In case your folks exit to battle towards their enemy, by no matter means you shall ship them, and so they pray to the LORD towards town that you’ve chosen and the home that I’ve constructed to your identify, then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and preserve their trigger.
In the event that they sin towards you—for there is no such thing as a one who doesn’t sin—and you’re indignant with them and provides them to an enemy, in order that they’re carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or close to; but if they arrive to their senses within the land to which they’ve been taken captive, and repent, and plead with you within the land of their captors, saying, ‘We’ve got sinned, and have achieved unsuitable; we have now acted wickedly’; in the event that they repent with all their coronary heart and soul within the land of their enemies, who took them captive, and pray to you towards their land, which you gave to their ancestors, town that you’ve chosen, and the home that I’ve constructed to your identify; then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, preserve their trigger and forgive your individuals who have sinned towards you, and all their transgressions that they’ve dedicated towards you; and grant them compassion within the sight of their captors, in order that they might have compassion on them (for they’re your folks and heritage, which you introduced out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron-smelter). Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant, and to the plea of your folks Israel, listening to them each time they name to you. For you have got separated them from amongst all of the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, simply as you promised by means of Moses, your servant, while you introduced our ancestors out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.
Background
Within the final part, we appeared on the first 5 of seven petitions in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the Temple. Every of these addressed a selected circumstance within the life of people or the nation.
The final two petitions are for the nation of Israel: in the event that they exit to battle (44–45) and if they’re captured (46–51). Since Israel had been in lots of battles throughout her historical past, it’s not stunning to listen to Solomon pray about future conflicts. Extra fascinating is the half in regards to the nation being taken into captivity as a result of a couple of centuries later they had been taken away into exile. This part of the prayer is firmly tied to the historical past of Israel and particular occasions.
That means
Within the first petition (44-45), Solomon prays that if the folks pray in direction of the Temple, God will hear them, and “preserve their trigger,” that’s, help them of their battle. Immediately, God’s folks not often, if ever, go to battle as a folks or nation as a result of most are residents of nations that aren’t theocracies. The New Testomony takes this concept of God’s folks going to battle and applies it to preventing the forces of evil on this planet, towards “…rulers, towards the authorities, towards the cosmic powers of this current darkness…” (Eph 6.12). As a substitute of praying towards the Temple, we pray “towards” the Messiah, who embodies the features of the Temple.
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