Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Whew, y'all, I've had some deadlines to beat but I can squeeze in a post this week.
We are going through the Bible looking at references to 'heart/ hearts' and we've come to 2 Chronicles...which is pretty much a repeat of 1 & 2 Kings, so we have a second look at the pinnacle of Solomon. We have more detail about the dedication of the temple; chapters 5 - 7 cover that event and we do have some references there to check. We begin with Solomon's dedication speech, which includes a bit of backstory.
"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart." -- 2 Chron. 6:7 - 8, NIV 84. ('heart' is Strong's H 3824, lebab, in each instance; as we have seen, this is one of the most common Hebrew words for 'heart') Of course, David was not the one to build the temple...that was declared to be Solomon's task...and they were celebrating its completion.
Then Solomon prayed an eloquent prayer, which was also an exhortation to the people about sin and its consequences...and God's mercy
"and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel -- each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his hands toward this temple -- then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you know the hearts of all men)" -- 2 Chron. 6:29-30 '(heart/ hearts' is Strong's H 3824 again)
"When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name, then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas and uphold their cause. And forgive our people, who have sinned against you." - 2 Chron. 6:36-39
The second passage is interesting; the second use of 'heart' in the NIV ('turn back to you with al their heart and soul') is Strong's H 3820, Leb, which is the other most common Hebrew word for 'heart', but the the phrase translated 'have a change of heart' is not uniformly translated using the word 'heart'. The Hebrew there is Strong's H 413 - el. , which is a preposition meaning, generally, 'to, towards' . The ESV reads 'if they turn their heart'; The NASB renders it 'If they take thought'; New King James is 'when they come to themselves' NLT is 'they might turn to you'; the Hebrew Names version is 'repent themselves'.
Lots of words from a little two character word; the connotation in English is that there has been reflection and consideration that leads to a reversal, in pretty much all the translations listed on the page in the Blue Letter Bible app (I have only included the more common ones). Clearly, the Hebrew word has a lot more shade and color than comes across in the strict translation, that the change of heart is movement, action, with a direction...a movement towards...not a movement away.
Y'know, I had some idea of what I was going to say before I looked up the words. I expected them all to be 3824/3820, which really are variations of the same word. But 413 threw me a bit. Wasn't expecting that.
But you know, the application still works. God will deliver his people from their captivity if they confess their sin...ie, agree with him that they have done wrong...and repent; change direction, and cry out to him. Now, it's got to be genuine. All the way through and real. That's why we have the word 'heart' there. However, what struck me is that there are lots of forms of captivity that don't necessarily involve being carted off to a foreign land. Some captivity is mental. Some captivity is an addiction or some other bad habits. Maybe it's self-loathing; Maybe it's a relationship with a person who is...a bad influence. What EVER.
God can deliver from captivity. When there is genuine confession and repentance.
After Solomon's prayer, fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.
Now they once again had the holy fire of God to use in their lights and their offerings and their rituals. All they have to do is keep the fire going...on the altar, or via the lampstand. .Just keep relighting one from the other and the fire will be the holy flame from God. Years down the road, it would still be the same fire, so long as it never was allowed to go out.
That's not on topic but it just struck me fresh again. Holy fire is a real thing...
Then we see that
On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the LORD had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel. -- 2 Chron. 7:10 ('Heart' is H 3820 again)
Solomon then had a dream again, and God appeared to him and confirmed all that he had said.
"I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." -- 2 Chronicles 7:16; notice this is GOD'S heart in this verse. And it is H 3820 also.
One more verse that shows Solomon's influence at the height of his kingdom...
All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart." -- 2 Chron. 9:23, 'heart' is also H 3820.
So much incredible good stuff from God to his people in these chapters. But people are fickle and forgetful and...even Solomon forgot the exhortation he gave his people when the temple was dedicated.
Ain't nobody so high up they can't fall. And ain't nobody who's fallen so low that God will not hear and respond to a whole-hearted repentance.
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