MANASSEH THE OLD TESTAMENT PRODIGAL

2 Chron. 33:1-13

Morning Meditation 8/1/2013

Read the text from your Bible

In this brief meditation I want to emphasize three important points. These points are not a little like the environment in which the Christian has to operate today. First,

THE MAN GOD LOVED

Who was Manasseh? He was king of Judah, and he came to the throne at age 12. Can you imagine a king of the Nation of Israel coming to the throne at the age of 12? He reigned for 55 years and died at 67. The fact is that he had wandered away from God. In fact many expositors say that he was the worst of all the kings. He did not follow in the foot steps of his father He was wicked and built idols to satisfy all his own hearts lusts. Manasseh was the kind of ruler that they asked for and God gave it to them. It is amazing that God would identify him as a man after His heart.

God's dealings with Manasseh magnifies the grace of God. Our salvation in totality finds its origin in the Love of God. He loves us. That should be enough to satisfy the hungry and thirsty soul of king Manasseh and all who follow in His steps. The problem is that people do not want to get right with God and become enemies to those with whom they used to party.

Manasseh is the prodigal come home in the Old Testament. It teaches us that God is always ready to cleans and restore the wandering saint. Are you wandering to day" It is time to come home. May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

THE METHOD GOD EMPLOYED

The LORD let him have his fling so that he would come to the end of himself. This is exactly what the prodigal son in the New Testament did. Luke 15:17 says, "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!" It is a sad thing to see a child who is reared in a Christian home cast it all aside. It is sad first of all to see the real nature of sin and see how it degrades the humanity of man. It is sad next to see one who trades the permanent on the altar of the immediate (Dr. Bob Jones Sr.). Next we see,

THE MIRACLE GOD WORKED

2 Chronicles 33:12-13, "And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God."

God sent affliction to turn Manasseh around and it worked. The king repented and came back into the blessings of God.

Have you ever seen a miracle such as this. Most of those who turn their back on God never come back. A lot of Bible scholars would argue that the word "miracle" as I have used it here is incorrect. The fact is that if Manasseh were your father, you wouldn't mind calling it a miracle.

In Christ

Bro. White