The Un-Series: Week 6 Day 1

2 Kings 21:1-9(ESV)

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.” 5 In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

7 He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them.” 9 But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. 

Talk about the relative no one wants to bring up at family get-togethers, Manasseh did it all! Manasseh wasn’t the first of his kind, but he was described as in the lineage of Ahab, a king so evil he was judged by the Lord (2 Kings 21). What is interesting is that it seemed the young boy who became king at twelve had a mission. Manasseh probably looked back at his father, Hezekiah, who was one of the great kings of Israel. I think Manasseh didn’t want to be overshadowed by his dad, so he tried to glorify himself, which turned him into a spiraling violent wicked king. Mannaseh demonstrated the danger of attempting to glorify one's self. Self- aggrandizing actions are ultimately destructive. We are called to glorify God, since we are His image bearers, His Glory is our joy.

Where in your life have you glorified yourself when you should be glorifying God?