Can I Do "Humble"?

   I mentioned the other day, the book The Harbinger, whose premise is to show the similarity between the nation of Israel in the days of Isaiah the prophet, to the United States in our current day. I have read the book, listened to the author on YouTube and now get ready to watch the dvd that is based on that book, so it is on my mind.

   As I read in the book of 2 Chronicles this morning, these words came out to me:

   " ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard, ²⁷ Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord." 

   The Harbinger book uses Isaiah's words as the prophet's, whereas the prelude to the verses above involve a different speaker from God. The prophets are different, the kings of the land are different, but the scenario is quite the same. God issues a warning about the way they are living, how they are flouting their sins in His face, and what their judgement is to be. There is one other difference that is important in these two accounts.

   Isaiah's words are not heeded, and the people do not escape judgement, while the other prophet in another time finds a listening and understanding ear in the king of his day. Josiah hears the words, realizes the sins of his people, and humbles himself before God. His nation is spared because he leads his people back from the abyss by modeling the attitude that pleases God. Josiah is humbled and his people follow that leadership.

   I find the same word used in the verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14, this as a remedy of a sinful people:

   "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

   There it is again, the prescription for a stay of judgement. Not a prideful saying that we can do better, because we are better. Not a reliance on what they can do as a people and kingdom. A humble spirit that asks for forgiveness for the sins, and a willingness to follow what God has said.

   In Josiah's day, the king was God's man in leadership. This was a theocracy in which God was the absolute authority and all laws and blessings flowed from Him. In our day, in a republic or democracy, the leaders are elected by the people and represent them. These men and women may or may not hear from God and follow His ways, but they can be replaced by the people. The electorate has the power, and the electorate bears the responsibility for the morality of the nation.

   And God says that in this electorate of many millions of people, the ones with the power to change a judgement on the nation are His people, and their first responsibility is humility.

   Oh, I hear the words of judgement and the words of warning. I also hear the words of solution and responsibility. Which will I heed?