Lessons from a King – Manasseh

Suzanne Benner

 Take today’s next step: People often ask, “How can God forgive a murderer?” This video helps to answer that. Share it with your friends.

“Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.” (2 Chronicles 33:13b)

The Old Testament books of Kings and Chronicles provide a history of the kings of Israel and Judah. The records remain to teach and warn us. We remember Manasseh as an evil king who worshiped idols and desecrated God’s temple with altars to other gods: “Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end – besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the LORD.” (2 Kings 21:16a)

The LORD then spoke to Manasseh and His people, but they paid no attention: “So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.” (2 Chronicles 33:11)

God warns us, as well. Will it take as much for us to listen as it did Manasseh?

“In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13)

Though a murderer and an idolater, Manasseh was forgiven by God when he humbled himself and repented. The Lord worked mightily and, as a result, Manasseh experienced His power. Listen to his transformed life:

“He got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image from the temple of the LORD, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem; and he threw them out of the city. Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33:15-16)

Heavenly Father, help me to heed Your warnings, to listen to Your voice, and to recognize my sin. I want to know, in a deeper way, that You are God. May I humble myself before You. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen.

Questions: Why is humbling ourselves necessary in order to know that the Lord is God? How does it help us to know that God forgave a murderer like Manasseh?

Join us every week day for Daily Devotional Chat in women’s chatroom at 10:30am Eastern




http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2013/04/03/lessons-from-a-king-manasseh/