What is your opinion on this verse in 2 Chronicles?

Question

"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." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Answer 1

My Pastor quotes that verse nearly every Sunday.
It is referring to Israel at that time.
It is referring to America today. America is going to get worse if we don't turn from our immoral laws. Abortion and gay marriage is an abomination on our land.
There are nations with nuclear weapons that hate America. If we don't turn we will burn (after God removes his hand of mercy from America).
God bless America.

Answer 2

At 2 Chronicles 7:14, God said that if sinners would “humble themselves and pray and seek [his] face and turn back from their bad ways, then [he himself would] hear from the heavens and forgive their sin.”

‘Seeking God’s face’ means to approach him in prayer, confess your wrong, and beg for forgiveness. This may not be easy to do, but you will no doubt feel greatly relieved for having done so. Said the psalmist: “When I kept silent my bones wore out through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me. . . . My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover.”—Psalm 32:3-5.

Answer 3

The book of Chronicles 1 and 2 was written in a time in which the Jewish nation was divided in to Judah and Israel. It was a very dark time. King David and his son Solomon were already died. Solomon was succeeded by his son, who didn't have his father's wisdom. Throughout the history of the Jewish nation, there was always pagan worship. The most notable being the worship of Baal. Both Judah and Israel turned away from God and follow the ways of Baal. Despite what God had done for His people, they would imitate the pagan practices of their neighbors. It went from bad to worse in record time. It wasn't long before they suffered the consequences of their misdeeds. Both Israel and Judah were constantly under seige. Parents were sacrificing their own children. Both male and femaile prostitues filled the temple. But, despite what they did, God promise He would not abandon them. And, true to His word, God did deliver His people after they repented. There are several examples of kings who had the courage to outlaw pagan worship, such as Josiah.

Answer 4

We have prayer for the nation the first Tuesday of every month at our church during the lunch hour. The pastor always opens the prayer meeting with that verse.

I take that to mean that we are His people, and that we are the ones interceding for unbelievers in this land (the USA), because I am "called by His name" as a believer in His son.

I have great faith in the prayers of believers....we stand in the gap for the US of A. I don't say that in a self righteous way, just a factual way. God says, if we pray, He hears us. One of the reasons we are so blessed in this country, in my opinion, is the intercessory prayer of millions of born again, on their knees, bible believing and praying Christian people.

God has heard our prayers for protection, mercy, forgiveness, strenghtening, courage, guidance, all the things we pray about.

Answer 5

I understand it like this:

If my people, which are called by my name
If people professing to be Christians

shall humble themselves and pray
put self aside and ask for my guidance. Lift up others in prayer.

and seek my face
search to know me and my will for them

and turn from their wicked ways
give up cherished/secret sins, stop gay bashing, stop putting down others for their beliefs/lack of beliefs, and other unchristian like behaviors

then will I hear from heaven
I will acknowledge them, forgive their sins

and will heal their land
and will heal those that they are now praying for instead of condemning

Answer 6

It is a ongoing promise to God's people in all times. God still have people in the world today and it is a valid promise to us today. It explains the process for this to happen, we should be humble, pray, seek God, repent from sin.

Answer 7

If you repent,
turn from sin,
turn to God, and
Pray,
God will forgive you of your sins, and heal the pain your sin has caused you as well as has caused in the life of others.
God is awesome like that.

Answer 8

Its addressed to the Hebrews who turned from GOD many times through out the old testament and he is asking for their obedience and to serve no other gods before him.

Answer 9

It was addressed to the nation of Israel, and asking them to repent. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. It can still apply to us today...

Answer 10

i like when Christians preachers read it and leave off the "and will heal their land" part.