Then Manasseh knew

Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. – 2 Chronicles 33v12-13

For all of Manasseh’s problems he seems to have finally got things sorted. This is a great picture of how God does not give up on people and holds out His offer for people to return to Him.

Manasseh had made a mess of things. It was so bad that the Assyrians had captured him, bound him, attached flesh hooks to him, and carried him off to Babylon.

But there was glimmer of hope in Manasseh. Maybe he remembered something from his childhood. Maybe some old teaching came to mind. Maybe it was just simple desperation. Whatever it was, when he was in affliction, he finally did something right.

He begged the Lord his God. He humbled himself greatly before the God of his father. He prayed to God.

What is truly amazing is what follows.

God accepted his plea. God heard his supplication. God brought him back to Jerusalem.

I like that. It reminds of what Micah said in Micah 7v7 during his own despair – ‘Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.’

If find it amazing that the ‘God of the Old Testament’ who is often seen as being cruel and harsh and all about judgement is still willing to hear a prayer like that from Manasseh. No matter where Manasseh was at the moment, the Lord was still his God. He was still waiting and willing to hear from Manasseh.

What an amazing God we have. He is waiting to hear from us, even when we get ourselves in a mess.

When God heard Manasseh and sent him back to Jerusalem Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. May we know that without going through all the stuff he did.