1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to Passion Week of Friends and faithful listeners. 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for tuning in on this lovely 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: Monday morning to the Bible Explained podcast. So I hope 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: you guys had a really good Palm Sunday yesterday. Tell 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: me what you guys do to celebrate Easter. I'd love 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: to hear about all of that. Usually, you know, my 7 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: family just does a dinner or something. My sister is 8 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: coming into town though for Easter this year, which I'm 9 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: very excited about. So tell me what you guys do. 10 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear about all the Easter traditions you 11 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: do with your family. You can contact me via the 12 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: email address listed in the description of this episode and 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: tell me what you do for Easter and also how 14 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: you found the podcast. Or if you have a pray request, 15 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: you can also send it my way as well, and 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: I will write you down in my prayer journal and 17 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: pray for you for the week. All righty, faith listeners. 18 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: Before we get into today's chapter, here is a quick 19 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: word from a sponsor or. Two. Okay, today we're going 20 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: to be reading Second Chronicles thirty three, verses one through 21 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: nine and talking about this really terrible king in Judah's history. 22 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: This guy is named Manassa, and he does a lot 23 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: of really awful stuff. So we're going to get into 24 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: all this crap that he introduces into Judah, and also 25 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: some of the ways the Judaites would worship these new 26 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: idols that Manassa introduces. So let's read Second Chronicles thirty 27 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: three one through nine. As usual, I'll be reading from 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: the web. Manassa was twelve years old when he began 29 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,199 Speaker 1: to rain, and he reigned fifty five years in Jerusalem. 30 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: He did that which was evil in Yahweh's sight, after 31 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: the abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out before 32 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: the children of Israel. For he built again the high 33 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: places which Hezekiah his father, had broken down, and he 34 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: raised up altars for the bales made Asherith, and worshiped 35 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: all the army of the sky and served them. He 36 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: built altars in Yahwai's house, of which Yahwais said, my 37 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: name shall be in Jerusalem forever. He built altars for 38 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: all the army of the sky in the two courts 39 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: of Yahwai's house. He also made his children to pass 40 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnham. 41 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: He practiced sorcery, division and witchcraft, and dealt with those 42 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: who had familiar spirits and with wizards. He did much 43 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: evil in Yahway's sight to provoke him to anger. He 44 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: set the engraved image of the Idol which he had 45 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: made in God's House, of which God said to David 46 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: and Solomon his son, in this house and in Jerusalem, 47 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, 48 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: I will put my name forever. I will not any 49 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: more remove the foot of Israel from the land which 50 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will 51 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: observe to do all that I have commanded them, even 52 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: all the law, the statutes, and the ordinances given by Moses. 53 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: Manassa seduced Judah in the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that 54 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,239 Speaker 1: they did more evil than did the nations whom Yahweh 55 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: destroyed before the children of Israel. It's amazing how fast 56 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: things can change, you know. Hezekiah was the king in 57 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: the last few chapters, and we talked about how good 58 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: of a king he was. We talked about the religious 59 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: reform he did in Judah and Jerusalem, how the Passover 60 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: was being celebrated again, and how the people just had 61 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: a fire for Yahweh, and the people actually went out 62 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: and destroyed all of the high places and got rid 63 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 1: of all of the idols because they wanted to worship Yahweh. 64 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: It's amazing how in just a few short years everything 65 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: can change. Hezekiah died and his son Manassa, who was 66 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: twelve years old, reigned in Hezekiah's place, it says, and 67 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: he reigned for fifty five years in Jerusalem. So this 68 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: right here proves that the prosperity gospel is nonsense because 69 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: a lot of people think that, you know, if you 70 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: worship God, he's going to grant you with success and 71 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 1: health and wellness and money and prosperity and a long life. 72 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: Whereas Hezekiah, you know, we see a lot of the 73 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: issues that he struggled with, He had sickness. He actually 74 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: didn't have that long of a reign. I believe he 75 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: only reigned for thirty something years. I can't remember specifically 76 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: what it was. Thirty five years, which was actually not 77 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: as long as some of the other kings that had reigned. 