Getting Manasseh's Attention - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 33:11-13,

"The Lord brought against them [Manasseh and his people] 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. 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."

King Manasseh of Judah was an interesting character. His life exemplifies a process the Lord uses to get our attention.

At the beginning of Manasseh's reign he was a sinful and wicked man. He led the nation into idolatry, even sacrificing his own children in the fire to worthless idols. Verse 9 says it best, "Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites."

The Lord responded by first speaking to Manasseh and his people but they wouldn't listen, so he brought the Assyrian army against them, "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.

Next we see that the Lord finally got Manasseh's attention by what we read in verse 11, "In his distress he [Manasseh] sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors." In response to the overwhelming pain the Lord brought into his life due to his sin, Manasseh finally humbled himself before the Lord.

Following this we see that the Lord blessed Manasseh's humility by restoring him, "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.

We see this cycle throughout Israel's history. The Lord knows how to get our attention and he knows how to get us on track. I'm not saying the Lord does this for everyone, but for those whom the Lord intends to use for his purposes, he can certainly get our attention.

There is no pain like the pain the Lord can bring when he needs to do so to get our attention. And, certainly, when he is afoot on fulfilling his agenda, he lacks nothing needed to get us on board.

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!

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