Week 19 II Chronicles
I’m reading through and along the way I’m making something like non-definitive judgment calls. Assessing. It’s pretty hard not to.
For example, when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed I wondered: was that really necessary?
Same kind of thing is happening now while I’m reading about king Manasseh. I’m reading the text and I’m wondering.
Manasseh was a terrible king. 200-proof in the deliberately-bad class. He devoted himself enthusiastically to a) turning his back on the Lord, and b) hugging the gods of Assyria.
[I don’t have time for a Worst Kings of Judah list so this is a pure guess, but I figure Manasseh is top-three.]
Late in his life Manasseh was defeated by the Assyrians and deported in chains with a hook (or maybe thong) through his nose. But then here’s what happened: while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and cried out to the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request for help.
This doesn’t seem right to me. Personally.
Personally I think when the Lord forgave Manasseh, Manasseh got what he didn’t deserve.
I remind myself that while I’m reading through I’ll find places where I’m perplexed by the Lord’s actions, and so then I’m pretty much forced to think about my reaction to them.
Note: Sodom and Gomorrah is in Genesis 18-19; quote is from II Chronicles 33:12-13 (NLT version)