I don’t know about you, but I would rather learn from someone else’s mistakes than make my own.   As I read 2 Chronicles 33 today, I saw some lessons we can learn from Manasseh’s mistakes, with the hopes of not repeating them.  I also saw a clear demonstration of the heart of God.  

Read: 2 Chronicles 33:9-13.  “Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel.  The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.  Therefore the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon.  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.  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.”

All through the records of the kings, it mentions the name of a king and then whether they “did right in the eyes of the Lord” or “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”  What struck me as I read verse 9 was that Manasseh didn’t just “do evil in the eyes of the Lord”, he did MUCH evil.  

God’s response to this “much evil” was that He was provoked, (33:6).  The Hebrew word for “provoke” (kāʿas) means to vex (to bring trouble, distress, or agitation to, to bring physical distress to) or to provoke anger.  

Now, think with me for a minute.  The dictionary definition of provoke speaks of stirring someone up purposefully.  So in order for Manasseh to have provoked God to anger, he had to know what behavior and choices would cause God to be angry.  What comes to mind is James 4:17, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”  Manasseh had God’s law, just like we have the Bible.  He “knew”, but didn’t “do”.  That raises the question, will it be written or said about me “she ‘knew’ but didn’t ‘do’.”?  Sobering thought…

I don’t think there is anyone reading this who on purpose desires to provoke God to anger.  So take a pause here and ask the Spirit to reveal anything in your life that is offensive and needs to be repented of.  (Don’t just read that sentence and move on.  Do it.  Take a pause.  Pray.  Then act.)

Moving on.  As I read verses 10-13, I have to confess I giggled a bit.  It only took being taken prisoner, having a hook put in his nose, and having shackles fastened to his feet for Manasseh to turn to the Lord in humility.  Sheesh dude, right?  Well, it didn’t take long for the Spirit to shoot these questions at me.  I’ve shared a few of my answers, but answer these for yourself.  Be honest.  God already knows.  

• What am I a prisoner of?  (uhhh, yep, my past)
• Do I have a hook in my nose where I’m being led around by something? (often my emotions lead me where I never intended to go)
• What sin am I shackled by?  (oh my, too many to even list)

When I took my judgy-pants off, I saw that I’m kinda like Manasseh.  I make wrong choices and end up being a prisoner of those choices.  But you know, I can also choose to follow Manasseh’s example of learning that being a prisoner is not the way to go. 

Manasseh prayed and humbled himself greatly before the Lord.  I noted that his level of humility (greatly – mᵊ’ōḏ – muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly) was proportionate to his much evil he had committed. 

God had used Manasseh circumstances to get his attention.  Are you experiencing circumstances right now where God may be trying to get your attention?  Are you willing to pray and humble yourself before Him like Manasseh did?  

Let me just brag on God here for a minute.  We serve a wonderfully loving God of balance.  While God is loving, His anger can be roused over sin.  God is gracious, but He speaks truth to us.  God is just, but He is also merciful.  Oh how I love Him.  Let’s look at God’s response to Manasseh.  

God was moved (‘athar) to let oneself be supplicated by one; to hear and answer.  Holy God didn’t have to let Himself be prayed to by Manasseh after the “much evil” he had committed, but He did!  What grace!!!!  What mercy!!!  What love!!!!

What was the result of God letting Himself hear Manasseh’s prayer? Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.  The Hebrew word for knew (yada’) means to learn by seeing; to be taught by experience (to be punished); to recognize and acknowledge.  Manasseh learned that rebelling against God was the wrong choice.  But his “knowing” didn’t stop there.  His knowing propelled him into action.  2 Chronicles 33:14-16 lists the things he did to clean up the effects his disobedience had caused.  

Reading this chapter has certainly taught me much – about my God, as well as about myself.  I have been very convicted lately of the fact that because our culture has given “less offensive” names for sin, we tend to not realize the grossness of our behavior before a holy God.  Let’s take time to sit in that for a while, allowing the Spirit to reveal to us where we need to change. 

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
~~Psalm 139:23-24~~