CHOOSE OBEDIENCE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to ourchristianwalk@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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.

He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them.” But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

The Lord said through his servants the prophets: “Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and give them into the hands of enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies; they have done evil in my eyes and have aroused my anger from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.”

Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

As for the other events of Manasseh’s reign, and all he did, including the sin he committed, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? Manasseh rested with his ancestors and was buried in his palace garden, the garden of Uzza. And Amon his son succeeded him as king.

Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. He followed completely the ways of his father, worshiping the idols his father had worshiped, and bowing down to them. He forsook the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk in obedience to him.

Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated the king in his palace. Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

As for the other events of Amon’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza. And Josiah his son succeeded him as king.

2 Kings 21

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Hezekiah’s passing put an end to years of Judah returning to living in ways that were good in the sight of the Lord, breaking the evil ways of his predecessor, his father Ahaz. Unfortunately, his righteous and good works would not continue.

This is because his son Manasseh, who assumed the throne for fifty five years, “did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites”. Like those who had erred before him, he “rebuilt the high places…erected altars to Baal…made an Asherah pole…bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them…built altars in the temple of the Lord…sacrificed his own son in the fire…practiced divination…sought omens…consulted mediums and spiritists”…and “shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end”.

Yes, Manasseh chose to do “much evil in the eyes of the Lord” and brought the Lord’s anger.

God had been patient with the apostate people He chose to allow to inhabit His Promised Land. He understood they were sinners and prone to failure. But when the Israelites had chosen time and time and time again to turn from Him and worship false gods and idols, directly breaking His commandment to “have no other gods before Him”, He had enough. First the Northern Kingdom of Israel felt His wrath…now it was the Southern Kingdom of Judah’s turn.

Friends, how often have we broken the Lord’s commands in our own lives? Have we not behaved in a way similar to the people of Israel, repeating sins over and over and over, never seeming to choose to correct our wrongs and pursue God’s desires over our own?

We would be well served to pay close attention to what happened when the people of Israel chose to not obey…because judgment can and will come on us as well.

So how did God respond to the actions of the people of Judah under Manasseh’s leadership?

He sent the following message “through His servants the prophets”:

“Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and give them into the hands of enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies; they have done evil in my eyes and have aroused my anger from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.”

There’s little doubt that God was fed up and was going to resort to extreme measures to try and teach the people of Israel to live obediently in accordance with His will and word. Judah was soon going to be routed by Babylon who would take the kingdom’s riches as well as its people away for 70 years into exile.

The sad part is that it could have been so different if the people of Israel and Judah had just decided to choose obedience over defiance…compliance over non-conformity.

So what are we to do with this passage?

Hopefully, we’re led to carefully reflect our life attitudes and how we are responding to God’s commands. This honest assessment should be done with the knowledge that the Lord expects us to turn from our sinful desires and toward His will. Choosing to do otherwise will open the door for the Lord to administer consequences to correct our inability to correct ourselves.

Life isn’t meant to be hard unless we want to make it that way. Deciding to live in disobedience will result in hardship. You can bank on it.

Conversely, when we choose to live obediently and allow the Lord to guide us through anything that might come our way, we experience a life filled with peace and hope and joy, reveling in the goodness and greatness of our Lord.

What way will you choose?

The Lord is waiting and watching.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to ourchristianwalk@aol.com