“But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD destroyed before the Israelites.”
~ 2 Chronicles 33:9
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you know a kid – or a guy or gal, who is now a Christ-follow who was once a Satan-follower? If you know a kid – or a guy or gal, who is now a Christ-follower who was once sin driven, why did the kid – or the guy or gal, change from living his or her life doing evil things to living his or her life doing good things? 2 Chronicles 33 is about a twelve year old kid who became a king. Manasseh would end up having the longest tenure of any king who reigned over the guys and gals who lived in the land areas of Judah and Israel. Manasseh reigned 55 years as king over the guys and gals who lived in the land of Judah. Manasseh began his reign as king over the guys and gals who were living in the land area of Judah making bad choices and wrong decisions. Your grandpaa does not really think that Manasseh – when he became king over the guys and gals who were living in the land area of Judah, was old enough as a twelve year old kid to have the proclivity or a life baseline to make all the appallingly bad choices and terribly wrong decisions that he made; your grandpaa thinks that Manasseh was influenced by evil driven handlers who convinced Manasseh to do what verse 9 says that Manasseh did, “But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD destroyed before the Israelites.” Manasseh’s list of bad choices and wrong decisions includes the reconstructing of the high places that his dad – Hezekiah, had destroyed, erecting altars to worship Baals, making Asherah poles, constructing altars in the courts of God’s temple that was located in the city of Jerusalem so that he could worship the stars, sacrificing his boys in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practicing sorcery, divination and witchcraft and consulting mediums and spiritists. God’s divinely executed life schematic that He personalized specifically for Manasseh had Manasseh learning what a ‘pigpen’ style of life was like by getting him to internalize the ugliness of what it feels like after making bad choices and wrong decisions. Manasseh was willing to make a life change to making good choices and right decisions after Assyrian commanders put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and led him to Babylon as a captive slave. This wakeup call had Manasseh really wanting God’s favor. Manasseh’s desperate and humble pleas to God had God answering his prayers. God had Manasseh escape so that he could return to the city of Jerusalem where he took on getting rid of all the different idols that he had had made, restoring the temple of God that was located in the city of Jerusalem and rebuilding and reinforcing the walls that surrounded the city of Jerusalem.
Sometimes a kid – or a guy or gal, will think that because he or she has made a bad choice or a wrong decision that he or she has become disqualified from ever being a Christ-follower. Making bad choices and wrong decisions are all a part of the life learning curve that God – as God the Father, has specifically customized for a kid – or a guy or gal. Your grandmaa and grandpaa are very thankful that they grew up in homes that had a Christ-follower dad and a Christ-follower ma. You are living in a home that has a Christ-follower dad and a Christ-follower ma. Just because you are living in a home that has a Christ-follower dad and a Christ-follower ma, that does not mean that you will end up being Christ-followers who will always make good choices and right decisions; you need to be with other kids – and with guys and gals, who are making good choices and right decisions. A bad choice or wrong decision can haunt a kid – like you, for the rest of his or her life. The first three years that your grandmaa and grandpaa were missionaries in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on the Bolivia South America Mission field missionary team, your grandmaa and grandpaa were members of a church planting team that was made up of two single guys, three single gals and three couples. One of the single guys – Dale, had used drugs before he became a missionary. The drugs had messed with Dale’s mind. Dale had trouble remembering to do what he said that he would do. Dale had difficulty keeping his thoughts together. Even though Dale stopped using drugs when God – as God the Spirit, led him to become a Christ-follower who made good choices and right decisions; Dale would have been a different young guy if it had not taken the drugs that permanently affected his mind. Dale returned to the United States from Bolivia before your grandmaa and grandpaa did. When your grandmaa and grandpaa visited Dale, Dale was a car salesman. Dale was in a Christ-follower community of guys and gals but . . .
Even though your grandmaa and grandpaa have made choices that they would not make again and decisions that they wish that they had not made; your grandmaa and grandpaa absolutely know that God – as God the Father, is a sovereign God Who unconditionally cares for them. Your grandpaa knows that it is hard to envision the one and only Divine Being – Who is incorruptible, allowing His specially elected adopted kids to make bad choices and wrong decisions. Your grandpaa sometimes argues that a kid – or a guy or gal, would not know what a good choice or a right decision would be like if he or she does not first make a bad choice or a wrong decision. Your grandpaa knows that this is not a defensible argument but . . . the issue of why God – as God the Father, allows the sin spirit to do what it does is part of a colossal scene in which His specially elected guys, gals and kids are mere specks. Even though God’s specially elected guys, gals and kids are almost indistinguishable specks in His bigger picture, the love that God – as God the Father, has for each guy, gal and kid has each guy, gal and kid feeling like he or she is the only adopted kid who He individually sees. Do you feel today the love that God – as God the Father, has for you?
2 Chronicles 33 (702)