2 Chronicles 6:22-39 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

The sevenfold illustration.

I. THE OATH OF PURGATION . ( 2 Chronicles 6:22 , 2 Chronicles 6:23 .)

1 . The case supposed. ( 2 Chronicles 6:22 .)

2 . The prayer offered. ( 2 Chronicles 6:23 .)

II. THE PRAYER OF THE CAPTIVE . (Verses 24, 25.)

1 . The instance selected. That of God's ancient people

2 . The request presented.

III. THE CRY OF THE FAMISHED . (Verses 26, 27.)

1 . The distress pictured. Solomon imagines a state of matters that in Oriental countries might easily happen, when through long-continued drought, as in the days of Joseph ( Genesis 41:57 ), the inhabitants might be perishing (or in danger of perishing) through lack of food—a state of matters not unknown in the land of Israel, both before ( Ruth 1:1 ; 2 Samuel 21:1 ) and after ( 1 Kings 17:7 ; 2 Kings 4:38 ; 2 Kings 6:25-29 ; 2 Kings 25:3 ; Acts 11:28 ) his time, and commonly regarded as a visible token of Divine displeasure on account of sin (Le 26:20; Deuteronomy 11:17 ; Deuteronomy 28:23 ; Amos 4:7 ), as abundance of rain and fertility of ground were customarily accepted as intimations of Heaven's favour (Le Job 26:4 ; Jeremiah 5:24 ; Joel 2:23 ). The state of matters depicted is rendered even more sorrowful, and the wretchedness more pitiable, by the fact that the famine and the drought spoken of are represented as having been sent upon the people on account of their wickedness, exactly as Jehovah had threatened.

2 . The condition presupposed. Solomon asks nothing for his people when in this plight except under limitations. He requests absolutely neither the complete removal of the judgment nor its mitigation. He assumes that his people shall have

3 . The favour solicited.

4 . The reason given.

IV. THE WAIL OF THE AFFLICTED . (Verses 28-31.)

1 . Their case destructed. (Verse 28.) Their distress—stricken by plague or sickness—is set forth

2 . Their cause pleaded.

V. THE PRAYER OF THE STRANGER . (Verses 32, 33.)

1 . His personal history narrated.

2 . His religious conduct described. He is represented as

3 . His favourable acceptance requested.

VI. THE APPEAL OF THE SOLDIER . (Verses 34, 35)

1 . A fourfold assumption.

2 . A twofold petition.

VII. THE SUPPLICATION OF THE EXILE . (Verses 36-39.)

1 . The calamity apprehended.

2 . The supposition made.

3 . The intercession made. That God would grant his repenting and praying people

Learn:

1 . That good prayers, while never prolix, vague, or rambling, are always full, specific, and well arranged.

2 . That the loftiest prayer a human lip can utter is that of intercession for the welfare of others.

3 . That, though the heart of man stands in no need of arguments to make it pray, it is not forbidden to employ arguments in the act of prayer.

4 . That prayer, conceived as the converse of a finite soul with the infinite Deity, is the highest exercise of which a creature is capable.

5 . That long prayers do not weary God, though meaningless repetitions do.—W.