22/2/14
S: 2 Chronicles 30:17-20 Since many of the people had not purified themselves, the Levites had to slaughter their Passover lamb for them, to set them apart for the Lord. Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.” And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.
O: People sometimes think that the God of the Old Testament was all about the letter of the law while the God of the New Testament is more about the spirit of the law. This passage illustrates that this isn't the case. God doesn't change (Malachi 3:6); Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Sometimes, we as Christians who take the Bible seriously, can fall into the same trap the Pharisees of Jesus' day fell into. We get so fixated on the "dos" and "don'ts" that we forget that God is love (1 John 4:8) and He provides grace in His love to cover a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).
Some homosexual activists have been going to town with Pope Francis, even naming him their "Person of the Year" (well, so did Time Magazine, so the gay pride people are not alone.) In fact, Pope Francis did not change the Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality -- a teaching which is virtually the same for Evangelical Christians.
Pope Francis was emphasizing the need for grace and winsomeness. The Gospel means "good news", yet so often Christians end up communicating it in a way that hearers hear it as "bad news". Jesus welcomed the adulterers and other sinners. The incidents with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-12) and Zacchaeus (Luke 9:1-10) illustrate this.
A: We need to have a balance between communicating God's standards and His grace. Eschew legalism, share the love of God that was so great that He sent His only begotten Son while we were still His enemies to save us. (John 3:16, Romans 5:10)
P: Father, help me to speak the truth in love, yet full of grace and truth when I communicate Your principles to my friends. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Trusting God in Troubled Times
16/2/14
S: Habakkuk 1:2-4
How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
O: Habakkuk lived at the time of the final decline of Judah -- the last good king of Judah, Josiah, was dead. From here on out, they would have one bad king after another until the Babylonian conquest. Injustice was rampant, things were only going to get from bad to worse.
Habakkuk cries out to God, asking God why He doesn't seem to be doing anything about this. God replies that He was going to send the Chaldeans (Babylonians) -- that "bitter and hasty nation" (Habakkuk 1:6), whose god is their strength (Habakkuk 1:11) -- to come and destroy Judah!
Habakkuk is aghast! Yes, Judah is wicked, but how is it that God will use this even worse nation to destroy them? Does this mean that people are no different from the fish of the sea? Does might make right? (Habakkuk 1:12-17) Habakkuk decided he would wait for God's answer (Habakkuk 2:1).
God answers that indeed, God would also judge the Chaldeans. The proud may do their evil, but the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). The judgment on the Chaldeans will also come upon them at the right time.
In the end, Habakkuk realizes that he can trust God -- even when things are falling apart around him. No matter what, even if the nation is conquered, the ultimate fate of the one who trusts in the Lord is in His hands -- like a mountain goat on a steep cliff, God can guide him through to Eternity safely.
A: Even as we struggle to bring real democracy to Malaysia, even as we see all the injustice around us -- even if we fail in our struggle -- God is still in control. We can still trust in Him.
I recall watching a fantastic "multimedia production" by 2100productions in the '80s on Habakkuk. (Unfortunately, this show is no longer extant, except for the audio track, which you can download here.
Habakkuk 1:2-4 is remarkably apt in describing not only Judah in the 7th century B.C., but also Malaysia today. His message is just as relevant in Malaysia in 2014 as it was in 7th Century B.C. Judah, or in the '80s USA. We see the injustice around us, and we can still trust God in troubled times.
P: Father, may I continue to trust in You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: Habakkuk 1:2-4
How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
O: Habakkuk lived at the time of the final decline of Judah -- the last good king of Judah, Josiah, was dead. From here on out, they would have one bad king after another until the Babylonian conquest. Injustice was rampant, things were only going to get from bad to worse.
Habakkuk cries out to God, asking God why He doesn't seem to be doing anything about this. God replies that He was going to send the Chaldeans (Babylonians) -- that "bitter and hasty nation" (Habakkuk 1:6), whose god is their strength (Habakkuk 1:11) -- to come and destroy Judah!
