God’s people can always look to Him for rescue in troubling times.
In 2 Chronicles 6, King Solomon, who reigned in Israel from around 970 BC to 931 BC, prays at the dedication of the newly built Temple in Jerusalem. During this prayer, he calls upon God to heed the prayers of the people when they face troubles that threaten their well-being. He specifically says, “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, if there are locusts or grasshoppers, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is,” (v.28). Jerusalem, located in the southern part of the land of Israel, became the spiritual and political center of the kingdom under Solomon’s rule. He offers this petition with the awareness that hardships such as drought and military assault could easily afflict the people of Israel at any time, emphasizing the importance of depending on God for deliverance.
When Solomon mentions “if there are locusts or grasshoppers” (v.28), he addresses one of the most devastating threats in agrarian societies of that era. These insects could devour entire fields, plunging the people into famine. Referencing “whatever plague or whatever sickness there is” (v.28) expands his prayer to any kind of adversity that might occur. Solomon’s words highlight his understanding that the Temple would serve as a focal point of prayer, where Israel could humbly turn to the Lord for protection and healing. This request connects to other moments in Scripture when God promises to respond to His people’s humble petitions and seek their repentance, ultimately culminating in the New Testament teaching of Jesus that God hears the cries of the humble and repentant in every circumstance (Matthew 7:7).
Solomon’s appeal also points forward to the ultimate redemption God would bring, providing deliverance from the root of all suffering—sin. Although King Solomon’s kingdom predates the birth of Christ by many centuries, through Jesus, God would fulfill a deeper promise of salvation from the spiritual plight underlying all physical calamities (John 3:16). In 2 Chronicles 6:28, Solomon’s faith teaches believers of all generations to turn to God for every form of help, whether physical or spiritual, reinforcing the principle that no circumstance is beyond the Lord’s power to heal or redeem.
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2 Chronicles 6:28 meaning
In 2 Chronicles 6, King Solomon, who reigned in Israel from around 970 BC to 931 BC, prays at the dedication of the newly built Temple in Jerusalem. During this prayer, he calls upon God to heed the prayers of the people when they face troubles that threaten their well-being. He specifically says, “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, if there are locusts or grasshoppers, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is,” (v.28). Jerusalem, located in the southern part of the land of Israel, became the spiritual and political center of the kingdom under Solomon’s rule. He offers this petition with the awareness that hardships such as drought and military assault could easily afflict the people of Israel at any time, emphasizing the importance of depending on God for deliverance.
When Solomon mentions “if there are locusts or grasshoppers” (v.28), he addresses one of the most devastating threats in agrarian societies of that era. These insects could devour entire fields, plunging the people into famine. Referencing “whatever plague or whatever sickness there is” (v.28) expands his prayer to any kind of adversity that might occur. Solomon’s words highlight his understanding that the Temple would serve as a focal point of prayer, where Israel could humbly turn to the Lord for protection and healing. This request connects to other moments in Scripture when God promises to respond to His people’s humble petitions and seek their repentance, ultimately culminating in the New Testament teaching of Jesus that God hears the cries of the humble and repentant in every circumstance (Matthew 7:7).
Solomon’s appeal also points forward to the ultimate redemption God would bring, providing deliverance from the root of all suffering—sin. Although King Solomon’s kingdom predates the birth of Christ by many centuries, through Jesus, God would fulfill a deeper promise of salvation from the spiritual plight underlying all physical calamities (John 3:16). In 2 Chronicles 6:28, Solomon’s faith teaches believers of all generations to turn to God for every form of help, whether physical or spiritual, reinforcing the principle that no circumstance is beyond the Lord’s power to heal or redeem.