Bible In One Year-Day 136 (Thursday, May 16, 2013)
Commentary: 2Kings21-23. Though King Manasseh was King Hezekiah’s son, he never followed his father’s good steps in the Lord. Though he lived longest amongst the kings, his ways were quite evil in the sight of the Lord. He promoted witchcraft and idolatry in the land of Judah. His reign brought unmatched defilement in the land to the point that God couldn’t keep quiet over it anymore;
2 Kings 21:10-12 “And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.”
From God’s pronouncement, we could see that Manasseh’s atrocities surpassed that of the former inhabitants of the land and God, being a just God, judged him along that line. The cry over Jerusalem in the spirit realm was the cry of vengeance by innocent blood. Manasseh painted Jerusalem red with the blood of innocent people; 2 Kings 21:16 “Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
God sent prophets to him but wouldn’t listen; he continued carrying out his evil imaginations. Though he was of the descendant of those having covenant with God, violating the rules binding the covenant was a thing God couldn’t tolerate. Christians who abuse grace are threading the path of Manasseh. Christians who interpret God’s word to encourage flesh are threading Manasseh’s path. Those who had godly parents but have decided to go another way are in the same category. Those Christians who have compromised the faith for any reason, political or otherwise, are absolutely threading on Manasseh’s path. He was a king who made Judah to sin. Politicians who encourage ungodly act for the purpose of their selfish political ambitions are the present day Manasseh. What we read in the Bible or see around us as God’s judgment are for our examples and not fairy tales as some think; 2 Peter 2:6 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample to those that after should live ungodly;” Jesus Himself warned us seriously against acts that invokes God’s judgment which we have witnessed in one way or the other in Luke 13:3 “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Every one of us will be given fair hearing on the Day of Judgment; the collared and non-collared Christians, the unbelievers also. Actions will be weighed and books will be read. It would be disastrous for those who have tasted grace but compromised faith in one way or the other. What Manasseh did in Judah was not a good thing. He is likened to somebody who uses God’s blessings and grace to feed God’s enemies. His grandson, Josiah was a good man, but the havoc Manasseh did still affected him despite his love for God. This is the extent to which ancestral sin could negatively affect peoples’ lives;
2 Kings 23:25 “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.”
Josiah did thorough spiritual sanitation in the land of Judah and even made them to read the book of the law that was removed from governance (separation of the state and religion). It will surprise us to know that the last time Passover was observed was in the time of Joshua, Josh5:11. Josiah restored observance of Passover in the land of Judah., 2Kings23:21-22. He fulfilled the prophecy that was passed over the altar built by Jeroboam;
1 Kings 13:2 “And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.”
One may wonder why Josiah had to die a cruel death in the hand of his enemies. Josiah was born to fulfill prophecy, i.e. he was prophecy in human flesh.
We need to learn from these two major characters in the three chapters we read. What God says He would do, He will surely do it. How a man dies is not what really matter but how he lived his life as far as God is concerned. Let us live a godly life for the sake of the generation unborn. Hezekiah was to blame in this matter in that his final statement was very selfish, he never cared about the future of his descendant;
2 Kings 20:19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
Our next reading is to conclude 2Kings, i.e. 2Kings24&25. Keep the fire burning and alive.
Mark 6:11 “And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”
Jude 1:7 “Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Pastor Supo Abayode
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MFM Delaware, USA