The God Who Hears
2 Chronicles 33 | August 8 – 14, 2023
Foreshadowing is the warning or indication of a future event. We see this happen in stories, books, and movies all the time. We even see this in nature when the leaves begin to fall; we can know that autumn is coming. In 2 Chronicles 33, we get 20 verses on the life of Manasseh, one of the kings in Jerusalem. The Lord uses Manasseh’s life as a foreshadowing of what is to come for all of Judah. This is an amazing story of redemption in one man’s life that speaks for what will come of many. More importantly though, it displays the Lord’s mercy to Manasseh and the people of Judah.
Manasseh is a unique character in the scriptures. He was only 7 years old when he became the king. He reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem. His father was Hezekiah, one of the greatest kings in Jerusalem. It would seem that he would have been brought up in the admonition of the Lord. Yet, he is responsible for some of the most heinous crimes against the Lord…
2 Chronicles 33:3-6 “For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had broken down, and he erected altars to the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.”
Later in the chapter, it tells of Manasseh’s extreme sin, even leading the people away from the Lord. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and the people, yet they continued to rebel against Him. The Lord then used the King of Assyria to bring the Manasseh to Babylon with hooks binding him. It is in Manasseh’s time of distress in Babylon that he cries out to the Lord for help. This is where we see the repentance of Manasseh.
2 Chronicles 33:12-13 “And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.”
The Lord heard his plea. In Deuteronomy 4:25-31 Moses explains to the people of Israel that there would be a time when the Lord scatters them, yet if they repent and call on the name of the Lord, he would bring them back to himself. We see this in Manasseh s life. He is not beyond saving. Neither will His people be beyond saving when they are carried off to Babylon into exile.
King Manasseh’s reign did not start in a way that honored the Lord. He was a sinner in need of Grace. Even as vile as he was, the Lord heard his cry for help and showed him mercy. Let this be an encouragement to you that the Lord shows mercy and kindness to those who do not deserve it. When it seems as though the world is getting more wicked, take heart that Jesus is still building his church one sinner at a time. His Word is able to transform the hardest of hearts. Maybe there is someone you need to share the Gospel with again. Think about what the Lord might be calling you to today in light of the story of Manasseh and act on it.
