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2 Chronicles 33:1-17 – Praying through the Bible #141 –
Evil. “He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight” (2 Chronicles 33.2). No other word better describes Manasseh; but there are plenty of unworthy contenders. Disappointing. Following one of Judah’s greatest kings, Manasseh reversed his father’s restoration. “He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had torn down” (33.3). Unfaithful. He imitated “the detestable practices of the nations that the LORD had dispossessed before the Israelites (33.2). Blasphemous. Not satisfied with worshipping idols in unholy places, “He built altars in the LORD’s temple” (33.4). Unloving. “He passed his sons through the fire in the valley of Hinnom” (33.6). Occultic. “He practiced witchcraft, divination, and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists” (33.6). “So Manasseh caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to stray so that they did worse evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites” (33.9).
Oh, here are some others: Repentant. Humble. Man of prayer. Not exactly expected words; but Manasseh is one of the most surprising stories in the entire Bible. Before we can learn from this surprising end, we need to see how he got there.
Our amazing God had not given up so, “The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they didn’t listen” (33.10). The hard-hearted reach a point where words mean nothing. God tried to make Manasseh listen through actions. “So He brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria. They captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon” (33.11). The cynic can see this as God leading Manasseh to rot in a man-made hell. The God-fearer must see more. This is letting Manasseh have one final chance. Manasseh took it.
2 Chronicles 33:12-13 (12) When he was in distress, he sought the favor of Yahweh his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. (13) He prayed to Him, so He heard his petition and granted his request, and brought him back to Jerusalem, to his kingdom. So Manasseh came to know that Yahweh is God.
The repenting, humbled, man of prayer did not have just a “jail house conversion.” He backed up his prayer words with actions. When free, he threw the idols he had made outside of the city (33.15).
It is in Manasseh’s life we learn a hard lesson if we are parents of an unfaithful child. We need to pray God will do whatever is necessary to get that child to start listening again. We need to pray that God will put them in whatever position is needed for their own good. Hard words to pray; but that prayer of faith might lead to their faithful prayer of godly sorrow. In the end, there is one word that best describes Manasseh. Forgiven.
Prayer Challenge: Pray God will put people where they need to be to learn humility.
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