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 Chronicles 33:12,
"In his [King Manasseh's] distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors."
In this account we learn an oft repeated explanation as to how the Lord gets our attention.
Manasseh was one of Judah's most evil kings. Just listen to this description: "He [Manasseh] 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 demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. 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, 'My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.' In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger." Verses 2-6.
With Manasseh leading the nation in the opposite direction the Lord wanted in his effort to prepare Israel for her coming Messiah, the Lord took action: "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." Verse 11.
The Lord's action provided the exact response he wanted, "And when he [Manasseh] 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." Verse 13.
This is how the Lord gets our attention when he desires it. We read of this tactic of the Lord throughout the Scriptures. It is in bold display in the book of Judges where we see a cycle the nation repeats with the Lord over and over. The people live in a prosperous peace (provided them by the Lord), then the people follow their proclivity to turn from the Lord, then the Lord brings hardship on the people to get their attention, then the people return to God. Just like we read of Manasseh in this chapter.
The Lord is very effective in this. He also applies this tactic on a personal level with us, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19. The wise keep themselves from the difficulties the Lord can bring to straighten us out. Me, I have the bruises and scars that represent many a time the Lord has had to get me back on the straight and narrow.
How about you?
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.
"In his [King Manasseh's] distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors."
In this account we learn an oft repeated explanation as to how the Lord gets our attention.
Manasseh was one of Judah's most evil kings. Just listen to this description: "He [Manasseh] 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 demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. 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, 'My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.' In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger." Verses 2-6.
With Manasseh leading the nation in the opposite direction the Lord wanted in his effort to prepare Israel for her coming Messiah, the Lord took action: "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." Verse 11.
The Lord's action provided the exact response he wanted, "And when he [Manasseh] 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." Verse 13.
This is how the Lord gets our attention when he desires it. We read of this tactic of the Lord throughout the Scriptures. It is in bold display in the book of Judges where we see a cycle the nation repeats with the Lord over and over. The people live in a prosperous peace (provided them by the Lord), then the people follow their proclivity to turn from the Lord, then the Lord brings hardship on the people to get their attention, then the people return to God. Just like we read of Manasseh in this chapter.
The Lord is very effective in this. He also applies this tactic on a personal level with us, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19. The wise keep themselves from the difficulties the Lord can bring to straighten us out. Me, I have the bruises and scars that represent many a time the Lord has had to get me back on the straight and narrow.
How about you?
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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