Habakkuk is aghast! Yes, Judah is wicked, but how is it that God will use this even worse nation to destroy them? Does this mean that people are no different from the fish of the sea? Does might make right? (Habakkuk 1:12-17) Habakkuk decided he would wait for God's answer (Habakkuk 2:1).
God answers that indeed, God would also judge the Chaldeans. The proud may do their evil, but the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). The judgment on the Chaldeans will also come upon them at the right time.
In the end, Habakkuk realizes that he can trust God -- even when things are falling apart around him. No matter what, even if the nation is conquered, the ultimate fate of the one who trusts in the Lord is in His hands -- like a mountain goat on a steep cliff, God can guide him through to Eternity safely.
A: Even as we struggle to bring real democracy to Malaysia, even as we see all the injustice around us -- even if we fail in our struggle -- God is still in control. We can still trust in Him.
I recall watching a fantastic "multimedia production" by 2100productions in the '80s on Habakkuk. (Unfortunately, this show is no longer extant, except for the audio track, which you can download here.
Habakkuk 1:2-4 is remarkably apt in describing not only Judah in the 7th century B.C., but also Malaysia today. His message is just as relevant in Malaysia in 2014 as it was in 7th Century B.C. Judah, or in the '80s USA. We see the injustice around us, and we can still trust God in troubled times.
P: Father, may I continue to trust in You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Finishing well
29/1/2014
S: 2 Chronicles 24:2 Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.
2 Chronicles 24:17-25 But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!” Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!”
In the spring of the year the Aramean army marched against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the nation. Then they sent all the plunder back to their king in Damascus. Although the Arameans attacked with only a small army, the Lord helped them conquer the much larger army of Judah. The people of Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so judgment was carried out against Joash. The Arameans withdrew, leaving Joash severely wounded. But his own officials plotted to kill him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest. They assassinated him as he lay in bed. Then he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.
O: Joash started out very well, restoring the temple, calling the people back to the Lord. Yet when his mentor Jehoiada died, he went astray, and when Zechariah ben Jehoiada confronted him on it, instead of repenting, he had Zechariah killed.
As a result, he lost the battle with the Arameans, his kingdom, and his life.
A: Joash only committed murder. David had committed adultery and murder. Yet God forgave David (though he had to suffer the consequences of his sin) and still called David a man after His own heart because when the prophet Nathan confronted David, he quickly repented.
It is good to start strong -- like both Joash and David did -- but even more important is to finish well. Like David, we may succumb to sin along the way. But if so, we must quickly repent and return to the Lord.
P: Father, may I finish well, staying steadfast in Christ. When I sin, may I not delay but quickly repent and return to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: 2 Chronicles 24:2 Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.
2 Chronicles 24:17-25 But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!” Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!”
In the spring of the year the Aramean army marched against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the nation. Then they sent all the plunder back to their king in Damascus. Although the Arameans attacked with only a small army, the Lord helped them conquer the much larger army of Judah. The people of Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so judgment was carried out against Joash. The Arameans withdrew, leaving Joash severely wounded. But his own officials plotted to kill him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest. They assassinated him as he lay in bed. Then he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery.
O: Joash started out very well, restoring the temple, calling the people back to the Lord. Yet when his mentor Jehoiada died, he went astray, and when Zechariah ben Jehoiada confronted him on it, instead of repenting, he had Zechariah killed.
As a result, he lost the battle with the Arameans, his kingdom, and his life.
A: Joash only committed murder. David had committed adultery and murder. Yet God forgave David (though he had to suffer the consequences of his sin) and still called David a man after His own heart because when the prophet Nathan confronted David, he quickly repented.
It is good to start strong -- like both Joash and David did -- but even more important is to finish well. Like David, we may succumb to sin along the way. But if so, we must quickly repent and return to the Lord.
P: Father, may I finish well, staying steadfast in Christ. When I sin, may I not delay but quickly repent and return to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Eternal principles, cultural applications
21/12/13
S: 1 Chronicles 11:17-19 David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. “God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
O: The Three mentioned in this passage are a special group of mighty warriors loyal to David — Ishbaal ha Hacmoni (a.k.a. Yosheb Basshebeth or Yashobeam), Eleazar ben Dodai, and Shammah ben Agee ha Harari.
