the
criteria of meeting the deepest desires of all peoples, except our risen Lord.
He promised,’ I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts.’
Further he claimed, ‘The Lord of Hosts said, ‘The silver (redemption) is mine,
and the gold (eternal glory) is mine.’ The glory of this latter temple shall be
greater than the former. And in THIS
place I will give peace, says the Lord of Hosts. (2:7-9) SOLOMON’S PRAYER SHOULD BE OUR
GUIDE.
.