Pastor Bob DuPar
August 2, 2008

Journal Entry



Scripture

2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13; Romans 15:23-16:7; Psalm 25:16-22; Proverbs 20:16-18

Observation

I love Hezekiah’s encouragement to the Israelites in the face of Sennacherib’s intimidation:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because…there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”
2 Chronicles 32:7-8

And, what a powerful response from God when Hezekiah and Isaiah call out to Him:

“The Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And, when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword.”

Manasseh was a character. He did evil in God’s eyes, followed the detestable practices of the nations, erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles, built altars to the starry hosts, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft, and to top it all off – sacrificed his sons in the fire! But, other than these things he was a pretty good guy! Ya!

The biblical record (2 Chron. 33:9) makes this editorial comment about M.

“Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites!”

God allowed M. to be captured and taken off into bondage in Babylon with a ring through his nose. But, even after all of M’s sin, when he cried out to the Lord – God “was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea,” bringing him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom.

The end result was that M. learned that the Lord is God through this experience!

Application

Don’t mess with God! Don’t compare Him to other gods! Don’t call into question His ability to deliver! Don’t limit His power or quench His Spirit. And, certainly don’t elevate your own power and ability over His!

The battle belongs to the Lord! The angel of the Lord slaughtered the whole Assyrian army without Hezekiah and his men having to even lift a finger! God is not dependent upon or limited to “visible” solutions to problems.

God’s grace to M. after all he did it a testimony to the fact that no one is beyond the reach of God’s redeeming mercy!

Prayer

“Lord, thank You for Your grace. “Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin.”