23.48 Manasseh, the Wicked Son of King Hezekiah (Part 3)

Indigenous Faith

In this, the third and final episode on the study of King Manasseh, Craig and LaDonna wrap up the biblical story of this most wicked king in Israel and Judah's collective histories and present an all important analysis of what this means for us today as we seek to live biblically healthy lives in the context of our cultures and traditions. Thankfully, Manasseh came to his senses and realized that how he led Judah throughout most of his fifty-five year reign was wicked and deplorable and he sought God's forgiveness and repented of all the wickedness he perpetrated on God's chosen people. It reminds us of the great gift of forgiveness offered by God for anyone, anywhere, and at any time. The sad reality that accompanies full repentance and forgiveness, though, is God often does not deliver us from the consequences of the sin and evil we do and cause others to do as well. We may have to live with sad consequences for the remainders of our lives, even after experiencing the forgiveness of God. Child sacrifice, as wicked and vile as it is, can be forgiven, but it doesn't bring back the life of that precious little one, whose life was cut short, and at at times, before it was even given a chance to experience life outside the womb. The only comfort and solace we can experience is that child's inclusion as an eternal resident of heaven, where there is no pain and suffering, as they avoid the wicked and detestable experiences of life lived in a fallen world. For that, we take comfort, even in the midst of great pain and loss. It makes us long for heaven more so than ever before. So friend, let's learn from the mistakes of people like King Manasseh, but not duplicate those mistakes in our own lives. If we can learn that lesson alone, then it's well worth reviewing the wicked kings as well as the godly ones. Don't forget, our Indigenous Faith 2.0 Video Series is now available at our tribalrescue.com store. It provides hours of in-depth teaching from Craig and LaDonna, plus powerful messages from one of Native America's great theologians, Dr. Vern Charette.