A Theology For The Solemn Assembly

The solemn assembly movement is based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. In this passage the people of Israel were challenged to fast and pray and in doing so repent of their wicked ways. This national approach is applied in the solemn assembly movement to an individual congregation based on New Testament Christian practices.

While progress toward actually holding solemn assemblies seems to have slowed down, individuals who have given themselves to a study of spiritual awakenings seem to feel that there still is hope for a major awakening in the near future. If it is indeed as J. Edwin Orr, author and student of awakenings, has stated, America and the world may be on the threshold of widespread spiritual awakening. His premise is that awakenings do not come suddenly, but come after a considerable period of preparation. Preparation and petition for awakening has been occurring for over ten years now in fairly heavy concentration within evangelical groups, both in America and abroad. The solemn assembly is a part of this activity. But what of the theology of solemn assembly? Is this a theologically sound concept? Where does the concept of solemn assembly begin? The Bible says, "?In the beginning God …?" (Gen. 1:1), and again the Bible says, "?In the beginning was the Word … and the Word was God?" (John 1:1). These passages, then, are the beginning of the concept of solemn assembly. It begins with the fact of an eternal God, a preexistent God, whose crowning achievement in the creative acts was the creation of humanity. A quick review of the Genesis account of Creation reveals that God made humanity in "?his own image.?" Humans were made like God, especially in the sense that they were sinless and that they were given a free will. Humanity at some point after Creation rebelled and disobeyed God. Now with sin in their life, brought about by exercising their free will in the wrong direction, humans need to free themselves from that sin and guilt. At this point, several characteristics of God must be considered which impact the concept of the solemn assembly. First, God is above sin. That is, God is high, holy, and almighty. Second, God does not consider sin a light matter, and denounces sin. Third, God is just. When there is sin, God punishes that sin. Fourth, God is loving and merciful. Perhaps the first solemn assembly of the Old Testament occurred in Genesis 3:9, "?But the Lord God called to the man.?" God called for confession of sin, rebuked the sinners, judged them, and made a covering for them. The Lord God called a solemn assembly in order to deal with these first two humans in their sins, and God continues to issue the call to solemn assembly. There are two or three other strands which must be grasped and followed in developing the theology of the solemn assembly. Genesis shows how God dealt with God's first creation, with the original man and woman. Afterwards, God chose a people. Out of all the thousands upon the face of the earth, God began to call a people to be the people of God. God did this through Abram and Sarai. The story begins in Genesis 12 and fills the entire book of Genesis. The rest of the Old Testament is largely an account of God's efforts to get the people of Israel to love and serve him out of their own free wills. This story is interspersed with accounts of a rebellious people who often moved away from God to gross sin, to rebellion and apostasy. Solemn assemblies for the purpose of confession of sins and a return to God were called by leaders of the people who were inspired by God. Thus, the entire theology of the solemn assembly may be summarized by the verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "?If my people, who are called by my name, 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 will heal their land.?" God continued to call the people of God (the nation Israel) to repentance until the sin of rebellion and related sins became such that God finally let Israel go its own way. However, God did not let the Israelites go or turn them over to their own lust without making one final attempt to rescue them. In Christ, God provided the perfect atonement for sins and the washing of regeneration by the blood of this "?Lamb without spot or blemish.?" Even though Israel of antiquity rejected God's provision for their atonement, God continues to call the people of God to solemn assembly, that is, to a meeting of accountability with God. Now, however, the people of God have become a spiritual Israel, purchased by the blood of Christ. This spiritual Israel consists of all races from many nations. As for verses in the New Testament which embody the theology of solemn assembly, there are many. A selected example is 1 John 1:9, "?If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins … purify us from all unrighteousness.?" This verse and its theology applies not only to the individual, but also to congregations as well. That is why in the exercise of the solemn assembly, individual confession of sin is emphasized as well as the confession of corporate sins committed by the assembly. The plan or liturgy for the solemn assembly as seen in the Old Testament patterns cited earlier can be adapted for use by New Testament Christians. The following articles demonstrate Christian adaptations of these Old Testament patterns.