Is The "Extra Blessing" Really Worth It?
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty- five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my Name."
In the two courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts.
He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing His anger.
He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and to his son Solomon, "In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. . . . if only they will be careful to do everything I have commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them." But the people did not listen.
Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.
The LORD said . . . "I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish . . . I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance . . . They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies . . ."
. . . Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end . . . 2 Kings 21:1-16
In the two courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts.
He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing His anger.
He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and to his son Solomon, "In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. . . . if only they will be careful to do everything I have commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them." But the people did not listen.
Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.
The LORD said . . . "I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish . . . I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance . . . They will be looted and plundered by all their enemies . . ."
. . . Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end . . . 2 Kings 21:1-16
Hezekiah was a godly king. So godly that when he was sick and about to die, God heard his petition and granted him fifteen more years. However, it appears that those fifteen extra years set Judah up for untold hardships.
First: Hezekiah showed off all the treasures of the nation to the envoys of the king of Babylon which aroused God's displeasure and set up Judah to be pillaged later by the king of Babylon.
The sad thing was that Hezekiah showed no empathy because the prophecy was to take place after his death. He was content that it was not going to happen in his lifetime.
Second: Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, was born during the extra fifteen years God granted him. This son who succeeded him as king at the tender age of twelve, ruled the nation for fifty-five long years. Manasseh became one of the most ungodly and wicked kings of the nation. He led the nation to completely reject God and serve other gods. He sacrificed his own son to other gods by burning him in the fire. He killed so many innocent people that the Bible describes him as filling Jerusalem from one end to the other with innocent blood. God was so angry that He passed judgment on the nation: "I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a dish . . . they will be looted and plundered by their enemies."
The question I am grappling with is: Were the fifteen extra years God gave King Hezekiah worth it? Was it worth the judgment the nation suffered because he boastfully showed off the treasures of the nation to a foreign kingdom? Was it worth the fifty-five years of godlessness and human carnage that the nation suffered under Manasseh whom Hezekiah bore during the extra fifteen years of life? Was the personal benefit of extra years worth the pain it brought on the nation?
So, question: Are we really ready to handle whatever "extra blessings" we petition from God in a way that brings honor to His Name? Is every "extra" blessing worth praying for? Is it better to go with God's "express will" rather than His "permissive will" when we clearly see it? Think about it.
First: Hezekiah showed off all the treasures of the nation to the envoys of the king of Babylon which aroused God's displeasure and set up Judah to be pillaged later by the king of Babylon.
The sad thing was that Hezekiah showed no empathy because the prophecy was to take place after his death. He was content that it was not going to happen in his lifetime.
Second: Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, was born during the extra fifteen years God granted him. This son who succeeded him as king at the tender age of twelve, ruled the nation for fifty-five long years. Manasseh became one of the most ungodly and wicked kings of the nation. He led the nation to completely reject God and serve other gods. He sacrificed his own son to other gods by burning him in the fire. He killed so many innocent people that the Bible describes him as filling Jerusalem from one end to the other with innocent blood. God was so angry that He passed judgment on the nation: "I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a dish . . . they will be looted and plundered by their enemies."
The question I am grappling with is: Were the fifteen extra years God gave King Hezekiah worth it? Was it worth the judgment the nation suffered because he boastfully showed off the treasures of the nation to a foreign kingdom? Was it worth the fifty-five years of godlessness and human carnage that the nation suffered under Manasseh whom Hezekiah bore during the extra fifteen years of life? Was the personal benefit of extra years worth the pain it brought on the nation?
So, question: Are we really ready to handle whatever "extra blessings" we petition from God in a way that brings honor to His Name? Is every "extra" blessing worth praying for? Is it better to go with God's "express will" rather than His "permissive will" when we clearly see it? Think about it.
Prayer: Father, given my limited knowledge in light of your omniscience, please help me to really seek what is in accordance with your express will rather than your permissive will for my life. Amen.