Eat This Book
Read Proverbs Chapter 23
2 Chronicles 33
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof theLord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.
9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lordhad destroyed before the children of Israel.
10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.
19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem.
22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;
23 And humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
The POFW Daily Bible Reading 
v13 ” Then Manasseh knew the LORD he was GOD.”
Every generation has a choice to make. Through the Holy Ghost we must reject ungodly behaviors and ungodly thinking. GOD hates pride. When people think more highly of themselves than they should they might as well expect terrible consequences.
The Holy Ghost will help us know what is right, good and wise.
Sowing bad seed will take root and affect one as well as another generation. No sin is worth being outside GOD’S will.
( i ) sure don’t want the LORD’S hooks in my nose to get my attention.) I’d rather bow to HIS will the path of truth and obedience .
Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
We all have the opportunity to repent. In humility respond to GOD’S Goodness.
Rom.2:4 ” That the goodness of GOD leadeth thee to repentance.”
Those who are prideful and refuse HIS MERCY AND GRACE will be destoryed, as was Amon along with everything else that violates GOD’S perfect order and will.
It’s better to be safe in the center of HIS will.
Thank you JESUS for the Holy Ghost makes our journey better as we yield to HIS control and will help us discern HIS TRUTH from falsehood, by spending time in GOD’S WORD and in HIS PRESENCE everyday.
A relationship that will cause us to know that HE IS LORD!
iPray
iHumble
iRepent
iWorship GOD
Are you paying attention?
How far does God have to take us to get our attention? Are we humble enough to allow God to talk with us daily? Do we allow Him to guide/correct us easily? Or, do we have our hearts hardened toward God so that He has to knock us down to get our attention so we can hear what He wants from us? Lord, help me to maintain my attention on you. When my ears/eyes are drawn away from your presence please nudge me and allow me to refocus on you.
Then God directed the leaders of the troops of the king of Assyria
God will direct the enemy to lead us to the place that he wants us to be. Even now I find it so amazing that what God commands, the enemy has to do. When the enemy confronts us, instead of wondering what trial am I being made to pass through, we should ask do I have everything right with God. Is he trying to get my attention for something that I have done.
Vs 9-10 When the people of God sin, they oftentimes go at it worse than those who have never known God. Once you turn your back on God there is nothing else. You will not listen to anyone, even God.
Vs 12-13 Praise the Lord that there is a place of repentance that when we truly humble ourselves before him, God will have compassion on us and forgive our sin.
Lord help me to be humble…….
Proverbs 12:23
“The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge,
but fools broadcast their foolishness.”
Quote from Life Application Study Bible:
Wise people have a quiet confidence. Unstable people (fools) feel the need to prove themselves,
but wise people don’t have to prove anything.
They know they are capable, so they can get on with their work.
Beware of showing off.
If you are modest, people may not notice you at first, but they will respect you later.
Lord help me to do what you want me to do and to have a listening ear to hear what you say.
True Repentance will always be followed by actions of correctness.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.
15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.
16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
ILove to drink coffee with Jesus
Backsliders Coming Home
The true spirit of humility allowed Manasseh to come back to The Lord. It doesn’t matter how bad we have been, if we would just humbly come to God he would forgive us and set us on the right direction.
BE HUMBLE OR BE HUMBLED
10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
To the carnal mind HUMILITY is a sign of weakness, to submit to the authority of another is considered helpless. In reality HUMILITY boils down to “who do you seek to please” GOD and HIS righteous ways or MAN and his carnal ways.
As we witness again the roller coaster history of the children of GOD and their desired Kings of Israel that everything rises and falls on the Leadership. As the Leader goes, so goes the people. This principal is why we at The POFW feel it important to be in covenant relationship with GOD and each other concerning Leadership.
The LORD is speaking to people today; however everyone is not listening. Unfortunately like Manasseh many will have to have use an adversary to do as the MSG version says “They put a hook in his nose, shackles on his feet, and took him off”. This is a horrible place for a child of GOD to find themselves. Disobedience of the Word of GOD, Rejection of Correction by Authority, Pride and Self Will are all the indicators that we need to BE HUMBLED.
I choose rather to BE HUMBLE.
1Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Patiently honor, serve and wait on GOD to BE HUMBLE. Pray, Work and Give and you will Reap the Blessings and Benefits of Spiritual Victory.
iPray
iWork
iGive
iReap
Don’t touch that!!!!!
6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2 Corinthians 6:16-17
1-20
Manassehs personal thought belated repentance reminds us that it is never to late for the individual to return to the Lord yet the O.T. makes it clear that Manassehs years mark the point of no return for Judah.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
I have found in my walk with God, that there are many who say, they are Christians , and yet deny God. It was the crying out from the king that saved not just himself, but the kingdom too. We must take heed to this story ,because it teaches us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot have one foot in this world and one in church. God is very jealous when it comes to our time with Him. God loves us enough that He wants to spend ti me with each of us. He LOVES YOU!
This chapter illustrates cost. Manasseh did evil in the sight of the Lord, he worshiped false gods as did the people; “Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err”. However when he was under great affliction he repented and God (Jesus) delivered him. One would be wise to repent of one’s ways and make it right with God, rather than suffer the cost of rebellion. May the good Lord Bless you all in Jesus name, Amen
It doesn’t matter the walk with God our parents had or those of us as parents have when it comes to the following generation they still have to choose to have a relationship with God. Our job is to teach them in the way they should go. Also to help pick them up when they fall down. This is true as spiritual parents too, with new babies coming in they need to be fed and raised all over again. And when they stumble we need to be there to dust them off and cheer them on their way. Children learn by imitation, so we need to be the example of what they should strive for. If we imitate our father in heaven our children will begin to imitate us and inadvertantly they will pick up on a godly lifestyle. If we do our part then our hands are clean when each child makes his/her choice in life. Pray for your kids, physical and spiritual, and be the example.
