Opus 2025-270: Conditional Throne

Most people are familiar with,

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) 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.

The same people are not familiar with the context.  Immediately before this is the consecration of the temple and Solomon’s palace.  After that, we have a conditional statement about the throne of David.

2 Chronicles 7:16-20 (KJV) 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; 18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. 19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.

This makes the promise of the eternal throne totally dependent on obedience, and specifically rooted out if they follow other gods.  Noticed it extends back to David.

If you take the time to read about the end of Solomon’s life in I Kings 11 you will see that he turned totally away from the Lord.  He checked all the boxes of turning away.  For that reason I question the position of Israel as forever God’s chosen ones.

The Bible has many promises but keep in mind that God is not stupid.  He does not make blind promises that require nothing from us.

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