2 Chronicles 34:1

 2 Chronicles 34:1 says, Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.  Josiah like a few other of the kings of Judah was very young when he began to rule, but he was the next in line of the descendants of David.  He ruled for a fairly long time.  It is more important that we be a follower of Christ if we are going to be involved in the work of the church than it is what our age might be.  Verse two adds, And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.  Unlike his actual father, Josiah followed the way of his ancestor David and did what was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in His ways.  We also need to walk in the ways of those faithful Christians who have gone before us, but more importantly we need to walk in the ways of Jesus Christ spiritually.  Verse three continues, For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.  It took him a while to begin to follow God and even longer to begin to remove the false gods and false places of worship from Judah and Jerusalem.  From the age of eight to sixteen, he was probably relying on others to advise him, and then he began to form his own conclusions about God, and then by the age of twenty, he began to act under God's guidance completely, I believe.  When we are a young Christian, we often follow the advice if older Christians, and hopefully they will lead us to live by the commandants of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we mature in our Christian life, but there comes a time when we should be mature enough to act with conviction about what God wants us to do.  Verse four states, And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.  Josiah had all the idols and altars and groves used in the worship of Baal destroyed completely.  It always seems strange how often the people of Israel and Judah reestablished the worship of false gods after they had been destroyed, but they did this from the time of their deliverance.  We need to be careful that we as followers of Christ don't allow some idol, which is anything that comes between God and us, to come into our lives once again.  Verse five adds, And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.  The bones of the false priests were burned on their own altars before they were destroyed, and he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.  We cannot cleanse the whole nation of its idolatry, but we can present the gospel to everyone, and if they accept God's gift of salvation, the nation will be cleansed. Verse six continues, And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.  Josiah cleaned several cities in Israel as well.  The nation might have been divided physically in their leadership, but they were all a part of God's chosen people.  If we are following the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the way we live should lead all of our fellow Christians to want to do the same.  Verse seven concludes, And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.  After destroying all the idols and the places they were worshipped, Josiah returned to Jerusalem.  This would indicate that he was actively involved in doing this, and we as Christian need to be actively involved in keeping any false teachings out of the church today. 

2 Chronicles 33:19

2 Chronicles 33:19 says, 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.  Manasseh also tore down all the false places of worship and the idols he had set up after he repented and asked God's forgiveness.  As Christians, we need to tear down anything that has come between God and us and repent of allowing it to happen to start with and He will restore us to a right relationship with Him spiritually.  Just as Manasseh never stopped being a part of the family of David even when he was rebelling against God, once we are reborn into the family of God, we will be a part of it forever, but we can lose God's blessings if we stray away from following His will for our lives.  Verse twenty adds, So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.  As with all earthly rulers, eventually Manasseh died and was buried, and then his son Amon became king.  Verse twenty-one continues, Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. Amon was twenty-two when he became king, and only ruled for two years. Verse twenty-two states, 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;  Amon did not continue in following God, but returned to following the idols that Manasseh had worshipped before his repentance, which was evil in the sight of God.  As followers of Christ, we need to pray that our children will follow us in worshipping and serving God and that our times of not serving Him will not be more important to them.  Verse twenty-three adds, And humbled not himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.  Instead of humbling himself before God as Manasseh his father had, he trespassed or sinned against God more and more.  Those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ will tend to fall deeper into sin over time, I believe, allowing self-pride to rule them.  Verse twenty-four continues, And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house.  Amon was not killed by a foreign enemy but by his own servants, which is why his reign was so short.  I don't think we should kill anyone who is in a position of leadership who doesn't follow God, but we certainly should kill any evil actions that they would lead us to in our lives.  Verse twenty-five concludes, 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 rest of the people of Judah then killed those who had killed Amon and made Josiah their king.  Though Amon may have been wicked, those who killed him were not acting in accordance to God's will either, according to Matthew Henry. We cannot please God by doing anything outside of His will. 

