Sunday Sermon 10.17.20
Spoiled foods can be beyond hope. A totaled car can be beyond hope. A fire’s destruction can be beyond hope.
But for people there is always hope. There is no situation so bad, no sin so grievous, no distress so deep that hope is inaccessible or change not possible.
Some of you may need to reread that last sentence. Go ahead. I know it is bold, but I also know it is accurate.
To support that statement and encourage you today, I want to take a deep dive into the bible king Manasseh, of Judah. You will find his story in 2 Chronicles 33 and 2 Kings 21.
As we look at his life, notice his situation, sins and distress. Compare across to your life, draw comparisons and gather your takeaways.
Here we go.
Manasseh was the 14th king of Judah and the oldest son of Hezekiah, the previous king. He was born during the 15 years that God added to Hezekiah’s life. Hezekiah was a really good king who followed God’s ways. (that is why in his sickness he prayed and asked God’s help, to which he was granted 15 more years of life.)
Manasseh’s name means “one who forgets”. That’s important.
Manasseh reigned over Judah for 55 long years. In those years he totally undid, disgraced, rejected and demolished all the good that his dad had done in the kingdom. He was one who forgot the ways of his dad the ways of his upbringing.
Not only did he forget, he willfully, actively, passionately and nationally followed these evil practices. These practices were not only a regular part of his daily life, but he had them instituted as national norms in Judah. The entire nation followed these “detestable” practices.
From 1 Chronicles 33:3-10:
- he rebuilt the high places his father had destroyed – these were sex and religion shrines scattered all over the nation. The sexual perversion involved here is astonishing and involved phallic statues in abundance.
- he bowed down to the starry hosts – he worshipped cosmic powers and took orders from the constellations.
- he built altars in the Lord’s temple – cosmic altars, altars to Baal and Asherah, altars to many secular gods.
- he practiced child sacrifice – Molech was worshipped by offering children in the fire. He offered his own sons and perhaps even his grandsons in this ritual sacrifice.
- he practiced witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums – he gave full way to Satanic rituals, seances and the underworld.
- “he did much evil in the eyes of the Lord” – bad dude!
- the last straw, he had built and erected a statue to Asherah in the Lord’s temple – this sex goddess, was now worshipped in the Lord’s temple
- Manasseh led the people astray – what he did privately was put into national practice and legislation
- “they did more evil than the nations” – now that’s saying something, that’s alot of evil
One last sad note to Manasseh and the nations evil practices-
“The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.”
2 Chronicles 33:10
Not only was he one evil practicing, sex maniac, proud, idolatrous, killer, but when the Lord spoke to him, he ignored the Lord’s voice.
Manasseh is considered the most wicked king in Judah’s history. There was none worse. Ahab was the worst in Israel and Manasseh the worst in Judah. Now you can see why, right?
Tradition and scholars tell us that Manasseh is probably the one who had the prophet Isaiah cut in two. Now that’s no way to treat your Grandfather. Geesh.
His tyrannical reign lasted for over half century!
So Manasseh’s situation is pretty dire. He is in deep, needless to say. His sins are pretty insurmountable as well, cuz these are “big time sins”. So how is his distress? Let’s check it out.
First, we must continue the story.
The Bible tells us that because Manasseh and the people paid no attention to the Lord, (forgot the Lord and His ways), the Lord allowed the Assyrians to overthrow the city and capture the King. He was taken to Babylon as a prisoner, bound in shackles, and a hook in his nose. 2 Chronicles 33:11
Here is where we identify Manasseh’s distress.
“In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors.” And he prayed to him.
2 Chronicles 33:12
While a prisoner of war, in prison, in a foreign land we see his distress. While he is powerless, alone, overwhelmed, outnumbered and empty his distress is evident.
What does he do in this state?
He sought God’s favor, humbled himself greatly and prayed.
Now that is a turn around!
Somehow, in his distress he remembered the spiritual training of his childhood. The training of his ancestors. “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.” I’m sure Hezekiah was looking over the balcony of heaven finally cheering on his once evil son.
So we have the most vile, perverse, corrupt, person & political leader crying out to God. He needed his own experience with God, not his dad’s. He was calling out for it.
“God speaks to us in our pleasures but he shouts to us in our pains.”
God had been shouting to Manasseh but now Manasseh was shouting out to him.
How did God respond?
“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.”
2 Chronicles 33:13
This is mindboggling to me.
After life long practices of gross and despicable sins, once Manasseh humbled himself and sincerely presented himself before the Lord – THE LORD WAS MOVED!
His humility, laying down his pride, and seeking God’s blessing and favor actually moved God to the action of restoring Manasseh to his kingdom.
In the Apocryphal book of “The Prayer of Manasses” he says, “I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea.”
There is always hope.
Our God is compassionate, loving, forgiving, just, strong, engaging, and ever present.
The story doesn’t end there tho’. Manasseh made a drastic and remarkable change when he returned to Jerusalem.
Side note- Do you think the citizens of the city were glad to see him return or scared for their lives? You see, personal repentance brings forgiveness but the influence of sin lingers and abides.
When he returned, he:
- rebuilt the city wall & made it higher- reinforced the city defenses
- stationed guards around the city
- got rid of foreign gods
- removed all the idols and altars in the temple
- restored the altar of the Lord
His personal experience with God, “knowing that the Lord is God” motivated his change in behavior, word and deed. He took action nationally to undo what he had done. He took action personally. He had truly met God and was changed.
The amount of evil he had done was totally forgiven and covered because he humbled himself, sought the favor of the Lord and prayed to Him. His sins were forgiven, his distress was lifted and his situation changed.
God heard. God was moved. God responded to Manasseh’s humility and entreaty. God changed him. his situation, his sin, and his distress.
There is always hope.
If there is hope for Manasseh there is hope for all.
“No mortal man hath excuse to perish is despair. No one is justified in saying God will never forgive me.”
Spurgeon
Let’s return to our opening – There is no situation so bad, no sin so grievous, no distress so deep that hope is inaccessible or change not possible.
There is always hope for those who in humility make their entreaty of the Lord.
There is always hope.
Go with God.
Under Debra’s Palm 