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What Were the Sins? What were the sins of Israel that caused the Lord to be angry and to allow them to be taken captive? Was it drinking excessively? Was it breaking the Sabbath? Was it even fornication, or adultery? The Lord most certainly was upset by these sins but it was not these that broke his heart. It was fornication in a sense, but not in the sense that we understand it. 2 Kings 21:2-7 And he (Manasseh) did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, according to the idolatries of the nations that Jehovah expelled from before the sons of Israel. 3 And he built again the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and raised up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab the king of Israel, and worshiped all the host of the heavens, and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of Jehovah, of which Jehovah had said, In Jerusalem I will put My name. 5 And he built altars for all the host of the heavens in the two courts of Jehovah's house. 6 And he made his son to pass through the fire, used magic, and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spirit-knowers. He expanded to work the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, to provoke Him to anger. 7 And he set a graven image of the Asherah that he had made in the house of which Jehovah had said to David and to his son Solomon, In this house, and in Jerusalem, that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever. 2 Chron 33:11 And Jehovah brought against them the king of Assyria's army commanders, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, and bound him with bronze fetters, and made him go to Babylon. Many many times throughout the Old Testament the various idolatrous practices of Israel are at the top of list of grievances the Lord had against them. These grievances necessitated that He cause them or allow them to go into captivity. Do similar things cause Him grief today, that He allows us to be held captive? Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not. Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. He has not and will not change! I believe many of us don't understand that involvement with anything that has it's roots in idolatry grieves our Lord tremendously. I am convinced that idolatry is to God as adultery is to a devoted husband. Picture a man who has married a bride. He has paid an exceedingly high dowry, even the life of his first-born son. The wife tells her husband over and over how much she loves him and how much she wants to be with him but then proceeds to commit adultery with another suitor. How does the man react? He still loves his bride very very much but he is hurt so very deeply, and weeps unconsolably. The bride continues to tell her husband how much she loves him. Will this lovingly devoted husband want to go in and be intimate with his bride? His unconsolable grief turns to righteous anger and righteous jealousy and he wonders what he can do to bring his bride to her senses. He won't force her to love him; what is love if it is commanded? "I will let her be taken captive by her suitor and perhaps from a place of captivity she will realize how much I love her and return to me," he says. Even in his anger his thoughts are entirely toward his bride, for her welfare, and not to cause her pain even though she has devastated him. He wants only a wholly devoted bride. "Return to me!" He cries longingly to His Bride. "And I will return to you." "How will I return to you?" She asks from her captivity. "Put aside all of your fornication, and all of your idolatrous practises and I will cleanse you and make you fit for a king once again. My thoughts are for you and not against you, to give you a future and a hope." Says the Lord. How are we involved in fornication? I believe we are involved in more ways than one. First, it is as we include pagan rituals in our Christian gatherings. Secondly, it is as we continue to be led by our fleshly motivations and pander to the flesh. In doing this we continue to obey the great god of 'I' and worship him/her. I see in my spirit a woman dressed in a long white gown lying on the ground, pinned there by many strings. I am reminded of Gullivers Travels when he is pinned to the ground by the Lilliputens. The woman is straining against the ties but is only able to lift one shoulder. Even though there are many ties to break, she is rising. The Prayer of Manasseh O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable: but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquites. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Chron 33:13 and (Manasseh) prayed to Him, and He was entreated of him and heard his supplication, and returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom; and Manasseh knew that Jehovah, He is God. |