2 Chronicles 33:11

2 Chronicles 32:11 says, 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.  We are told that God brought them the captains of the Assyrians and not that they defeated Manasseh by their own ability. I still believe it was more of God removing His protection from Manasseh because of his disobedience.  Matthew Henry points out that this is not mentioned in the Book of Kings, but maybe this is because Manasseh's captivity was overcome by his repentance which we will see in the next verse and was not based on the repentance of the nation as a whole.  I do know that whether anyone else who has strayed away from God repents or not, if we as individual Christians know that we have, we must repent and ask God's forgiveness, and He will restore us and set us free from the captivity of sin once more.  Verse twelve adds, And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,  When Manasseh was suffering affliction, he sought God and humbled himself greatly before God.  His disobedience to God had brought this affliction on him, but he recognized that only God could restore him.  We also need to realize that if we are suffering because of disobedience to God that only repentance as we humble ourselves before Him can restore us to spiritual health.  We also need to know that if we seek God, He can always be found.  Verse thirteen continues, 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.  God heard Manasseh's prayers, restored him, and then Manasseh knew that He was God.  He had been worshipping false gods, and they let him down.  When he humbled himself and begin to worship the one true God, he was restored.   God proved Himself to be God, and Manasseh believed.   We must live by faith and not by seeing some great miracle and need to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, and if we do accept Him as our Savior and Lord, we will be restored to a right relationship with God.  Verse fourteen states, 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.  Manasseh began to restore the walls of Jerusalem and set captains of war over them.  We do not have to erect physical barriers today but need to build up spiritual walls to protect us from the forces of evil.  Verse fifteen adds, 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.  More important than building the walls, he took all the strange gods, or idols, out of the house of God.  If we are to be successful spiritually as Christians, we need to remove all the false gods from our lives.  Verse sixteen continues, 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.  Manasseh then repaired the altar of God and sacrificed peace offerings on it.  If we have drifted away from God as followers of Christ, we need to repent and repair the relationship and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God once again.  Verse seventeen says,  Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.  As stated earlier, though Manasseh repented and returned to God, the nation as a whole did not.  They were sacrificing to God alone, but not in accordance with His commandments.  He may have led them away from God, but they did not follow him in returning to God, which to me would indicate that they hadn't believed in God very much to start with.  We need to pray that we never lead anyone away from God, but if we do, all we can really do is return to Him ourselves and pray that those who were led astray will do so as well and we must do so in accordance with God's word.  I also believe that if we truly have put their faith in God that we will not easily be led astray and the Holy Spirit will convict us to return to God if we do, no matter what we may have done.  Verse eighteen adds, 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.  We are told that the rest of the acts of Manasseh and his prayer are written in the book of the kings of Israel.

2 Chronicles 33:1

2 Chronicles 33:1 says, Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:  After Hezekiah died, Manasseh his son, who was only twelve years old, became king.  He was likely easily influence at this age, but he still should have been grounded in God's word.  He had a long reign that lasted fifty-five years.  Verse two adds, 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.  Unfortunately, Manasseh didn't follow the example of his father and serve God, instead he followed the ways of the heathen and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.  We may be devoted Christians and do our best to raise our children to follow Jesus Christ, but we cannot force them to.  They have to make that decision for themselves.  Verse three continues, 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.  Manasseh began to rebuild the places to worship false gods and built altars to Baalim.  He worshipped the host of heaven, or the stars I believe, as well.  He was undoing all the good works for God that Hezekiah his father had done.  The next generation may turn away from God, even if they have been raised by Christian parents and start trying to tear down things set aside for God and begin worshipping false gods.  That is why it is so important that we reach them with the gospel.  Verse four states, Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.  Manasseh also built altars to false gods in God's house.  God had said that His name would be proclaimed in the temple in Jerusalem forever as the only God, and even if the people then or the people now don't do so, He is still the only God of Jerusalem or anywhere else.  Verse five adds, And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.  He built altars to the stars in the courts of the Temple, the house of God.  We need to make sure that we don't bring false teachings into the church building as we gather to worship, and more importantly, as Christians we need to make sure we don't allow them into our lives, since our bodies are to be a temple for God.  Verse six continues, 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.  He began to sacrifice children to these false gods and practiced witchcraft.   He got about as far away from God as anyone could.  We should not be surprised if those who are not followers of Jesus Christ proclaim many different things to be what guide them.  Verse seven states, 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.  He also built an idol in the Temple, where God had told David and Solomon, who were responsible for the building of the Temple as a house of God, that He would put His name forever.  God also said He had chosen the people of Israel to work through to reach the world with His word.  That responsibility is now the responsibility of Christians and whether people believe it or not, God is still the only God.  Verse eight adds, 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.  God said He would never cut Israel off from the land He had given them as long as they lived by His commandments and law.  I believe this promise now applies to Christians and God's eternal spiritual kingdom.  Verse nine continues, So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.  We are told that Manasseh made the people of Judah sin, but he could only influence them to do so. Whether we sin or not is always our individual choice, even if those in power declare that we must worship false gods.  Verse ten concludes, And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.  God was still speaking to Manasseh and the people of Judah, but they would not listen.  God is still speaking to people today offering them His gift of salvation, but too many still will not listen.  As followers of Christ, He also speaks to us through the Holy Spirit and His written word, and at times we do not listen either, but we need to pray that we always will.