78 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: And now Manassa, who was one of the most wicked 79 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: kings in Israel's history. He now reigns for fifty five years, 80 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: which was the longest reign I believe out of any 81 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: of the kings. Possibly Solomon reigned longer, but even David 82 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: didn't reign for that long. Like Manassa reigned in Jerusalem 83 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: for a very very long time. And that shows that 84 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: God doesn't bless people necessarily because of the good things 85 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: that they do. There's a verse in scripture which says 86 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: God sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 87 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: So just because Manassa had a very long reign does 88 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: not necessarily mean he was blessed by Yahweh. And we 89 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: see that he wasn't blessed by Yahweh because here's what happens. 90 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: It says in verse two that he did that which 91 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: was evil in Yahweh's sight, after the abominations of the nations, 92 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel, he 93 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: built again the high places which Hezekiah his father, had 94 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 1: broken down, and he raised up altars for the bales, 95 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: made asharith, and worshiped all the army of the sky 96 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: and served them. So now Manassa is bringing in more 97 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: idolatry into Judah than any king before him, even a Has, 98 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: you know, a Has did bring a lot of idolatry in. 99 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: He was the one that introduced human sacrifice into Israel's history. Unfortunately, 100 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: and not even just any old human sacrifice, but specifically 101 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: infant human sacrifice, which is especially disgusting. A Has didn't 102 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: even bring in as much idolatry as Manassa did. It 103 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: says Manassas, bringing in all of these foreign gods, these 104 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: ones that nobody heard of before. It says, he's worshiping 105 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: the army of the sky, and he served them. He 106 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: made altars for all the bails, the Ascharith, and the 107 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: army of the sky. It says he built altars in 108 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: Yahwai's house, of which Yahwais said, my name shall be 109 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: in Jerusalem forever. He built altars for all the army 110 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: of the sky in the two courts of Yahwai's house, 111 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: now the army of the sky. This was Babylonian in nature. 112 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: The Babylonians were historically very interested in astrology, and we 113 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: actually saw a little bit of this in the last 114 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 1: chapter when the Babylonians came and visited Hezkaiah. Remember when 115 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: God actually made the sun stop in its place, or 116 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 1: rather moved at times so that it was ten hours earlier. 117 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: And the Babylonians are freaked out, obviously because they worship 118 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: the signs in the sky. They worship the stars and 119 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: the moon and the Sun. I believe their biggest deity 120 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: was the sun god. And so they see the sun 121 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: just like disappear behind the horizon, and they look at 122 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: their sun dials and they realized that it's now ten 123 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 1: hours early than it actually was just a few minutes ago, 124 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: and they are freaked out. They are freaked out, so 125 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: they go and visit Hezekiah because they hear that Yahweh 126 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: might have done this. So they go to inquire, Hey, 127 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: did your god Yahweh do this to the sun that 128 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: we worship, And unfortunately, Hazekiah dropped the ball and did 129 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: not evangelize in Yahwei's name, which is very unfortunate. But 130 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: that story shows us that the Babylonians were very interested 131 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,239 Speaker 1: in the things that were happening in the sky. So now, 132 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: because Babylonian influence is beginning to sort of take hold 133 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: around the world, the Babylonian gods are what Manassa starts 134 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: to worship. It says in verse four that he built 135 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: altars in Yahway's house, of which y always said, my 136 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: name shall be in Jerusalem forever. He built altars for 137 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: all the army of the sky in the two courts 138 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: of Yahwah's house. So now God's house has not become 139 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: a place of worship for Yahweh. It is now a 140 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: place of worship for any God you want to worship, 141 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: whether it's the Sun God or the moon God, or 142 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: Venus or Asherah or Bale or whoever whoever you want 143 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: to worship, you can go to God's house and you 144 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: can find an altar there where you can sacrifice something 145 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: