229. Lord will Hear and Forgive
2 Chronicles 6:20, 21, 25, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night…to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place…and when thou hearest forgive…then hear thou from heaven and forgive…then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants…then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive…then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling place, and do…then hear thou from the heavens their prayer…then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer, and forgive.
At the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem Solomon offers this dedicatory prayer. He prays that the Lord will hear the prayers of His servant (Solomon), the prayers of all God’s people of the kingdom of Israel, and the prayers of the strangers who will pray in faith to the Lord who dwells on earth there in the temple. The refrain is used after stating the various issues, needs, requests and petitions about which the people may pray. In this refrain is the promise that the Lord will hear from His dwelling place in heaven and forgive.
God hears the prayers of His people and knows their needs. This promise encourages us to pray, because it really works. Solomon lists several examples of needs and requests that people may have; these examples are meant to cover all the possibilities of earthly and heavenly needs, both physical and spiritual, so that we may know that nothing escapes God’s notice nor is it beyond His reach. The main point is that the Lord promises to hear. He is always there to listen; He understands and He answers.
The second part of the promise is that the Lord will forgive. This is a daily need. This we pray daily in the Lord’s Prayer. God forgives so that a clean heart comes before the Lord. And also many of the issues about which we pray are caused by sin; therefore, forgiveness must always be included in dealing with our needs. Forgiveness is the smooth surface and the open door upon which mercy and grace to help in time of need may come and enter our lives. (And then we forgive others to keep the channel flowing.)
God will hear “from His dwelling place in heaven.” Heaven is not only high above, but it is also nearby and close to us even in our own bodies, which is now the temple of the Lord’s presence on earth. Amazing! God dwells in us. Heaven is with us. Toward that place, our own hearts, we pray, and we enter into it in Jesus’ name by faith.