2 Chronicles 32:24

 2 Chronicles 32:24 says, In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.  Hezekiah became deathly sick at this time, prayed to God, and God gave him a sign, or let Hezekiah know that He heard His prayer.  The sign was the sun moving backwards by ten degrees, which is recorded in 2 Kings 20.  We may not have a dramatic sign that God has heard our prayers, but we still must have faith that He has and be willing to accept the answer.  Not everyone who prays for healing from physical illness is healed, but if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ and pray for spiritual healing we will always be healed.  Verse twenty-five adds, But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.  When he recovered, Hezekiah became full of self-pride instead of giving God the glory, and this led to God's wrath coming on him and all of Judah and Jerusalem.  Matthew Henry says that God left Hezekiah free to sin though He could have stopped him from sinning.  This is always the case.  Though God could prevent us from sinning, we must do so on our own and realize that we have sinned when we do and come to Jesus Christ by faith to find forgiveness.  Verse twenty-six continues, Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.  Hezekiah at least realized his sin, his acting out of self-pride, as did the rest of the people of Jerusalem, and they humbled themselves before God once again and He forgave them.  As followers of Christ, we need to realize when we are acting under the guidance of anything other than the Holy Spirit, and if we realize that we are, we need to repent and ask God's forgiveness.  Verse twenty-seven states, And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant jewels;  Hezekiah became very rich in material things and in honor from the world, but he should have made sure that the honor went to God and not himself.  As long as he put his faith in God, he was spiritually blessed, and so will we be when we do, and that is what matters.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.  Hezekiah was not only rich in silver, gold and precious jewels, he had an abundance of crops and animals.  We may faithfully serve God and still struggle materially, but we should not serve God for material reasons to start with.  If we are blessed materially, I believe we need to use what God has blessed us with for His glory and to do His work, and not for selfish purposes.  Verse twenty-nine continues, Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.  Hezekiah had many cities in his kingdom as well, because God had provided him with a great substance.  As Christians, we need to acknowledge that God is behind our blessings if they come as long as we are faithful to Him.  Still, it is possible that material blessings may come by acting outside of the will of God, and we never want that to happen in our life.  Verse thirty concludes, This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.  Hezekiah had changed the course of the water so that it flowed into Jerusalem to make sure they would always have plenty of water and also to cut the water supply off from their enemies.  Matthew Henry says this was during the Sennacherib's invasion of Judah.  We as Christians have an unlimited supply of the Living Water, and those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord will always be cut off from it.  Verse thirty-one says, Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.  The people of Babylon sent ambassadors to inquire about the wonders they had seen.  Matthew Henry says this was the sun moving backwards, since they worshipped the sun god and may have been giving him the credit.  Lost people today who see a miracle will often want to give credit to anyone or anything other than God.  God left Hezekiah to decide how he would react to this praise, just a He will leave us to decide how we react to men's praise today because He has blessed us.  Verse thirty-two adds, Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.  In Hezekiah's case, we are told that the rest of his actions are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet and in the book of the kings of Judah.  Of course, the important thing was whether his name was written in the Lamb's book of life as is the case with everyone. Verse thirty-three continues, And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.  Though he had recovered from one deathly illness, Hezekiah still died and he was buried in one of the best spots in the tomb of the kings and all of Judah honored him in his death. People may honor us in death, but it really doesn't matter.  All that matters is our relationship with Jesus Christ.  All the honors of the world will do nothing for us spiritually.

