Manasseh is followed by the two-year reign of a son who follows in his evil footsteps without coming to repentence in the end:
Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt. 2 Chronicles 33:22-23
Perhaps Amon's formative years where under the evil Manasseh and he was already set in his ways before the good Manasseh came on the scene. However, perhaps Manasseh's transformation at the end of his life was a positive influence in the character of his 8-year-old (6 years old at the time of Manasseh's death) grandson Josiah, who scripture records was incomparable.
Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did -- with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. 2 Kings 23:25
Very cool that Josiah fulfilled the essence of the Law. But Josiah's righteousness isn't enough. The nation will pay for Manasseh's sins.
In today's reading there is one intriguing bit of scripture that caught my attention. The Bible mentions several texts that we don't have today.
The other events of Manasseh's reign including his prayer to his God and the words the seers spoke to him in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, are written in the annals of the kings of Israel. 2 Chronicles 33:18
His prayer and how God was moved by his entreaty, as well as all his sins and unfaithfulness...all are written in the records of the seers. 2 Chronicles 33:19
I wonder why we don't have the "annals of the kings" or the "records of the seers"? I would like to read this prayer that moved God. Those books are still out there. Perhaps still to be uncovered. Are there still books of the Bible yet to be discovered? Might God raise one up to shed new light on His word? Or would Christians and the religious elite argue over whether it should be part of the record to the point that the power of the word is lost? Our desire to be "correct" doesn't always do the Lord service.
Lord knows.
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