Vs. 12-13, “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And prayed unto him, and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.”
This made me think of the scripture found in 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I Thank God for his Mercy and Grace !!
Manasseh was 12 years old when he became King. Too young for all the responsibilities he was up against. He didn’t know any better, he was King and had authority, so he did what he wanted. It was fun for him to play with the fire but he got burned. God wasn’t playing when he said follow my commands to his people. The Lord was angry because other gods were being worshipped. So Manasseh was captured and chained just like a prisoner. He realized God was real and repented, the Lord heard him he saw a sincere repentance and let him go back to his duties as a King.
He now knows he can’t be playing with God’s commandments. He then tore down idols he had built and stopped worshipping other gods.
Appears to me Manasseh wasn’t taught God’s commandments and or he chose to disobey the Lord. It’s all up to us to accept and worship the Lord. We don’t get away with anything, the Lord knows the intentions of our heart.
The Lord forgave Manasseh what an awesome God we have, Lord lead me and guide me to do your will.
Verse 2&3 shows what happens when a evil king takes over and leads the people of God astray. Once again there is a king that stopped following the way of his father and decided to go the way of the heathen. Leaders must show spiritual stability and live for God in a consistent way if they expect those following them to do the same.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
How we finish is what matters. Manasseh did wicked things. He serves idols, practiced witch craft, and even desecrated the temple.
Yet he humbled himself and he ended his life in good standing with God.
Finish well.
The idols go up and the idols come down but God stays the same.
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
This is an example of God’s great mercy and forgiveness. With all that is remembered about the king and all that is written and God still had the graciousness to allow him to humble himself in the sight of the Lotd before he died. I thank God that we all are given that opportunity for grace and forgiveness through Chriat if we humble ourselves and repent.
19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers.
Thank you God that once we repent that our is is as far as the east is from the west. Forgive me Lord for all that I have done wrong.
The (Un)Known God
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. (Acts 17:23 KJV)
It seemed that in all Manasseh’s wickedness, he still knew of the Lord. He rebelled not in complete ignorance but in knowing opposition to God. Yet somehow I wonder if it wasn’t until around when God delivered him from captivity that Manasseh came to personally *know* God, finding more about Him when he turned for help and God showed Himself strong and mighty, full of mercy and compassion, love and faithfulness.
Many people *know of* God but not everyone *knows Him.* In times of desperation, people generally reach out to what they believe will help. Some who just know of God will reach out to Him because they know of Him as [Healer, Savior, etc, fill in the blank for the given need.] Some who just know of God will reach out to unknown gods because they don’t know God as the great I Am, to them He’s just like any other idol so they pick and choose what feels best (pray to God one moment, consult a horoscope the next, etc.)
There is great fruit to be found in truly *knowing* God. True relationship with Him will not only let us know Him but it will capture our heart and bind us to Him in love.
The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV)
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 6:4-12 KJV)
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. (Proverbs 7:2, 3 KJV)
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. (Psalm 119:9-12 KJV)
When we know God not just in our minds but have His love written in our hearts, we find roots of a true conversion of Him from being just an unknown God to being the Known God.
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them. (Hosea 11:1-4 KJV)
In the beginning, Israel knew of God but we can tell through their halting and desert wandering experience that not many *knew* Him. Jesus stressed to the Israelites the importance of knowing Him in truth. He brought them to receive His law, to know His command “Hear O Israel…” and to teach following generations so they too would *know.* Truly knowing God will make the difference in our walk with Him, we can only go so far, so deep, so close with just knowing of Him.
Sometimes as young unsaved parents we do dumb things that are passed on to the next generation. When we repent at an older age it is much harder to persuade our children to do what is right. This has sometimes been called the generational curse. God can help us to overcome this but it takes more prayer and effort on our part hindsight is only a word has has no bearng on our future and what we do today!
23 And humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.
24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
Manasseh was terrible at first, and his son Amon got to see his terror of ways. The way we live our lives will be an example to the next generation and to those after us. Manasseh dug up the pagan altars and rebuilt them, in much of the same way past kings have, only they had a choice of building up God’s temple or the ‘counterfiets’ pagan temples. We all have choices, and these Israel kings have too made them. Its a chance to glorify God or self/flesh in pagan praise. When we make the wrong decisions God can educate, and guide us in the right dirrection, but it is our responsibility to turn to God. Once we have God in our lives it is important to stay with Him. Digging up the bridges we have burned will only land us in the mess of the past.
Peter 2:13Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deceptione even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. 14They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. 15They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor,f who loved to earn money by doing wrong. 16But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.17These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness. 18They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. 19They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. 20And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.”g And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”
It took being tortured and beaten as a captive for Manasseh to humble himself and call out to God. BUt when he did, God heard his cry and restored him as King and Manasseh then restored the temple and true worship. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a humble and contrite heart, o God, thou wilt not despise” Psalms 51:17 God has provided a way for us to amend every wrong choice we make. Come to him with true repentance and humblness of heart and give him your broken situation.
However, there is an alternative-be stubborn & deliberately cause others to sin against God and lead the people astray to worship idols, ignore the warning from God himself and finally receive the judgement that God says will come. It’s a no brainer-seek God and be blessed!
3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
All to often when someone repents, someone else decides to dig up old, dead, stinking bones, and not let sin die. We must do as the word tells us and give no place to the devil, and if we dig up someone’s sins, we only give place to where we shouldn’t.