2 Chronicles 33

In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul gives an extensive list of what happens when a culture turns from God and adopts wickedness as a lifestyle. This is how he describes it:

“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unfeeling, and unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:28-32, NASB)

He gives his beloved Timothy a similar description:

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7, NASB)

—AND—

“For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4, NASB)

I don’t think I need to add a description of our times. Any search on the internet or consultation of a current newspaper will readily provide the current state of affairs where you reside. Every generation has probably thought that things were out of control at times. When we consult the Bible, we find that the human race, rife with sinfulness and pride, has always found ways to perpetrate evil. Following the reign of good king Hezekiah, we find that his son takes the kingdom to a new low. It seems unthinkable that a good king like Hezekiah could raise such a wicked son. We see this often in 2 Chronicles. A good king will be followed by a bad son and a bad king by a good son. We really aren’t given enough information in the Chronicles to put our finger on the cause. Fortunately, the son will not be judged for the father’s sins and the father will not be judged for the son’s sins (Ezekiel 18:20).

During Manasseh’s fifty-five year reign, he did evil in the sight of the LORD, practicing the sins of the heathen nations around him. He rebuilt the places of idol worship for the Baals and Asherim, extending worship beyond them to the host of heaven. He built idol altars in the house of the LORD and in its two courts for the host of heaven. He offered his sons to Moloch in the valley of Ben-hinnom and practiced witchcraft, divination, sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. His evil was so extensive that it provoked the LORD to anger. His placement of a carved idol image in the house of God challenged the very covenant God had made with the people of Israel. The summary statement concerning Manasseh’s wickedness is given in 2 Chronicles 33:9:

“So Manasseh encouraged Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33:9, NASB)

For wicked people, it’s never enough to continue to push the boundaries of evil; they invite, encourage, and at times compel people to join them in their vile deeds. “Misery” is not the only thing that loves company. Remember above, “although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.”

Be aware: every time we give in to the forces of evil, hoping that it will appease them and they will be satisfied, we only deceive ourselves. Each inch they gain will be an invitation to take more ground. Those of us who love God and seek His righteousness must draw a line in the sand and declare, “We shall not be moved.”