Prayer and Hearing God After Returning from Sinful Wanderings

The biblical concept of prayer is deeply intertwined with the idea of returning to God after sinful wanderings. The Psalmist expresses this sentiment in Psalms 3:4, "I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce, and he heard me out of his holy mountaine" ^[1]. This verse highlights the expectation that God hears the prayers of those who call upon Him.

The condition of being a "worshipper of God" and doing His will is crucial for being heard by God, as stated in John 9:31, "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth" ^[2]. This implies that a life of obedience and worship is essential for effective prayer.

Nehemiah 1:6 illustrates the importance of confession and humility in prayer, "let Your ear now be open, and Your eyes open, so that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You today, day and night, for Your servants the sons of Israel; and confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You" ^[3]. This passage demonstrates that acknowledging one's sins and the sins of others is a critical aspect of prayer.

The promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14 provides a framework for understanding God's response to prayer after sinful wanderings: "if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" ^[4]. This verse outlines the conditions under which God will hear and respond to prayer: humility, prayer, seeking God's face, and turning from wicked ways.

According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, access to God through prayer is facilitated by faith and is a privilege of saints ^[5]. The textbook also notes that sickness can be a consequence of sin and that God promises to heal ^[6]. This suggests that prayer for healing is closely tied to the concept of returning from sin.

The Jewish tradition, as represented in the Babylonian Talmud, emphasizes the importance of the blessing of hearing prayer being recited after the blessing of the kingdom of David, indicating a connection between the coming of the Messiah and the efficacy of prayer ^{[8, 9, 11]}.

In Christian theology, the Catholic Scholastic tradition, as represented by Aquinas, argues that sinners can impetrate something from God by their prayers, but this is not necessarily a straightforward process ^[7]. Aquinas notes that God's response to the sinner's prayer can be influenced by various factors, including the sinner's nature, which God loves, and the sin itself, which God hates.

The Reformed tradition, as represented by Calvin, emphasizes the role of faith in prayer and the importance of invoking God's name through Christ ^{[10, 15]}. Calvin argues that prayer is a means of accessing God's mercy and that it is essential to approach God with humility and reverence.

The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, as represented by Matthew Henry, highlights the importance of waiting upon God in prayer and seeking His face ^{[12, 13, 14]}. Henry notes that God's response to prayer is often an answer of peace and that it is essential to approach God with a humble and contrite heart.

Sources

Psalms “Psalms 3:4 (Geneva1599) — I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce, and he heard me out of his holy mountaine. Selah.”
King James Version “[KJV] John 9:31 — Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
Nehemiah “Nehemiah 1:6 (LITV) — let Your ear now be open, and Your eyes open, so that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You today, day and night, for Your servants the sons of Israel; and confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both I and my father's house have sinned.”
2 Chronicles “if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. -- 2 Chronicles 7:14”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sickness — Sent by God -- De 28:59-61; 32:39; 2Sa 12:15; Ac 12:23. The devil sometimes permitted to inflict -- Job 2:6,7; Lu 9:39; 13:16. Often brought on by intemperance -- Ho 7:5. Often sent as a punishment of sin -- Le 26:14-16; 2Ch 21:12-15; 1Co 11:30. One of God's four sore judgments on a guilty land -- Eze 14:19-21. God Promises to heal. -- Ex 23:25; 2Ki 20:5. Heals. -- De 32:39; Ps 103:3; Isa 38:5,9. Exhibits his mercy in healing. -- Php 2:27. Exhibits his power in healing. -- Lu 5:17. Exhibits his love in healing. -- Isa 38:17. Often manifests saving grace to”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Prayer, Art. 16: Article: Whether sinners impetrate anything from God by their prayers? I answer that, In the sinner, two things are to be considered: his nature which God loves, and the sin which He hates. Accordingly when a sinner prays for something as sinner, i.e. in accordance with a sinful desire, God hears him not through mercy but sometimes through vengeance when He allows the sinner to fall yet deeper into sin. For "God refuses in mercy what He grants in anger," as Augustine declares (Tract. lxxiii in Joa”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 18a.1: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God and David their king” (Hosea 3:5), and consequently, the blessing of the kingdom of David follows the blessing of the building of Jerusalem. And once the scion of David comes, the time for prayer will come, as it is stated: “I will bring them to My sacred mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). Therefore, the blessing of hearing prayer is recited after the blessing of the kingdom of David.”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 64a.35:1: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God and David their king” (Hosea 3:5), and consequently, the blessing of the kingdom of David follows the blessing of the building of Jerusalem. And once the scion of David comes, the time for prayer will come, as it is stated: “I will bring them to My sacred mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). Therefore, the blessing of hearing prayer is recited after the blessing of the kingdom of David.”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: the meaning of Paul in the well known passage to which dull men give too little heed, “How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” ( Rom. 10:14 , 17 ). Gradually deducing the origin of prayer from faith, he distinctly maintains that God cannot be invoked sincerely except by those to whom, by the preaching of the Gospel, his mercy and willingness have been made known, nay, familiarl”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 64b.35:1: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God and David their king” (Hosea 3:5), and consequently, the blessing of the kingdom of David follows the blessing of the building of Jerusalem. And once the scion of David comes, the time for prayer will come, as it is stated: “I will bring them to My sacred mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). Therefore, the blessing of hearing prayer is recited after the blessing of the kingdom of David.”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 85:8: We have here an answer to the prayers and expostulations in the foregoing verses. I. In general, it is an answer of peace. This the psalmist is soon aware of (Psa 85:8), for he stands upon his watch-tower to hear what God will say unto him, as the prophet, Hab 2:1, Hab 2:2. I will hear what God the Lord will speak. This intimates, 1. The stilling of his passions - his grief, his fear - and the tumult of his spirit which they occasioned: "Compose thyself, O my soul! in a humble silence to attend upon God and wait his motions. I have spoken enough, or too much; now ”
Ezekiel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ezekiel 14 (introduction): Hearing the word, and prayer, are two great ordinances of God, in which we are to give honour to him and may hope to find favour and acceptance with him; and yet in this chapter, to our great surprise, we find some waiting upon God in the one and some in the other and yet not meeting with success as they expected. I. The elders of Israel come to hear the word, and enquire of the prophet, but, because they are not duly qualified, they meet with a rebuke instead of acceptance (Eze 14:1-5) and are called upon to repent of their sins and reform their liv”
Hosea (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hosea 14:4: We have here an answer of peace to the prayers of returning Israel. They seek God's face, and they shall not seek in vain. God will be sure to meet those in a way of mercy who return to him in a way of duty. If we speak to God in good prayers, God will speak to us in good promises, as he answered the angel with good words and comfortable words, Zac 1:13. If we take with us the foregoing words in our coming to God, we may take home with us these following words for our faith to feast upon; and see how these answer those. I. Do they dread and deprecate God's displeas”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: are confirmed and fulfilled in him. 18. And we must carefully attend to the circumstance of time. Christ enjoins his disciples to have recourse to his intercession after he shall have ascended to heaven: “At that day ye shall ask in my name,” ( John 16:26 ). It is certain, indeed, that from the very first all who ever prayed were heard only for the sake of the Mediator. For this reason God had commanded in the Law, that the priest alone should enter the sanctuary, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on his shoulders, a”

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