Good morning on this Saturday, November 10th. In his video, The Isaiah 9:10 Judgment: Is There an Ancient Mystery That Foretells America's Future,? Rabbi Jonathan Cahn draws a series of interesting parallels between the application of this obscure passage in Isaiah to our current circumstances in America and the judgment of ancient Israel. After expounding the effects of ancient Israel's indifference to God, lack of repentance and self-determined prideful course of action to God's judgments, he cites the crystal-clear remedy God provides in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  
This passage more than any other in Scripture prescribes the formula for genuine revival. Let's take a closer look at this Scripture passage.

To humble oneself means to be low or bring oneself into subjection. This is the initial requirement because without bringing ourselves into complete subjection to God with a willingness to wholeheartedly repent of our ungodly ways, there can be no revival.

To pray means to entreat, to make supplication, to intercede. It is found in this passage as reflexive which emphasizes the "himself" application, meaning each person must himself pray or make supplication to the Lord.

To seek God's face means to seek to find, to desire, even to require and demand God's person and presence. The expression cannotes closeness to God as the concept of "face-to-face" with Him.

To turn from our wicked ways means to repent or turn away from our evil thoughts, deeds and actions.

These requirements for revival are the conditions required for the fulfillment of the promise from God, e.g., THEN I will hear from Heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.

The expanded translation would therefore read , "If my people who are called my my name would bring themselves low and in complete subjection humble themselves before me, and each of us himself, entreat, pray with supplication, and with desire and determination seek to find the face-to-face closeness to me and My presence, and turn back to me and away from their evil thoughts and ways in genuine repentance of their sins, then I will hear from Heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land."

Would to God that this would happen to us today in America, but we must all consider that it begins with each one of us!

Tomorrow's sermon is another in the series, It Is All about Jesus. The message will show that only Jesus could be the true messiah.  I hope to see you there.
Mel Brown