The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 21:1-6,
"Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 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 his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, 'In Jerusalem I will put my Name.' In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He 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 his anger."
Manasseh was clearly one of the worst of the kings of Judah's twenty monarchs. His father, Hezekiah, who preceded him on the throne, was one of the eight good kings of Judah who had done right "in the eyes of the Lord". Yet, here, his offspring, Manasseh, reversed the course of good Hezekiah pointed the nation to.
Such is that sinful nature of ours. We can have the best of upbringings, the most wonderful influences around us, and we can still, on a personal basis, fail to make our choice to follow the Lord. In Manasseh's case, he led an entire country astray... and, that country being God's own covenanted people!
Perhaps, because his reign began at twelve years of age, he was easily influenced away from his late father's disposition toward the Lord. Perhaps the opportunity for King Hezekiah to rear his son in the things of the Lord was cut short, his son failed to engage in the the things of the Lord.
Nonetheless, each man, each woman, regardless of their lineage, regardless of their upbringing, regardless of the influences that help shape their perspectives as they grow up, regardless of all those kinds of things, have their own free will to choose whether to follow the Lord or not.
I am reminded that each and every one of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of ourselves. The penetrating knowledge the Lord has of each and every one of us will leave us all without any excuse, without any exemption from the Lord's wrath over our sin. Because we each have a free will the Lord has given us, we will not be absolved of the decisions we make and actions we take in spite of the upbringing we have had.
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13.
We may try "the devil made me do it" gambit, but without fail, we will find ourselves in the cross-hairs of God's judgment of us. Since I have no excuse for my sin, and since I recognize my many sins and my unfitness for an eternity in God's family, how thankful I am for his Son, Jesus Christ!
He paid the penalty for my sin. He made the way for me. He provided for me (and all of us!) the opportunity to be made fit for heaven (righteousness). All he asks is that we turn from our sin to trust in him!
As Ann Coulter says, "You can't find a better deal than that!"
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 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 his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, 'In Jerusalem I will put my Name.' In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He 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 his anger."
Manasseh was clearly one of the worst of the kings of Judah's twenty monarchs. His father, Hezekiah, who preceded him on the throne, was one of the eight good kings of Judah who had done right "in the eyes of the Lord". Yet, here, his offspring, Manasseh, reversed the course of good Hezekiah pointed the nation to.
Such is that sinful nature of ours. We can have the best of upbringings, the most wonderful influences around us, and we can still, on a personal basis, fail to make our choice to follow the Lord. In Manasseh's case, he led an entire country astray... and, that country being God's own covenanted people!
Perhaps, because his reign began at twelve years of age, he was easily influenced away from his late father's disposition toward the Lord. Perhaps the opportunity for King Hezekiah to rear his son in the things of the Lord was cut short, his son failed to engage in the the things of the Lord.
Nonetheless, each man, each woman, regardless of their lineage, regardless of their upbringing, regardless of the influences that help shape their perspectives as they grow up, regardless of all those kinds of things, have their own free will to choose whether to follow the Lord or not.
I am reminded that each and every one of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of ourselves. The penetrating knowledge the Lord has of each and every one of us will leave us all without any excuse, without any exemption from the Lord's wrath over our sin. Because we each have a free will the Lord has given us, we will not be absolved of the decisions we make and actions we take in spite of the upbringing we have had.
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13.
We may try "the devil made me do it" gambit, but without fail, we will find ourselves in the cross-hairs of God's judgment of us. Since I have no excuse for my sin, and since I recognize my many sins and my unfitness for an eternity in God's family, how thankful I am for his Son, Jesus Christ!
He paid the penalty for my sin. He made the way for me. He provided for me (and all of us!) the opportunity to be made fit for heaven (righteousness). All he asks is that we turn from our sin to trust in him!
As Ann Coulter says, "You can't find a better deal than that!"
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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