When I first read this passage, my reaction was, "My goodness, if I were one of the Three, I would be so upset that I risked my life to get you this water and you poured it out on the ground?"
But this incident illustrates something which is obvious in many places in many contexts in the Bible — cultures are different, and the same thing can mean different things in different cultures. To the Three, this act showed great honour — because when David poured out the water as a libation unto God, it was offering it to God and not wasting it as I would have taken it in my own cultural context. So the Three would have been honoured by David's sacrifice.
The principles in the Bible are eternal, but the application has to be in the context of the current culture. So there are many specific actions which are condoned in scripture which might not be appropriate in our own cultural context.
A: Evangelical Christians often look down on "liberals" for "not taking the Bible literally". But what does "taking the Bible literally" mean? Certainly, we need to take God's Word seriously. But we need to think and evaluate when applying Biblical principles to our current context. It may or may not be applied in exactly the same way as what the people in the Bible did — because their context was different. For example, we cannot apply Leviticus 25:44 literally today to say that it would be right to enslave people from a neighbouring country.
P: Father, give us wisdom in applying Your eternal principles to our lives. And when it is clear that something is wrong, give me the strength not to give in to temptation. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: 1 Chronicles 11:17-19 David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. “God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
O: The Three mentioned in this passage are a special group of mighty warriors loyal to David — Ishbaal ha Hacmoni (a.k.a. Yosheb Basshebeth or Yashobeam), Eleazar ben Dodai, and Shammah ben Agee ha Harari.
When I first read this passage, my reaction was, "My goodness, if I were one of the Three, I would be so upset that I risked my life to get you this water and you poured it out on the ground?"
But this incident illustrates something which is obvious in many places in many contexts in the Bible — cultures are different, and the same thing can mean different things in different cultures. To the Three, this act showed great honour — because when David poured out the water as a libation unto God, it was offering it to God and not wasting it as I would have taken it in my own cultural context. So the Three would have been honoured by David's sacrifice.
The principles in the Bible are eternal, but the application has to be in the context of the current culture. So there are many specific actions which are condoned in scripture which might not be appropriate in our own cultural context.
A: Evangelical Christians often look down on "liberals" for "not taking the Bible literally". But what does "taking the Bible literally" mean? Certainly, we need to take God's Word seriously. But we need to think and evaluate when applying Biblical principles to our current context. It may or may not be applied in exactly the same way as what the people in the Bible did — because their context was different. For example, we cannot apply Leviticus 25:44 literally today to say that it would be right to enslave people from a neighbouring country.
P: Father, give us wisdom in applying Your eternal principles to our lives. And when it is clear that something is wrong, give me the strength not to give in to temptation. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Your unfaithfulness affect other people
14/12/13
S: 1 Chronicles 10:1-3, 6, 13-14 Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled before the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines stayed right on the heels of Saul and his sons. They struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. The battle was thick around Saul; the archers spotted him and wounded him. ... So Saul and his three sons died; his whole household died together ... So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits. He did not seek the Lord’s guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.
O: From what we know, Jonathan, and presumably Abinadab and Malki-Shua, did not abandon the Lord -- only Saul did. But they all died as a result of Saul's sins. They probably went to heaven; it's unclear about Saul's eternal destiny.
Our sins can affect the people around us. Although God doesn't hold it against the children, a bad father's sins can affect their children negatively via their consequences. Saul's unfaithfulness ended up physically harming his children, though because his children remained faithful, their eternal destinies were still intact.
A: Two weeks ago, we saw how God was still willing to forgive Manasseh in spite of his horrible sins. Last week, we saw how in spite of Manasseh's repentance, the consequences of his sins remained. This week, we see how Saul's sins affected his children.
It's a dangerous thing to be unfaithful. Although God will always forgive and accept you back when you repent, there are consequences not only for yourself, but also for the people you love. I need to remember this every time I'm tempted.
