The next portion of Solomon’s prayer of dedication contains a number of “ifs,” beginning with: “If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of Your altar in this Temple, then hear from heaven and judge between Your servants – the accuser and the accused” (I Kings 8:31-32a, NLT).
The next scenario Solomon mentions contains two “ifs:” “If Your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against You, and if they turn to You and acknowledge Your Name and pray to You here in this Temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel and return them to this land You gave their ancestors” (I Kings 8:33-34).
“If they turn to You and acknowledge Your Name and pray to You…” Solomon knew that God’s blessing would be on His people only when they lived in accordance with His commands. Yet even when the people “sinned against” God, He would “hear from heaven and forgive the sin” they had committed when they confessed their sins and repented.
Again we see the two “ifs:” “If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge Your Name and turn from their sins because You have punished them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of Your servants, Your people Israel” (I Kings 8:35-36a).
“If they acknowledge Your Name… and turn from their sins…” Repentance is the only way to forgiveness. Repentance means to turn, as in doing a 180. You turn completely FROM the sin and TO the Savior. There’s no such thing as halfway repenting just as there’s no such thing as halfway forgiveness. When God forgives, He fully forgives; but in order to receive that forgiveness, genuine repentance is imperative.
Now Solomon hinges off his previous words about the rains being withheld and adds another pair of “ifs:” “If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if Your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns – whatever disaster or disease there is – and if Your people Israel pray about their troubles, raising their hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven where You live, and forgive. Give Your people what their actions deserve, for You alone know each human heart” (I Kings 8:37-39).
Solomon adds a bold statement to this part of his prayer: “Give Your people what their actions deserve.” Wow! Would you have the courage to pray that concerning yourself? Your family? Your church?
Remember, Solomon is praying this prayer aloud in the presence of all the people. They are hearing and are supposed to be agreeing as he voices this prayer. I would imagine a lot of folks in the crowd were rethinking their attitudes, wouldn’t you?
God certainly didn’t need to be told the next part, but for the sake of the other listeners, Solomon tacks on: “For You alone know each human heart.” He wanted to remind the people that they couldn’t mouth their commitment and honor God – they had to mean it from the depths of their very being. And the same holds true for us today.
“What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart” (Jesus speaking, Matthew 15:18a, ESV).
“But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers” (James 1:22a, NASB).
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