10.11 Nobody Is Too Bad To Be Saved

2 Chronicles 33:16 (NIV)

Then [Manasseh] restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel.

We are coasting right along in our rapid survey of the word "altar" in the Bible.  We have seen God's altar as a movable tent that traveled with the Children of Israel on their journey to the Promised Land.  We have seen the altar as the most holy place inside the grand temple King Solomon built in Jerusalem at the high point of Israel's walk with God.  We have seen the cycle of apostasy and revival that characterized the spiritual commitment of God's people in Israel.

In 2 Chronicles, we have come to a point where Israel is no longer a united kingdom.  It has split into two nations, a northern kingdom called Israel, and a southern kingdom called Judah.  Israel, from the time of the split until the day it was dissolved as a nation as a result of losing a war with Assyria, never had even one good king been in power over the land.  All of Israel's kings had apostatised, abandoned their single hearted allegiance to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

Judah, from the time of the split until the time it was carried off by Babylon, had some good kings and some bad kings.  Hezekiah was a very good king.  His son, Manasseh, however, was a very bad king.

Manasseh was only twelve years old when he became king, and perhaps he was too young to really know how to follow God wholeheartedly.  He undid all the reforms his father had put in place to bring the people back into a right relationship with God.  Manasseh built altars to the Baals.  Manasseh worshiped the stars in some sort of pagan astrology.  But the worst thing of all was that he put these pagan altars in the temple itself, and even went so far as to offer his own children as human sacrifices like the Mayans used to do.  Manasseh practiced sorcery.  Manasseh consulted mediums and spiritists.  Manasseh would have been a rock star had he lived today.  He did exactly the sorts of things that lure modern people today.

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.

Again, just like today.

So, the Lord sent a foreign army to attack the land.  Assyria attacked and Manasseh was captured.  He was a prisoner of war.  They put a hook in his nose and led him away to Babylon.

In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord.  He humbled himself greatly  before God and when he prayed,  the Lord was moved by his prayer and He listened to his plea.  God turned the events and released him from captivity.  Manasseh went back to Jerusalem a changed man.

Once home, he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed thank offerings on it, and told Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel.

It is a beautiful story of repentance.  It is a beautiful story of restoration.  It is a beautiful story of hope.

Nobody is too bad to be saved.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul has to say about it:

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.   However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim 1:12-17 NKJB)

Glory to God for His unspeakable gift!  Jesus loves you.  He wants you.  He died on the cross to make a way for you to live with Him forever.  He rose from the dead bearing the gift of eternal life for all who will follow Manasseh's example of humbling himself and repenting before God.  No matter what you have done in the past, you can be saved today by placing your trust in Jesus Christ.  His love is toward you.  He wants you for His own.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth
Changeth never, nevermore
How He watches o’er His loved ones
Died to call them all His own
How for them He intercedeth
Watcheth o’er them from the throne.

Amen!  See you tomorrow, Lord willing.