Despite Our Sins, God Loves and Forgives - 2 Chronicles 33-36

2 Chronicles 33:10-13 (ESV)

The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention. Therefore the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon. And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

In order to understand the above story about King Manasseh, we need to read what was said about him just prior to the above events.  We have to know just how evil King Manasseh was:

2 Chronicles 33:3-7 (ESV)

For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had broken down, and he erected altars to the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem shall my name be forever.” And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. And the carved image of the idol that he had made he set in the house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever,

For this reason God put Manasseh into captivity.    Yet, despite this life and this leadership, God was moved by his prayer for mercy.   Manasseh had wasted his life and had brought contempt on all Jerusalem.  Yet, God had mercy on him because he humbled himself in prayer to God.  Perhaps this was the type of prayer he prayed: 

Psalms 69:13 (ESV)

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.

At an acceptable time, O God,

in the abundance of your STEADFAST LOVE answer me in your saving faithfulness.

Psalms 69:16 (ESV)

Answer me, O LORD, for your STEADFAST LOVE is good;

according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

God hears our prayers for mercy and turns His mercy toward us based solely on His steadfast love and faithfulness.    Manasseh didn’t deserve it, but God granted him mercy and forgiveness.   So, too, with us.   We do not deserve it, but based upon God’s steadfast love we are in His favor!!