◄ 2 Chronicles 6:23 ►
then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
Study Bible
then may You hear from heaven and act.
This phrase emphasizes the belief in God's omnipresence and His ability to hear prayers from His heavenly abode. It reflects the understanding that God is not confined to the earthly temple but resides in heaven, a concept consistent with Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 8:30. The request for God to "act" underscores the expectation of divine intervention in human affairs, a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament, where God is seen as actively involved in the lives of His people.

May You judge Your servants,
The term "judge" here implies a call for divine justice. In the ancient Near Eastern context, kings often served as judges, and Solomon, as king, is appealing to God as the ultimate judge. This reflects the biblical principle that God is the righteous judge of all the earth, as seen in Genesis 18:25. The phrase also highlights the covenant relationship between God and His people, where they are His "servants."

condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done,
This part of the verse speaks to the principle of retributive justice, where the wicked receive consequences for their actions. It aligns with the biblical concept of "measure for measure" justice, as seen in passages like Proverbs 26:27 and Galatians 6:7. The imagery of bringing down on one's own head suggests a personal and direct consequence for sin, reinforcing the idea that God’s justice is both fair and inevitable.

and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
Here, the focus shifts to the vindication and reward of the righteous. This reflects the biblical theme of divine reward for faithfulness, as seen in Psalm 18:20 and Matthew 5:12. The concept of justification is central to Christian theology, prefiguring the New Testament teaching on justification by faith. The phrase underscores the belief that God recognizes and rewards righteousness, a principle that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who embodies perfect righteousness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
The king of Israel who is offering a prayer of dedication for the newly built temple in Jerusalem. He is seeking God's presence and justice.

2. God
The ultimate judge who Solomon is appealing to for justice and righteousness.

3. The Temple in Jerusalem
The central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's dwelling among His people.

4. The Wicked Man
Represents those who act unjustly and are deserving of God's judgment.

5. The Righteous Man
Represents those who live according to God's laws and are deserving of vindication and reward.
Teaching Points
God as the Ultimate Judge
We are reminded that God is the ultimate judge who sees all actions and intentions. We can trust Him to bring justice in His perfect timing.

The Role of Prayer in Seeking Justice
Solomon's prayer demonstrates the importance of seeking God's intervention in matters of justice. We should be diligent in prayer, asking God to act according to His righteousness.

Righteousness and Reward
Living a righteous life according to God's standards brings His favor and reward. Our actions should reflect our faith and commitment to God's laws.

The Consequences of Wickedness
The wicked will face consequences for their actions. This serves as a warning to turn away from sin and seek God's forgiveness and guidance.

Trusting God's Justice
In a world where justice can seem elusive, we are encouraged to trust in God's perfect justice, knowing that He will ultimately set things right.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Solomon's prayer in 2 Chronicles 6:23 reflect his understanding of God's character?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of leaving judgment to God in our daily lives?

3. How does the concept of divine justice in this verse connect with Jesus' teachings in the New Testament?

4. What are some practical ways we can pursue righteousness in our own lives, knowing that God rewards the righteous?

5. How can we find comfort in God's justice when we witness or experience injustice in the world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 32:35
This verse speaks of God's justice and vengeance, emphasizing that He will repay the wicked.

Psalm 7:9
This verse calls for God to bring an end to the violence of the wicked and establish the righteous.

Romans 12:19
Paul echoes the theme of leaving vengeance to God, reinforcing the idea of divine justice.

Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus speaks of the final judgment, where the righteous are rewarded and the wicked are condemned, reflecting the themes in Solomon's prayer.
Sermons
Divine JusticeW. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 6:22-23
The Sevenfold IllustrationT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 6:22-39
People
David, Solomon
Places
Egypt, Holy Place, Jerusalem
Topics
Act, Bring, Bringing, Conduct, Decision, Declare, Ear, Establish, Evil, Giving, Guilty, Hast, Heaven, Heavens, Innocence, Innocent, Judge, Judged, Justifying, Keeping, Open, Punishing, Punishment, Recompensing, Repaying, Requiting, Retribution, Rewarding, Righteous, Righteousness, Servants, Sin, Vindicating, Wicked, Wrong, Wrongdoer
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 6:23

     5157   head
     5483   punishment
     6026   sin, judgment on

2 Chronicles 6:22-23

     5203   acquittal

Library
December the Eighth Judged by Our Aspirations
"Thou didst well, it was in thine heart." --2 CHRONICLES vi. 1-15. And this was a purpose which the man was not permitted to realize. It was a temple built in the substance of dreams, but never established in wood and stone. And God took the shadowy structure and esteemed it as a perfected pile. The sacred intention was regarded as a finished work. The will to build a temple was regarded as a temple built. And hence I discern the preciousness of all hallowed purpose and desire, even though it …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

"If So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ, He is None of His. "
Rom. viii. 9.--"If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?" 2 Chron. vi. 18. It was the wonder of one of the wisest of men, and indeed, considering his infinite highness above the height of heavens, his immense and incomprehensible greatness, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, and then the baseness, emptiness, and worthlessness of man, it may be a wonder to the …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Eleventh Lesson. Believe that Ye have Received;'
Believe that ye have received;' Or, The Faith that Takes. Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them.'--Mark xi. 24 WHAT a promise! so large, so Divine, that our little hearts cannot take it in, and in every possible way seek to limit it to what we think safe or probable; instead of allowing it, in its quickening power and energy, just as He gave it, to enter in, and to enlarge our hearts to the measure of what …
Andrew Murray—With Christ in the School of Prayer

Sanctification.
VI. Objections answered. I will consider those passages of scripture which are by some supposed to contradict the doctrine we have been considering. 1 Kings viii. 46: "If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near," etc. On this passage, I remark:-- 1. That this sentiment in nearly the same language, is repeated in 2 Chron. vi. 26, and in Eccl. …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
or, Gospel Light Fetched out of the Temple at Jerusalem, to Let us More Easily into the Glory of New Testament Truths. 'Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Isreal;--shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out hereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof.'--Ezekiel 43:10, 11 London: Printed for, and sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgate, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Entire Sanctification
By Dr. Adam Clarke The word "sanctify" has two meanings. 1. It signifies to consecrate, to separate from earth and common use, and to devote or dedicate to God and his service. 2. It signifies to make holy or pure. Many talk much, and indeed well, of what Christ has done for us: but how little is spoken of what he is to do in us! and yet all that he has done for us is in reference to what he is to do in us. He was incarnated, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; ascended to heaven, and there …
Adam Clarke—Entire Sanctification

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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