Manesseh a Young Man Who Went Wrong

MANESSEH, A YOUNG MAN WHO WENT WRONG Text: II Kings 2:1-9 Intro: Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah. His father did what was good and brought the Jews back to God. Manesseh undid everything that his fa I er had done. Generally it is recorded that a king did good or evil in God's sight. Manesseh reigned 55 years. He was the opposite 1fhiS father. This seems to be a pattern with the kings. Regardlessl of their raising, they chose to walk in a different way. Manesseh's son was Josiah a godly man. Lets notice Manesseh, a young man who went wrong. I I. HE WENT WRONG IN SPITE OF THE EXAMPLE. A. His father w~s right. 1. Hezekiah /did what was right in the sight of the Lord. II Kings 18:~ 2. The perso1nal relationship to God will affect the way you live. 3. When yoy are right with God, you will do right. B. His father wrs righteous. 1. When tol~ he would die Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. II Kings 201~ 2. He walk9d in truth and with a perfect heart. 3. He wept pefore the Lord. 15 years were added to him. C. His father~as reverent 1. He respe ted and reverenced God and His way. 2. He did hat was good in the sight of the Lord. 3. He respe ted the Lord God. As king, he chose the way of the Lord. II. HE WENT WtlONG IN SPITE OF THE EVIL. A. The evil wa~ 1. Why would anyone choose the evil way? 2. He chose to do evil in the sight of the Lord. II Kings 21:2 I 3. He, no bubt, had heard of what the Lord did to others who wa ed this way. 33B. The evil worshi~ 1. He built altar to the host of heaven in the Lord's house. u Kings 21 :5 2. He desecrated the house ofthe Lord. He worshiped idols. I 3. He made his son pass through the fire. Children were • I sacnficed to IBaaI. C. The evil wizard 1. Il Kings 21 :6 7 tells of his great wickedness. He used enchantmentl dealt with familiar spirits, and wizards. 2. He provoked he Lord God to anger with his evil and wickedness. 3. He set up a graven image. He seduced the Jews to great evil more that the nations whom the Lord destroyed. V9 4. Some people seem to be given wholly unto sin and evil. III. HE WENT WRO~G IN SPITE OF THE EXALTATION. A. The exaltation ~f God 1. Hezekiah ha1 exalted and magnified the God of Israel. 2. He sought God's blessings and goodness. 3. He prayed to jthe Lord when the enemy sought to destroy them 4. He looked to the Lord for help and winning the battle. B. The exaltation f grace 1. When Hezek~ah looked to the Lord in troubled times, he lets us know that he believed God's grace was real. 2. He sought • grace and blessings when told he would die. 3. He looked to the Lord for His needs. He depended upon God for his eeds. C. The exaltation f godliness 1. Hezekiah ch se to do good in God's sight. 2. He had a ch ice to make. He could do evil or good. He chose good. 3. He decided s a king to do things God's way. He was a 34godly king1 IV. HE WENT WRqNG IN SPITE OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT. A. The teaching I . 1. They had t· e law of God and the priests of God. 2. Hezekiah aused a revival among the Jews. 3. The right ay was taught and others knew the will of the Lord. B. The truth 1. Truth and alsehood are real and they are opposite. 2. Men have always had a choice between right and wrong. 3. People c choose right and wrong. It is a personal choice. P jople decide on a personal choice. 4. The Lord TWillalways make sure His truth is set forth and made known. C. The trusting 1. Hezekiah trusted the Lord God when the enemy came. 2. Hezekiah trusted the Lord when told he could die. 3. People will trust something or someone. Manesseh trusted in/false gods and evil men. V. HE WENT WRpNG IN SPITE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS. A. The Lord's ,ower is effective. 1. God is al~ighty. He has all power. 2. He could give Israel victory and He gave Hezekiah life. 3. He demo strated His power so many times to Israel. B. The Lord's peace is effective. 1. The Lor~11gives peace and assurance to those who listen and obey 2. When thd king did God's will, the land enjoyed peace. 3. The Lorigave them peace after He gave them victory. C. The Lord's rosperity is effective. 1. When thd king led Israel in the Lord's way the nation enjoyed ictory. 352. When Go gave the victory, He also gave them peace in the land. 3. He prosp red them. He also gave them blessings of children. e blessed them with crops. 4. He blesse them with rain and herds. 5. This yo g man had witnessed all of the things the Lord had one under the reign of his father, yet he decided n t to go the way of his father. 36PAUL,t

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