THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:

Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik

HERE


Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.

2KINGS
CHAPTER 21

1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.

Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."
Manasseh was a wicked king. He rebuilt the evil idolatrous altars that his father had destroyed. He even built altars to pagan idols in the house of the Lord!
Think about what's happening around you today in the world. See if you don't find wicked altars to idols in places of authority - even in the church!
Is that not DESTROYING what good foundations the forefather's laid?

6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. (KJV)

Manasseh even offered a male child of his own to the "god of fire." What an awful thing to have the king of a country participate in child sacrifice!
Is it any LESS awful to have a president who vetoes a ban on abortion?
Manasseh even consulted psychics and read horoscopes! Is there no ANSWER to life from GOD; from His WORD; and from His PEOPLE?

7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. 9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,

Manasseh placed a "grove" (or wooden image of an idol) in the house of the Lord!!
Altars to pagan idols everywhere, and an abomination in God's house!
It's happening in our world today too! In one of my mission trips overseas, there was a church of the Christian religion which had a "festival." We were doing an outdoor evangelistic meeting and showing a film and I heard the noise. I walked down to that church and was AMAZED and AGHAST at what I saw!
There in the yard of the church were ice-coolers filled with beer - free for all those who came. And worse than that, they had gaming tables spread out EVERYWHERE! The church was actually "ripping off" the members and all who came with gaming!
When God's people begin to seek pleasure more than the Lord's will, they are easily led into idolatry!
God sent prophets to reprove Judah and her king. God is faithful to keep Himself a "witness" at all times in the world.
By the few prophets, and the use of God's Word, and by the presence of His Holy Spirit, the world is reproved of sin.

11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: 12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; 15 Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

God's prophets told how God would take the nation and wipe them clean like a man wipes a dish. (WOW! The Bible says MEN oughta wash dishes!?! he he)
Listen to God's REASON for delivering this nation into captivity (verse 11). It was because they sinned with the idols!
God has said that He is a "jealous God," and will not allow His worship to be given to any other (Exodus 20:4-5).
When God ceases to be the center of our attention, then we commit "evil in the sight of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 4:25).

16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. 17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

What an awful legacy! Manasseh, the Bible says, "shed innocent blood very much" (verse 16). He led the people in child sacrifice.
In 2Chronicles 33:12-17, we learn that Manasseh repented and turned again to God. He even repaired the temple and got rid of all the idols he'd placed there. However, his sin had led the people into idolatry, and they would not leave their sensual practices.
A leader can easily bring people to sin, but it is much more difficult to lead them OUT of it!

19 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh did. 21 And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: 22 And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of the LORD. 23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his own house. 24 And 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. 25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.

Amon was only 22 when he took over Judah from Manasseh. Evidently he felt that the repentance of Manasseh, his father, was a sign of weakness in an old man. (Manasseh was 67 when he died - and had ruled Judah for 55 years.)
Amon did not follow the good that his father did in his latter days; but rather he followed the evil that Manasseh had done during his early years.
Amon's "evil" must have been great, for his servants murdered him after two years.
As a whole, men will follow the ways of pleasure quicker than the ways of righteousness.

Let us take a lesson here, and endeavor always to lead in the ways of righteousness, thereby leaving a greater legacy.

Please continue in Bible Study with us.