P: Father, help me to remember this when I'm tempted. May I stay faithful to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: 1 Chronicles 10:1-3, 6, 13-14 Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled before the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines stayed right on the heels of Saul and his sons. They struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. The battle was thick around Saul; the archers spotted him and wounded him. ... So Saul and his three sons died; his whole household died together ... So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord and did not obey the Lord’s instructions; he even tried to conjure up underworld spirits. He did not seek the Lord’s guidance, so the Lord killed him and transferred the kingdom to David son of Jesse.
O: From what we know, Jonathan, and presumably Abinadab and Malki-Shua, did not abandon the Lord -- only Saul did. But they all died as a result of Saul's sins. They probably went to heaven; it's unclear about Saul's eternal destiny.
Our sins can affect the people around us. Although God doesn't hold it against the children, a bad father's sins can affect their children negatively via their consequences. Saul's unfaithfulness ended up physically harming his children, though because his children remained faithful, their eternal destinies were still intact.
A: Two weeks ago, we saw how God was still willing to forgive Manasseh in spite of his horrible sins. Last week, we saw how in spite of Manasseh's repentance, the consequences of his sins remained. This week, we see how Saul's sins affected his children.
It's a dangerous thing to be unfaithful. Although God will always forgive and accept you back when you repent, there are consequences not only for yourself, but also for the people you love. I need to remember this every time I'm tempted.
P: Father, help me to remember this when I'm tempted. May I stay faithful to You. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Better to repent now rather than later
7/12/13
S: 2 Kings 24:2-3 The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets. Just as the Lord had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins which Manasseh had committed.
O: Last week, my life journal was about how Manasseh, the most horrible and wicked king of Judah ever, repented and the Lord forgave him.
But this week, we see that even though Manasseh himself personally repented and God forgave him, the influence of his evil years persisted until the Lord had to destroy Judah before they would repent under the Babylonian exile.
The fact is that, God may forgive us of our sins when we repent, but the effects of our sins persist.
A: Therefore, do not say, "I'll keep sinning for now, and repent later; after all, God will forgive me." The consequences of your sins will persist.
Manasseh's evil leadership in those years before he repented had already set things in motion. Too many people were already used to the evil ways, and persisted in them even after Manasseh's repentance. So this eventually led to the fall of Judah in spite of Manasseh's repentance.
Dr. W. A. Criswell, in a sermon from 1962, explained this process in much greater detail. Read his sermon here.
So: don't keep sinning, thinking you can repent later. Yes, it is true, God forgave Manasseh even after so many years of evil. But the consequences remained. Repent now!
P: Father, may I quickly repent as soon as I'm aware of my sin, and not allow myself to think that I'll repent later. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: 2 Kings 24:2-3 The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets. Just as the Lord had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins which Manasseh had committed.
O: Last week, my life journal was about how Manasseh, the most horrible and wicked king of Judah ever, repented and the Lord forgave him.
But this week, we see that even though Manasseh himself personally repented and God forgave him, the influence of his evil years persisted until the Lord had to destroy Judah before they would repent under the Babylonian exile.
The fact is that, God may forgive us of our sins when we repent, but the effects of our sins persist.
A: Therefore, do not say, "I'll keep sinning for now, and repent later; after all, God will forgive me." The consequences of your sins will persist.
Manasseh's evil leadership in those years before he repented had already set things in motion. Too many people were already used to the evil ways, and persisted in them even after Manasseh's repentance. So this eventually led to the fall of Judah in spite of Manasseh's repentance.
Dr. W. A. Criswell, in a sermon from 1962, explained this process in much greater detail. Read his sermon here.
So: don't keep sinning, thinking you can repent later. Yes, it is true, God forgave Manasseh even after so many years of evil. But the consequences remained. Repent now!
P: Father, may I quickly repent as soon as I'm aware of my sin, and not allow myself to think that I'll repent later. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Repentance is possible
1/12/13
S: 2 Kings 21:6-16 [Manasseh] passed his son through the fire and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits, and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. He put an idol of Asherah he had made in the temple, about which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “This temple in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will be my permanent home. I will not make Israel again leave the land I gave to their ancestors, provided that they carefully obey all I commanded them, the whole law my servant Moses ordered them to obey.” But they did not obey, and Manasseh misled them so that they sinned more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the Israelites.
