America is not the Promised Land

Scripture is often used to support unbiblical ideas. Likewise, biblical concepts are sometimes drawn from Scripture that does not truly support the idea. Sometimes this occurs through pure misinterpretation. Sometimes it is failure to consider the original context. Sometimes I suppose it is intentional deceit. Today I was made aware of a passage that I have used improperly for years. I heard it applied inappropriately, and I repeated it.

The passage I’m referring to is the famously quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray… I will heal their land.” I frequently hear this applied to our current political situation in America. I cannot say this is entirely out of context, but one must travel quite a distance to reach modern America from Solomon’s Israel. The Old Testament records this verse as God’s response to Solomon’s dedication of the temple. At that time, the promise of God was geographically defined. God planted His people, Israel, in the land of promise, and He commanded that His temple be built there. The Old Covenant blessing was on its surface a physical blessing: land, crops, cattle, and a place for God’s dwelling on earth. Of course, God’s grace and presence had a spiritual element, but the program was evidently physical.

Not so in the New Covenant. The physical land and the nation of Israel have been replaced by the Kingdom of God, a spiritual kingdom not defined by geography. All those who follow King Jesus are in the kingdom; they dwell in the promised land. Likewise, in one sense every believer is the temple which replaces the one Solomon was dedicating; the body of each believer is, according to Paul, a temple. In another sense, the church itself is the temple as Peter says believers, “as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” No more physical land or physical temple.

It may seem curious that on Solomon’s dedication day, God brought up the subject of healing. The reason healing would be required is revealed by what God said in the previous verse: “ When I hold back the heavens so that there is not rain, and when I command the locust to devour the earth, and if I send disease among my people, ¹⁴ then if my people… will pray [I will] heal their land.” I notice that God told Solomon “when” not “if” the draught and locust become necessary. He is, after all, the Omniscient One. He knew His children’s history; He knew healing would be required.

If we are going to apply the healing verse to the New Covenant Israel, we have to remember that the land is a spiritual kingdom. The conditions hampering the New Testament Israel, the church, for which God promised to “heal the land” are spiritual as well. When the church, the people called by His name fail to do His will, judgements will follow. I believe withholding the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit represents the draught. The attacks by the enemy sent to buffet believers (as Paul reported) are the locust. The dryness and lack of vitality in so many churches represent the spiritual disease sent by God to chastise His wayward children.

In the prosperous Western church, God’s people, those who are part of the Kingdom are again slipping into idolatry. Salvation becomes all about what’s in it for me here and now; that is materialism, the idol of mammon versus God. We selfishly crave health, wealth, and emotional well-being as personal gifts from God. Some try to make America the new Israel of God. We forget that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. We forget Paul’s admonition to set our minds on things above. When we fail to focus on things above (The Unseen Realm), we forget that God’s plan is cosmic in nature, and we are just pawns in a much larger game. We need to remember that healing is available if we step away from self-serving attitudes and humble ourselves and pray.

I’m not suggesting that we become so heavenly minded we are no earthly good, but neither should we become so enamored with the things of this world that we become enemies instead of ambassadors of the God who saved us. Although we are blessed to live in a country with religious freedom (for the time being), and we do need to do our duty as Christian citizens, our true citizenship is in Heaven. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is not about America, but it is about the church in America. We need to humble ourselves and pray God will help us to get serious about spreading the kingdom. It is not a certainty that we will have that privilege forever.

Related posts: I Pray For America; Bringing the Kingdom; Informed Consent; The Battle is not Political; Understanding Job: The Heiser Effect