WHY HATH THE LORD DONE THUS?
Text II Chronicles 7: 12-22
Pastor W. Max Alderman
Introduction: We must not forget that even though we live in the Grace age that God is still in control. He still is in charge, and deals with both man and the church in respect to their sinning. Just as the people in Solomon’s day had become so calloused in their sinning that they were found asking, “Why hath the Lord Done Thus?”, we still have people in our churches that think that they can sin and God has no reason to deal with them accordingly. May this chapter serve as a wake up call, causing us to take personal inventory in our lives making sure that any known or hidden sin has been confessed so that God’s blessings will rest upon us.
Historical Setting: Tremendous riches are hidden away in the neglected book of 2 Chronicles. As I Chronicles was all about King David, 2 Chronicles is all about the house of David. The nation of Israel---the ten tribes in the north---is viewed only as it relates to the kingdom of Judah in the south. This book follows only the course of the kings of Judah, the descendants of David. Both I and 2 Chronicles center on the temple, distinguishing these two books from the parallel historical passages recorded in Kings and Samuel. This book gives us a picture of God’s king walking in the light of God’s house. That is the secret of blessing in the kingdom. (Ray Stedman)
That is also the secret of having God’s blessings in the church! If, because of sin, God is not able to walk in our midst, then there will be no souls saved, no people getting right with God, our young people having no place to see Godly examples, and therefore they will not grow either. As Pastor, I do not want the curse of God upon this church, I must have the blessings of God, instead.
In this message we will show why God chastens the church as a body when there is known sin in the church, or even secret sin. We will show that when God withholds His blessings, that could be an indication of His displeasure.
I. HE WANTS HIS CHURCH PURE IN ITS DEPORTMENT
2Ch 7:16 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.
A. My Name Be There… The most prominent name in the church should not be Pastor so and so, nor deacon so and so, but the Lord God Almighty.
. His wonderful name should be found:
1. In the singing
2. In the preaching
3. In the fellowshipping
4. In the witnessing
About His Name: Deuteronomy 28: 58 says, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD.
Psalms 133:3 tell us that the Lord’s name is to be praised.
Psalm 18:10 says that the name of the Lord is a strong tower.
Isaiah 57:15 tell us that His name is holy.
Psalm 2:9,10 tells us that He has a name above every name.
B. My eyes be there….
2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Think how much greater your testimony would be if you knew that God is always watching you. You should be able to invite God to every occasion, event, and activity that you are a part of. REMEMBER it is not Santa Claus that is watching you…it is the Lord.
He is watching you when you are speaking an unkind word, watching wicked programming on television, working on your job in a dishonest manner; etc.
He is also watching that deed of kindness, that cake or meal for a shut-in and that word of encouragement for the discouraged.
B. My Heart be there…
In an athletic contest, the coach tries desperately to transfer his heart and desire to win to his players. A great team usually has the heart of its great coach. Likewise a great church does not operate with a heart of its own. It must have the heart of God. It is my desire that this church has a heart for souls; it will, if it has God’s heart.
II. HE WANTS HIS CHURCH PERFORMING ITS DUTY
2Ch 7:17 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;
2Ch 7:18 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.
A. God Has His Requirements for Service
God’s requirements are according to His Word, the Bible. A person will always be blessed when he embraces the Word of God. His Word has something for you:
1. for your manners
2. for your morals
3. for your mood
4. for your money
5. for your malice
6. for your misery
7. for your mission
B. God Has His Rewards for Service.
The “If-But” principle illustrates the way that the Lord rewards. His blessings and rewards are always based upon total obedience. Some think that if they can put all their good deeds in one stack and their evil deeds in another, and if the good outweighs the bad, then they are
still O.K. Verse number 17 says, "and do according to all that I have commanded thee."
III. HE WANTS HIS CHURCH PRASING IN DELIGHT
A. Sin Will Remove the Song…
Nothing hurts the praising of God and the singing of the songs as does unconfessed sin. If you are practicing unconfessed sin, you can be either like Achan of the Old Testament, or Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament and face the sure judgment of God.
B. Sin Will Rob the Service…
I wish to have everything that this church can have. I sincerely believe that if I will deliver Truth as I have in this message, and alert you to your sin, and you then stubbornly refuse to deal with it, then God will deal with you personally!
Conclusion: Please may we take to heart everything that the Lord is trying to teach us so that we will not need to ask, “Why Hath the Lord Done Thus?” or “Why is the Lord doing this to me?
