“Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But, your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (vv.1-2)
David said, “If I hold iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me when I pray” (Psalm 66:18). Meaning no matter how hard, how passionate, how often, if you have sin in your life, that sin has broken your connection to God. And at that point, prayer is totally meaningless. In this, God is no respecter of persons. Even our sinless LORD experienced abandonment from His Father when He took on the sins of the world. Both Matthew and Mark record His cry, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
If God turned away from His sinless Son who was suffering on the cross as a willing sacrifice for the sins of the world, do you think for a moment He will hear the cries of sinful men, with iniquity in their hearts, and selfish motives behind their prayers? Absolutely not!
However, God, in His infinite mercy has not left us without a Redeemer, one who can intercede for us (as prophesied here in verse 20), “The Redeemer (Jesus Christ) who will come to Zion (Jerusalem), and unto to them that turn from transgression, says the LORD.” Without a doubt, our sin separates us from God (Genesis 3:24, Isaiah 59:2, Galatians 5:19-21), but repentance (turning from transgression) restores us back into fellowship with Him. Hallelujah.
The Truth: “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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
David said, “If I hold iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me when I pray” (Psalm 66:18). Meaning no matter how hard, how passionate, how often, if you have sin in your life, that sin has broken your connection to God. And at that point, prayer is totally meaningless. In this, God is no respecter of persons. Even our sinless LORD experienced abandonment from His Father when He took on the sins of the world. Both Matthew and Mark record His cry, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)
If God turned away from His sinless Son who was suffering on the cross as a willing sacrifice for the sins of the world, do you think for a moment He will hear the cries of sinful men, with iniquity in their hearts, and selfish motives behind their prayers? Absolutely not!
However, God, in His infinite mercy has not left us without a Redeemer, one who can intercede for us (as prophesied here in verse 20), “The Redeemer (Jesus Christ) who will come to Zion (Jerusalem), and unto to them that turn from transgression, says the LORD.” Without a doubt, our sin separates us from God (Genesis 3:24, Isaiah 59:2, Galatians 5:19-21), but repentance (turning from transgression) restores us back into fellowship with Him. Hallelujah.
The Truth: “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 I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
