II Kings 20-21  Hezekiah became "mortally ill".  Isaiah came to tell him that he would die.  But, Hezekiah prayed and the Lord heard his prayer and sent Isaiah back to the king to tell him that he would be healed and live another 15 years.  Hezekiah asked for a sign.. and God granted it to him.  The shadow on the steps of Ahaz's tower moved back 10 steps.  Truly an act of God, turning back time. 

Unfortunately, Hezekiah acted foolishly after that, allowing the servants of the king of Babylon to tour the treasures of Jerusalem. The Lord spoke again to Hezekiah, telling him that Babylon would one day take everything that he had showed them.  Hezekiah was glad that it would happen after he was gone.. not thinking about those yet to come. 

After Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh became king.  He was only 12 when he became king and he ruled for 55 years.  Manasseh became the most evil of all of Judah's kings.  The list of his offenses again the Lord is astounding: "And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel." 

Manasseh rebuilt the high places, erected altars to Baal, made Asherah poles, and "worshipped all the host of heaven and served them."  He desecrated the temple with his idols, he sacrificed his own sons, he practiced witchcraft and used divinations. He consulted spiritists and mediums.  And he "shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; besides the sin with which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the Lord." 

It is because of Manasseh's evil that judgement came against Judah. 24:3-4 "Surely at the command of the Lord it came to Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and the Lord would not forgive." 

But, II Chronicles 33:10-20 tells a bit more of Manasseh's story.  We are told there that Manasseh was captured by Assyria, taken with "hooks, bound.. with bronze chains.." and taken to Babylon.  There, Manasseh "entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his father's." 

God heard Manasseh's prayer and allowed him to return home, where he removed the idols, sacrificed to the Lord, and ordered Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Now that is Amazing Grace!

Father in heaven,  You are holy and just.. and amazingly patient and kind.  To bring repentance to one such as Manasseh.. gives us encouragement and hope for the salvation of every man, even those who, today, seem full of evil.  We pray for those in our world today, those who have turned to false religions, false ideals, and evil lifestyles.. and we pray that they would also humble themselves before You, like Manasseh did.  We again pray for perseverance during these days.. that every believer would stand firm in Your strength, resisting evil.  We put on Jesus.. His truth, His righteousness, His peace, and His salvation.  We choose to trust You with all our hearts, allowing our shields of faith to quench the fiery darts of Satan. And we take up the sword of Your Spirit.. Your mighty Word, in prayers and supplications before You, with thanksgiving... in the Name of Jesus our King. Amen.