Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
May I take just a moment to draw your attention to some upgrades my technology ministry partner has developed in our “Walking with Jesus”? For some time now perhaps you have noticed any Scripture reference is in blue in the written copy and that is a link that will take you directly to the referenced Scripture in the NIV, but you can also switch to other translations.
Now today may I explain a very exciting addition to our website? On the home page of the “daily archives” tab you’ll see a new Search tab front and center. Type any topic or name or Scripture into that Search tab and it will bring you to a complete listing of all previous editions of “Walking with Jesus” in which that for which you are searching has been referenced. It’s really quite remarkable and serves now as a library cataloging search covering the archives of the entire past 5 years of “Walking with Jesus”. Thank you to my friend and tech partner Rod! This is especially intended to help our Bible students in parts of the world where they have little access to formal Bible training yet are helping other people know God’s Word. We hope it’s helpful to everyone who has an appetite to know God and understand God’s Word, the Bible.
Today we once again come to a place of significant transition in our “Walking with Jesus” journey. Have you ever watched the SON of a good man totally turn his back on everything his father represented and accomplished in his God honoring life?
Today I introduce you to Manasseh the son of king Hezekiah. Manasseh ascended to the throne of Judah in Jerusalem when his father Hezekiah died. (2 Kings 21:1) For the past several days we’ve walked through the remarkable story of king Hezekiah who had reigned in Jerusalem 29 years to the great delight of the Jewish people.
Perhaps you remember Hezekiah had ascended to the throne at a terrible time in Jerusalem for his father Ahaz had been one of the worst kings in Israel’s history! (2 Chronicles 28:24,25) Hezekiah, you may recall, led the people of Judah immediately back to God and a great spiritual revival occurred in Jerusalem, beginning even in the first month of Hezekiah’s reign. (2 Chron. 29:3-11)
For the people who had suffered so greatly under the reign of Ahaz, this fresh, honorable leadership of Hezekiah was wonderfully welcome and those 29 years were exciting years to be alive in Jerusalem, for God’s great hand of blessing and protection was over Jerusalem. The story of Manasseh is found in both 2 Chronicles 33 and 2 Kings 21. Sadly both tell a very dark, very rebellious story of this man whom we meet as he ascends to the throne at age 12. Now I can’t explain why Manasseh was chosen to succeed his father and not any of the other sons of Hezekiah. While no other sons of Hezekiah are mentioned I presume Hezekiah must have had several.
But I wonder if Manasseh was selected because he was born during those additional 15 years of life God gave Hezekiah when God raised Hezekiah up from his deathbed? Yes, Manasseh was born during the time of double blessing of God; first delivering Jerusalem from Sennacherib’s attack (2 Kings 19:35,36) and then second, God healing dying Hezekiah and giving him 15 more years of life! (2 Kings 20:5,6)
This one statement introduces us to this new, rebellious, young king: “Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem 55 years… He did evil in the eyes of the LORD following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places of idol worship his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done…” (2 Kings 21:1-3)
You’ll recall king Ahab and his wicked wife queen Jezebel had led the northern kingdom Israel far away from God. They had raised the horrible worship of Baal and Ashtoreth to prominence in Israel and outlawed the worship of Jehovah, the God of Israel! You may recall God raised up His prophet Elijah to confront Ahab and Jezebel’s prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and God sent fire from heaven! (1 Kings 18)
So young Manasseh reversed the spiritual leadership of his father Hezekiah; he worked to undo most of the spiritual progress in Jerusalem; and Manasseh led a rebuilding of the wicked idols and altars erected by his grandfather Ahaz, which were imitations of what Ahab and Jezebel had built in Samaria!
Do you see the early months and years of Manasseh’s reign were a total reversal of the early months and years of his father king Hezekiah!? The record gives us even more gruesome details: “Manasseh bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars to false gods in the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem… He even sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD arousing God’s anger. He even took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it IN the Temple of the LORD…” (2 Kings 21:3-7)
Unlike the record of Hezekiah we do not have either a clear timeline for these actions of Manasseh nor do we have any record of what he did with the spiritual leaders Hezekiah had raised up, the Levites and the priests. Nor do we have much record of how the people of Jerusalem and Judah responded to this dramatic and total spiritual reversal in the leadership culture of Manasseh, king of Judah and Jerusalem!
What we do have is record of God’s response which should have frightened Manasseh, but I see no evidence Manasseh was at all affected. The record says: “The LORD said through His servants the prophets: ‘Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has led Judah into sin with his idols. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.” (2 Kings 21:10-12)
Do you see an important leadership principle here my friends? God holds leaders responsible when they lead their people into rebellious sin against God! Not only would Manasseh suffer, but the people of Jerusalem and Judah would suffer greatly. That calls you and me to look closely at the leadership of our cities and countries. How are the people responding to the leadership? Are they calling leaders to lead wisely and honorably or are they urging leaders to lead them into decadence without accountability?
I recall only one other time in Biblical history where God used that phrase “the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.” Do you remember? It was the terrifying message God gave young Samuel about the devastation God was going to bring on Eli and his wicked sons for their defilement of the Tabernacle and the worship of God at Shiloh! (1 Samuel 3:11-14)
Let’s pause right here my friends for I want to ask us to ponder three questions:
1. What was the spiritual inheritance or legacy you received from your parents & grandparents? How has that legacy changed as you’ve lived your life and how will it be different when, at the end of your life, you pass it along to your children and grandchildren?
2. How have you seen God extend His remarkable patience in the face of wickedness to your country or your city? Is it possible God’s patience is about to run out and if so what might His judgment look like that would make “the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.”?
3. Is God yet ready to extend forgiveness to the rebellious if they are repentant?
I’ve found a song based on the story of the Prodigal Son that may help us consider our world and what we’ve seen today in 2 Kings 21, and I’ll look to see you right back here tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 2 Kings 21:1-12.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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