LEARNING DAILY

 

2 Kings 21:9, But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

 

The people of Israel demanded to be like other nations by having an earthly king. God gave then Saul to rule over them. David and Solomon came next; after them more kings fell into idolatry than those who followed the ways of God. Manasseh was one of those who rebuilt the high places so the sun, moon, and stars could be worshipped rather than God. He absorbed himself deep into the occult practices which included human sacrifice.

 

The Lord warned these leaders through the prophets they were to do all He had commanded them to do according to the law He had given Moses. But as 2 Kings 21:9 states they paid no attention because Manasseh had seduced them to follow the gods of the pagans around him. Manasseh led the people of Judah, God’s chosen, into the darkest period of idolatry in Judah’s history. It was  55 years where he led the people into greater evil than the pagan nations destroyed by Joshua as he conquered the Promised Land. This wicked king had nothing but contempt for the God of his father Hezekiah.

 

Why would God allow this to happen? Why would He allow the influence of Manasseh to be so great, to allow Judah to do such great evil? God does not always remove evil leaders from their position of influence. Instead, He holds His people responsible to align themselves with those who walk according to His Word. God expects us to reject false teaching and every leader who speaks and walks in a way that is contrary to His Word.

 

Read the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 13:3, “you shall not listen to the words of the prophet or dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know if you love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” It is fundamental to the Believer’s walk on the narrow way, their relationship to Him, to be faithful to Him and His Word. The David Jeremiah Study Bible notes has a great statement regarding this, “Those who pay no attention to the words of God will be seduced by evil.” We must be in God’s word, not only reading but studying it so we are not misled by evil and ungodly leaders or false teachers of the Word. Notice that God does test to see if we love Him with all our heart and all our soul.

 

I write this today to once again encourage you to be reading and meditating and studying God’s Word. There are many around us who desire to distort and remove God and His Word from being taught and preached. They would preach a gospel that promotes adds or takes away from God’s Word. They are subtle in their promotion of idolatry and teaching that government or other institutions can provide best for your needs. As Believers, we must resolve to remain faithful to God and His written Word. If we do not, I fear we will be seduced as the people of Judah were seduced to follow the evil being promoted in this world, this nation today.