“Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal” (2 Kings 23:26).
TEXT — 2KINGS 23:26-30
Message
God is merciful but also holy. His justice makes it impossible for Him to overlook the atrocities of the unrepentant sinner who despises His warning and call to follow the path of righteousness and obedience. God’s mercy does not condone sin; He condemns and judges it. Although God loves all men, He hates their sins and, thus, calls them to repentance so He can grant them pardon (Psalm 7:11).
Today’s passage exposes the damage that the wicked and idolatrous lifestyle of Manasseh, the king and his compromising subjects, brought upon Judah. Judah was taken to exile from their land due to divine chastisement. This, no doubt, negated the promise the Lord gave Abraham to settle his generation in Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey. It is clear that sin provokes God to anger and will destroy the perpetrators and all those collaborating with the wicked.
We must be careful of our actions and steps because we might be able to dictate our actions but cannot dictate the consequences. The constant derailment of Judah from God’s will and word brought the untold hardship of seventy years in exile and captivity, showing clearly that God’s promises are conditional. We will continue to enjoy His benefits if we abide by His word. Similarly, the presumptuous action of Josiah led to his untimely death, despite the account of the revival he initiated in Judah. Believers must watch against taking presumptuous steps and actions without receiving clear direction from God.
To escape God’s wrath, we must walk with Him sincerely and serve Him with all our hearts. If you have deviated from His will, you must repent immediately before judgment falls. God will not spare the wicked who rejects His mercy.
Thought for the day
God’s justice justifies the judgment of the wicked.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
