2 Chronicles 6:36-39 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

Departure and return.

It seems a melancholy thing that, at this hour of sacred joy and triumph, Solomon should have been under the necessity of contemplating national unfaithfulness, Divine displeasure, a return of the people of God to ignominious captivity and all its consequent distress. But he felt that it was necessary, and the issue abundantly justified his forecast.

I. DEPARTURE FROM GOD . In the case of Israel, departure from the Lord their God meant either

1 . A growing disregard, ending in an absolute indifference, or even denial, of God's claims.

2 . A serious and, in the end, a shameful violation of his moral Law; doing that which is grievous in his sight and injurious to ourselves and our neighbours.

3 . Gradual but growing declension after acquaintance with God; the heart allowing itself to become loosened from sacred ties and attaching itself to other objects—separating itself from him and quitting his service.

I. ITS PENALTY .

1 . Divine displeasure. "Thou be angry with them." A moss serious and most deplorable thing it is to abide beneath the displeasure of our heavenly Father. The anger of love, the righteous anger of holy love, is ill to bear, indeed; it is a heavy weight upon the heart; it is a darkening of the life of man.

2 . The triumph of our enemy. "And deliver them over before their enemies," etc. A sad thing it is for the human soul to be at the mercy of its enemy. Sin is a cruel enemy, and exacts a full penalty.

III. OUR REPENTANCE AND RETURN .

1 . Distress leads to thoughtfulness. "They bethink themselves." We "come to ourselves" ( Luke 15:17 ), as those who were created to consider and act reasonably; we weigh our condition and our prospects.

2 . Thoughtfulness leads to self-rebuke. We reprove ourselves for our folly. We compare or contrast the present with the past, the land whither we have been "carried away captive" with the home of freedom and of sacred joy. We reproach ourselves with our guilt. We are pained and ashamed that we have left him, who is worthy of the riches of our strength, for all that is unworthy; him, to whom we owe everything, for that or for those to whom we owe nothing. We repent of our decision and our deed.

3 . Repentance leads to return. We return unto God "with all our heart and with all our soul." We come with confession; we say freely and sincerely, "We have sinned" ( 2 Chronicles 6:38 ). We come with consecration; we offer ourselves, our hearts and lives, unto God, that henceforth we may walk in his ways with a perfect heart. We come in faith; we have hope in his mercy, for we know what will be—

IV. HIS RECEPTION OF US . He will "forgive his people that have sinned against him" ( 2 Chronicles 6:39 ). He will cordially welcome; he will immediately and magnanimously restore (see Luke 15:20-24 ).—C.