Bad to the Bone

Posted by Dion Todd June 19th, 2024 1,341 Views 26 Comments

Yahweh spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they didn't listen. Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God. 2 Chronicles 33:10–13 WEB.

Manasseh was the most wicked king Judah had ever known. During his fifty-five-year reign, he built altars to baal, asheroth, worshipped the stars, sacrificed his children to pagan gods, dealt in fortune-telling, sorcery, mediums, necromancers, made carved idols, and placed them in God's temple. Manasseh filled Israel with innocent blood from one end to the other.

Manasseh was indeed "bad to the bone" and had no boundaries in his evil plots. "They were sawn apart" in Hebrews 11:37 is a reference to King Manasseh having the prophet Isaiah sawn in half. Manasseh refused to listen to the Lord, and he led the people of Judah away from Him. Finally, God gave him and Judah over to Assyria, who put him in chains and then took him captive to Babylon (2 Chronicles 33:10).

After all the evil Manasseh had done, after sawing the Lord's prophet in half, he became a prisoner. But when he humbled himself and prayed, God spared him, then returned Manasseh to his kingdom. God had mercy on the meanest king recorded in the Bible when he humbled himself and asked.

It's never too late. While you have breath, there is hope. No matter what your past is today, if you humbly ask God to help you, He will. Even if you find yourself bound in well-deserved chains, He will still set you free. It is not because you deserve it but because He is thoroughly good. He gives people a seventh chance. God will never give up on you. In fact, He will use your past as your testimony and use you to lead others out of their own darkness.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your mercy. You are good. Please teach me Your ways and help me walk with You today. Please speak to me and through me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.” (Philippians 4:6-7) ~ If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network