II Chronicles 33:9-13
Introduction: Vs 1, Manasseh was the king of Jerusalem at this time and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. Because Manasseh did much evil, God brought affliction in his life.
To be afflicted is to be “affected with continued or often repeated pain, either of body or mind; suffering grief or distress, of any kind.”
In the life of Manasseh, the affliction was brought upon by God according to Vs 19, to humble him, and because of his response to the affliction, Manasseh humbled himself greatly Vs 12, and Manasseh was restored unto his kingdom in Jerusalem Vs 13.
In comparison, the Christian today WILL go through affliction. You can go through affliction because: – God is trying to Humble you- just like Manasseh- God is trying to Test you- God is trying to make you seek Him- God is trying to show His mercy – God is trying to bring you back to Him
Regardless of what God is trying to accomplish in your life, afflictions are a part of life; Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all”.
In other words: it’s not a matter of IF you will have afflictions, but a matter of WHEN you have afflictions.
What was man’s response to affliction?I. Besought the Lord his God Vs 12–Manasseh besought, to entreat, to supplicate, to implore, to seek earnestly, to beg.
An example of beseeching the Lord: – Matthew 17:14-18 (came kneeling down) (Lord, have mercy on my son) – Mark 9:17-29 (If thou canst do anything) (have compassion on us, and help us) – Luke 9:37-43 –(I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not)
(Master, I beseech thee)
This man earnestly besought the Lord for his and himself. Do we beseech the Lord the same way? – Its very possible that Manassech besought the Lord just as earnestly as this man. We don’t know what Manasseh’s affliction was but we do know that God can use anything and everything to afflict a person. – Before it was the Lord a God, now it was the Lord his God. It was personal, and earnest, to Manasseh. Desperate situations require desperate measures. When you are afflicted, beseech the Lord God. II. Humbled himself Greatly Vs 12– Notice how Manasseh humbled himself. God is looking for you to humble yourself when you are afflicted. This is the response that God is looking for from you. – You have to humble yourself- I Peter 5:5-6 “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” – Example: II Chronicles 12:1-12 “and when he humbled himself”.- Manassah humbled himself GREATLY, and that is what God is looking for in a person that is afflicted. God will resist the proud, but he will give grace to the humble. – When you are afflicted, check yourself. Perhaps you are puffed up, and if you are, humble yourself. This is the attitude and posture that God is looking for. III. Prayed unto God Vs 13– How do you think Manasseh’s prayers were? I think they were fervent prayers. – James 5:16 “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” – Jonah 2:1-2 “Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly” – Jonah was being afflicted because of his disobedience unto God and when he prayed to God it WAS earnest. – Don’t pray as if God is not able to change his mind- Pray is if your life depends on it. – EXAMPLE– Exodus 32:14 “and the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people”. God turned from doing what He was going to do, and we see that the cause was the earnest prayer of Moses.
As a Christian, when you are in affliction you are looking for God to do something about what it is that your going through. Right? Therefore pray fervently, perhaps God will see your earnest prayers and change His course.
Conclusion: Affliction will be part of the life of the believer Matthew 24:9 until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back for His church II Thessalonians 1:4-7. The question is, how are you going to respond to the affliction in your life? Will you respond like Manasseh or will you just continue in your affliction because you refuse to beseech the Lord, humble yourself, and pray to Him.
When God saw that Manasseh besought Him, and that he humbled himself greatly, and that he prayed unto Him, the Lord was intreated of him, heard his supplication, and restored him from Babylon to Jerusalem unto his kingdom. Obviously, it was the right response from Manasseh unto God. The response that pleased God and moved God to respond the way He did.