So the Lord announced through his servants the prophets: “King Manasseh of Judah has committed horrible sins. He has sinned more than the Amorites before him and has encouraged Judah to sin by worshiping his disgusting idols. So this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I am about to bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah. The news will reverberate in the ears of those who hear about it. I will destroy Jerusalem the same way I did Samaria and the dynasty of Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem clean, just as one wipes a plate on both sides. I will abandon this last remaining tribe among my people and hand them over to their enemies; they will be plundered and robbed by all their enemies, because they have done evil in my sight and have angered me from the time their ancestors left Egypt right up to this very day!’”
Furthermore Manasseh killed so many innocent people, he stained Jerusalem with their blood from end to end, in addition to encouraging Judah to sin by doing evil in the sight of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 33:10-13 The Lord confronted Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. They seized Manasseh, put hooks in his nose, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon. In his pain Manasseh asked the Lord his God for mercy and truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord responded to him and answered favorably his cry for mercy. The Lord brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh realized that the Lord is the true God.
O: Manasseh was one of the worst ever kings of Judah, in spite of having such a good father, Hezekiah. He even committed human sacrifice on his son and murdered many people -- and the way that 2 Kings 21:6 puts it, it implies that these were godly people who supported Hezekiah's reforms.
Yet when he was captured by the Babylonians, he repented, and God forgave him. There is a "Prayer of Manasseh" in the Septuagint, which some think is the prayer he prayed in his repentance.
A: No matter how bad your sin is, when you realize it, repent! God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked! He would rather you turn to Him. God says, "Come, let us reason together -- Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."
P: Father, thank You that You sent Your only begotten Son, so that we do not have to perish, but have everlasting life. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
S: 2 Kings 21:6-16 [Manasseh] passed his son through the fire and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits, and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. He put an idol of Asherah he had made in the temple, about which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “This temple in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will be my permanent home. I will not make Israel again leave the land I gave to their ancestors, provided that they carefully obey all I commanded them, the whole law my servant Moses ordered them to obey.” But they did not obey, and Manasseh misled them so that they sinned more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the Israelites.
So the Lord announced through his servants the prophets: “King Manasseh of Judah has committed horrible sins. He has sinned more than the Amorites before him and has encouraged Judah to sin by worshiping his disgusting idols. So this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I am about to bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah. The news will reverberate in the ears of those who hear about it. I will destroy Jerusalem the same way I did Samaria and the dynasty of Ahab. I will wipe Jerusalem clean, just as one wipes a plate on both sides. I will abandon this last remaining tribe among my people and hand them over to their enemies; they will be plundered and robbed by all their enemies, because they have done evil in my sight and have angered me from the time their ancestors left Egypt right up to this very day!’”
Furthermore Manasseh killed so many innocent people, he stained Jerusalem with their blood from end to end, in addition to encouraging Judah to sin by doing evil in the sight of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 33:10-13 The Lord confronted Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. So the Lord brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. They seized Manasseh, put hooks in his nose, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon. In his pain Manasseh asked the Lord his God for mercy and truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord responded to him and answered favorably his cry for mercy. The Lord brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh realized that the Lord is the true God.
O: Manasseh was one of the worst ever kings of Judah, in spite of having such a good father, Hezekiah. He even committed human sacrifice on his son and murdered many people -- and the way that 2 Kings 21:6 puts it, it implies that these were godly people who supported Hezekiah's reforms.
Yet when he was captured by the Babylonians, he repented, and God forgave him. There is a "Prayer of Manasseh" in the Septuagint, which some think is the prayer he prayed in his repentance.
A: No matter how bad your sin is, when you realize it, repent! God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked! He would rather you turn to Him. God says, "Come, let us reason together -- Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."
P: Father, thank You that You sent Your only begotten Son, so that we do not have to perish, but have everlasting life. In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
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