Dear editor:
A response to Pastor Michau.
"I believe the reason we are having such pleasant weather in Hot Springs is because God's people are doing what God has instructed them to do in 2 Chron. 7:14, 'If my people who are called by my name (Christians) will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land.'" For a reason I cannot understand, there are some pastors who are literate, and yet, when it comes to the Bible, they don't know how to read. Chapter 7 of 2 Chronicles is about Solomon's completion of the Temple in Jerusalem, Israel (not Arkansas). In verses 13 and 14, when the text refers to "the land," it is referring to the Land of Israel. When the text speaks of "no rain," it means none at all. When it speaks of locusts, it is referring to the insects. When it speaks of pestilence, that is a disease outbreak that slaughters a very large number of humans. The text isn't referring to unpleasant weather followed by pleasant weather by the behavior of "Christians."
"July 11, at the Hot Springs Convention Center, about 1,000 people met to pray and to seek God's face. This so much pleased the Lord that He sent us this blessing of good weather as a foretaste of the healing, if we humble ourselves and pray." Drawing such conclusions is no better than assuming that a hurricane destroys because of a city's sinfulness. Nowhere does the Bible indicate that good weather is caused by God being pleased with a minority of a city's population "seeking God's face." Christian superstition isn't superior to any other kind of superstition.
"This Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, at 7 p.m. at the Hot Springs Convention Center, we will meet again to pray. We are praying that there will be several thousand attending. We encourage everyone to come to pray to God for Hot Springs and our beloved America." Among your prayers, pray that some in Hot Springs and in America will take the Bible seriously and literally, will realize that America isn't a replacement for Israel in the Bible, and pray that pastors will start to provide the tools needed for their congregants to get into the Bible on their own with interest and zeal. Also pray for the fear of God, which is necessary for biblical faith.
"God has put before us the choice, revival or judgment." No one can be revived who previously wasn't alive. The Bible doesn't focus on revival. It focuses on life, righteousness, justice and Grace -- that fervent, ardent zeal which motivates one to do what is right.
"God wants us to choose revival." God tells in the Bible what He really wants.
"This will come if God's people will humble themselves ..." "God's people" in the Bible is Israel. When Israel finally humbles himself, the Bible guarantees peace on Earth to men of good will.
James Wilson
Hot Springs
Editorial on 08/31/2014