(REFLECTIONS ON 2 Kings 21:1-26)

As we read about the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, it is always interesting to see which kings did evil in the sight of the Lord, and which kings did right in the sight of the Lord.

It is a reminder that within God’s kingdom, the church, amongst His people, there will be right times, but there will also be evil times.

That is why repentance and walking with the Lord need to be constantly in our hearts and minds. We should reflect as a church whether we are doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord, or what is right in the sight of the Lord.

As believers, co-workers, leaders, pastors, etc., we should constantly reflect, seek the Lord in prayer and worship, live spiritual lives, because spiritual lives will give us a better indication of our actions in the sight of the Lord than just knowledge.

What is sad about Manasseh king of Judah in today’s Scripture is that he not only did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as previous kings of Israel or Judah, but he took Judah all the way back to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel.

Do we realize the impact of this? Rather than the chosen people of God, Manasseh led Judah back to the way of the pagans, to live as a people that were not the chosen people. He not only rebuilt altars that were previously destroyed by his father, but he built altars to foreign gods in the house of the Lord.

We read that Manasseh seduced Judah to do evil more than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel. Although Hezekiah, his father, did right in the sight of the Lord, and in doing so was healed of his illness by the Lord, this actually led to the birth of Manasseh after his recovery.

Although this doesn’t mean that Hezekiah’s healing and the birth of a son was a mistake, but it does mean that God’s people are always living in uncertainty as to what direction their generation will take. It reminds us that we are often times an unfaithful people that need to be connected to the Holy Spirit in order to be reminded of our heart state towards the Lord.

It also reminds us that we need to be connected to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, continually receiving His cleansing, forgiveness, and transforming grace. Every generation must come before the Lord in repentance and faith, because no generation can rely upon the faithfulness of the one that came before it.

The story of Manasseh reminds us how quickly God’s people can drift when their hearts are no longer devoted to the Lord. A godly father does not guarantee a godly son, and a season of revival does not guarantee lasting faithfulness in the next generation.

Yet amidst the unfaithfulness of His people, God remains faithful. While kings rise and fall, generations succeed and fail, and hearts wander from Him, the Lord never changes. Our hope is not found in the faithfulness of men, but in the faithfulness of God. It is because of His mercy, grace, and covenant love that there remains hope for every generation. If our future depended solely upon us, there would be little reason for confidence. But because God is faithful, there is always hope for repentance, restoration, and renewal.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 2 Kings 21