II Chronicles 7:12

That God accepted Solomon's prayer appeared by the fire from heaven. But a prayer may be accepted and yet not answered in the letter of it; and therefore God appeared to him in the night, as he did once before (Ch2 1:7), and after a day of sacrifice too, as then, and gave him a peculiar answer to his prayer. We had the substance of it before, Kg1 9:2-9. I. He promised to own this house for a house of sacrifice to Israel and a house of prayer for all people (Isa 56:7): My name shall be there for ever (Ch2 7:12, Ch2 7:16), that is, "There will I make myself known, and there will I be called upon." II. He promised to answer the prayers of his people that should at any time be made in that place, Ch2 7:13-15. National judgments are here supposed (Ch2 7:13), famine, and pestilence, and perhaps war, for by the locusts devouring the land meant enemies as greedy as locusts, and laying all waste. 2. National repentance, prayer, and reformation, are required, Ch2 7:14. God expects that his people who are called by his name, if they have dishonoured his name by their iniquity, should honour it by accepting the punishment of their iniquity. They must be humble themselves under his hand, must pray for the removal of the judgment, must seek the face and favour of God; and yet all this will not do unless they turn from their wicked ways, and return to the God from whom they have revolted. 3. National mercy is then promised, that God will forgive their sin, which brought the judgment upon them, and then heal their land, redress all their grievances. Pardoning mercy makes ways for healing mercy, Psa 103:3; Mat 9:2. III. He promised to perpetuate Solomon's kingdom, upon condition that he persevered in his duty, Ch2 7:17, Ch2 7:18. If he hoped for the benefit of God's covenant with David,…