2 Chronicles 32:20

2 Chronicles 32:20 says, And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.  Since Sennacherib was crying out that god was as helpless to stop him as the false gods had been, Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed to the God of heaven.  People still claim that God is as powerless or at least even less powerful than other gods, but we as His people need to continue to pray to Him for strength and guidance, especially if we are under attack spiritually.  Verse twenty-one adds, And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.  God didn't send a multitude of angels, but He sent an angel who destroyed all the leaders of the Sennacherib's army.   Sennacherib then went home in shame and went to the house of his god, where he was killed by his children.  He found out firsthand that God was not like other gods, but it did him no good, because he still returned to his gods.  If people recognize the power of God today but still don't put their faith in Jesus Christ, it does them no good.  Verse twenty-two continues, Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.  The people of Jerusalem were not saved by their own power but by the power of God, and we cannot be saved spiritually by our own power, but only by the power of Jesus Christ over sin and death.  Verse twenty-three concludes, And many brought gifts unto the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.  Many people brought gifts to Jerusalem for the Lord and presents for Hezekiah as well, and Hezekiah was magnified throughout the land.  Hezekiah had not brought them victory, but he had stood for the people before God and asked His help.  We cannot bring spiritual victory to anyone today, but we can bring them before God in prayer, and if they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, they need to give God all the praise and so do we.  We cannot save anyone but can only present the gospel to them.

2 Chronicles 32:9

2 Chronicles 32:9 says, After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying,  After Hezekiah had cut off the water supply to the troops of Sennacherib, he sent word to Hezekiah.  He still thought himself to be in the more powerful position.  Those who oppose God today often think they are in the more powerful position, but they are cut off from the Living Water and cannot survive spiritually.  Verse ten adds, Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?  Sennacherib asked Hezekiah who he put his faith in that he would oppose him and think he could survive the siege.  When the people of the world believe they are more powerful than God, they may ask Christians the same thing.  Verse eleven continues, Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  Sennacherib also asked the people in Jerusalem if Hezekiah had persuaded them to die of thirst and famine in Jerusalem instead of just surrendering to him.  We may be asked today how we can put our faith in God when those who deny Him are in power and more numerous than us.  Verse twelve states, Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it?  Sennacherib then appealed to them on a religious basis, asking if Hezekiah had not taken away many places where they used to worship and by implication the gods that they worshipped.  There are still people today who accuse Christians of being narrow minded because they insist that there is only one God and that He cannot be worshipped in the same places where other gods are worshipped along with worshipping those other gods.  Verse thirteen adds, Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?  Sennacherib then began to brag about the power of the Assyrians, asking the people in Judah if they had not heard what the Assyrians had done to other people.  It may be that those in power become boastful and ask us as followers of Christ if we have not heard of their power if we oppose their gods, but they need to know that we will never turn away from the one true God, no matter what.  Verse fourteen continues, Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?  Sennacherib then compared God to all the other gods of the people that Assyria had defeated.  People may defeat those who follow other gods, but for the to compare these false gods to the one true God will lead to their downfall one day, and we as Christians cannot begin to think that they are more powerful than our God.  Verse fifteen says, Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?  Sennacherib then told them to not be confused by Hezekiah's words and stated that there never had been a god who could deliver them.  He made the mistake of trying to compare the God of Judah with other gods, and peoople still make that mistake today and may ask how we can put our faith in Him and those who follow Him.  Verse sixteen adds, And his servants spake yet more against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.  Sennacherib's servants then began to speak against God and Hezekiah, who was referred to as God's servant.  Many people, and not just those in power, may question how we can serve God today and imply that He cannot save us, but we can never doubt Him and be successful spiritually.  Verse seventeen continues, He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.  Sennacherib then said that just as other gods had failed to deliver those who had followed them from the Assyrians, neither would God be able to deliver the people in Jerusalem.  Verse eighteen states, Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city.  The people of Assyria then begin to cry out against the people of Jerusalem in their own language in order to try to frighten them.  The lost people of the world today will often attempt to bring fear into the lives of Christians by claiming their power and the lack of power on the part of God. Verse nineteen adds, And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.  They then spoke against God as if He were just another god made by hand.  People often try to convince us that God is just like other false gods and powerless to save us, but His victory has already been established as well as ours if we put our faith in Him.