As
Solomon dedicated the temple of the Lord that he had built in I Kings 8, he
prayed that God would hear His people when they were caught in various
circumstances because of sin (see parallel account of the prayer in II Chron.
6). These circumstances would be hardships that had come about because of the
sin of the people. However, Solomon petitioned the Lord to hear the prayers of
the people when they cried out in repentance and turned their hearts back to
Him.
There
were several types of circumstances that would come upon the people because of
their sin—wrongs done against a neighbor, war/slavery/bondage, drought, plague,
captivity (I Kgs. 8:30-46). Solomon’s request for every one of these types of
judgments, was that God would “hear in heaven” the prayers of the people who
repent (I Kgs. 8:32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49).
God
answers Solomon’s prayer in I Kings chapter 9 with a personal promise to
Solomon concerning the kingdom. Also, there is further insight into God’s
answer to the prayer in II Chron. 7:12-14, where God says, “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.”
Solomon
petitioned God to hear the prayers of repentant people, and God answered that
He would hear the prayers of the people of God who cry out to Him in the midst
of war, famine, pestilence, plague, drought, captivity, etc. He will HEAR and
He will HEAL.
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