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“The Promise To Heal Our Land – Part 2”
The Promise To Heal Our Land – Part 2
Wade Webster
“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 will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14). In the last part of this study, we noticed the requirements – humbling, praying, seeking, and turning. In this installment, we will notice the recipients..
The Recipients - “…My people, who are called by my name…”
God calls them His people. He chose them. They are called by His name. What a blessing it is to belong to God. What an honor it is to be called by His name. However, with these blessings, come serious responsibilities. Because we are so closely identified with God, our actions reflect upon Him. When we do right, our actions glorify God’s name. However, when we do wrong, our actions bring reproach on the name of God. As you know, God is very protective of His name. His name is great and He wants to keep it that way. Through Ezekiel, God declared, “Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds; to Me their way was like the uncleanness of a woman in her customary impurity. Therefore I poured out My fury on them for the blood they had shed on the land, and for their idols with which they had defiled it. So I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes” (Ezek. 36:16-23).
As we noted earlier, there are key differences between Old Testament Israel and modern-day America. God did not put His name on our nation as He did upon Israel. However, our nation was founded upon Christian principles. Many of our founding fathers sought God’s blessings upon the nation that they were trying to build and they gave Him praise for victories won. We have been identified on the world’s stage as a Christian nation. Sadly, today this moniker is largely a reproach . Again, the greater parallel is between Old Testament Israel and the church. We wear the name of Christ (Acts 11:26). Our actions can bring glory or reproach upon the worthy name that we wear (Jam. 2:5). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of the glory that can be brought upon God by our good works. He declared, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mat. 5:14-16). Peter spoke of the reproach than can be brought upon the name of Christ if we don’t live holy lives. He wrote, “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Pet. 4:14-16).
