How does 2 Chronicles 7:15 connect with Matthew 7:7 about seeking God? The Promise in Jerusalem’s Temple “Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:15) • Spoken by the LORD to Solomon right after the Temple’s dedication • Establishes God’s personal commitment: open eyes + attentive ears = watchfulness and readiness to respond • The “place” points to the Temple—Israel’s appointed meeting point with God The Invitation on the Mount “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) • Jesus broadens access from a single building to whoever comes in faith • Three escalating verbs—ask, seek, knock—underline active pursuit • A guaranteed outcome: given, found, opened Threads That Tie the Texts Together 1. Same Listening God – 2 Chronicles: God promises to hear prayer in His house – Matthew: God-in-the-flesh declares that anyone who prays will be heard (cf. Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 5:14) 2. Guaranteed Reception – “My eyes will be open … ears attentive” parallels “it will be given … you will find … the door will be opened” – Both passages affirm that God’s response is certain, not tentative 3. Movement Toward God – Temple worship involved approaching God’s presence; Jesus calls people to press in personally—ask, seek, knock – Jeremiah 29:12-13 echoes both: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” 4. From Location to Relationship – Old Covenant: physical temple (2 Chron 7) – New Covenant: hearts become temples (1 Corinthians 6:19) with continual access through Christ (Ephesians 2:18) Living Out the Connection Today • Approach confidently—God’s eyes and ears are already “open” because of Christ’s finished work. • Pray expectantly—Jesus’ promise makes every prayer an act of faith in a guaranteed hearing. • Seek persistently—ask, seek, knock are present imperatives; keep at it. • Remember holiness—Solomon’s Temple was consecrated; our lives, as God’s living temples, should reflect the same devotion (1 Peter 1:15-16). |
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