to the moon, goddess or whatever. And God specifically warned 146 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: against this in Deuteronomy chapter four. Here's what Moses says 147 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: in verses fifteen through twenty. Be very careful, for you 148 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: saw no kind of form on the day that Yahways 149 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: spoke to you in horeb out of the middle of 150 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: the fire, lest you corrupt yourselves and make yourselves a 151 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 1: carved image in the form of any figure, the likeness 152 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: of male or female, the likeness of any animal that 153 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird 154 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that 155 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that 156 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: is in the water under the earth. Unless you lift 157 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: up your eyes to the sky, and when you see 158 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: the sun and the moon, and the stars, even all 159 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: the army of the sky, you are drawn away to 160 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: worship them and serve them, which Yahweh or God has 161 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky. But 162 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: Yahweh has taken you and brought you out of the 163 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,199 Speaker 1: iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be to him 164 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: a people of inheritance, as it is today. So God 165 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: specifically warned his people. He's like, do not worship any 166 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: specific image, whether it's male or female. Do not worship 167 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: the host of Heaven. You know all the stars and 168 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: the moon and the sun. Don't worship these things. These 169 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: are creation. And on top of that, you saw no 170 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: image of God. You didn't see anything when He spoke 171 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: to you at Horeb. You saw no image of him. 172 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: So don't make any image at all. You don't know 173 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,199 Speaker 1: what God looks like, and any image could possibly cause 174 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: you to fall away from the true God. So just 175 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: don't worship any of these things. But unfortunately, Manessa brought 176 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,959 Speaker 1: all of this crap into Judah once again. After Hezekiah 177 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: had taken years to get all of this filth out 178 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: of Judah, Manasagist brings it right back in. And we 179 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: can see how bad things really get. If you turn 180 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: to Jeremiah chapter seven, verses eight through eleven, here's what 181 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: it says, and this is from the NLT version. Don't 182 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because 183 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: the temple is here. It's a lie. Do you really 184 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie and burn 185 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: incense to bail in all those other new gods of yours, 186 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: and then come here and stand before me in my 187 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: temple and chant we are safe, only to go right 188 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: back to all those evils again. Don't you yourselves admit 189 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: that this temple which bears my name has become a 190 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: den of thieves. Surely I see all the evil going 191 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: on there, I the Lord have spoken. And then jumping 192 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: down to verse sixteen through nineteen, here's what he tells Jeremiah, 193 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: pray no more for these people, Jeremiah, do not weep 194 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: or pray for them, and don't beg me to help 195 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: them for I will not listen to you. Don't you 196 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah 197 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 1: and in the streets of Jerusalem, no wonder, I am 198 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: so angry. Watch how the children gather would and the 199 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: fathers build sacrificial fires. See how the women need doe 200 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 1: and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. 201 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods. 202 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: Am I the one that they are hurting, asks the Lord? 203 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: Most of all, they hurt themselves to their own shame. 204 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: So that shows that the entire family was involved in 205 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: the worship of these idols. The children, the fathers, and 206 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: the mothers. They were doing these sacrificial rituals to these 207 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 1: idols that they were worshiping. God specifically mentions this idol 208 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: called the Queen of Heaven. Actually, and the Queen of 209 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: Heaven is mentioned multiple times in Jeremiah. So if you 210 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: jump over to Jeremiah chapter forty four, here's what the 211 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: people themselves say about the Queen of Heaven. Now this 212 00:11:55,240 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: was right before Judah got invaded by the Babylonians, or 213 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 1: maybe right after. I can't remember the timeline of things. 214 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: But Jeremiah, of course is prophesying to the people, telling 215 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: them to get rid of their idols. And here's what 216 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: the people respond to Jeremiah. So this is Jeremiah forty four, 217 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: starting in verse fifteen, again from the NLT version, it says, 218 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: then all the women present and all the men who 219 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: knew that their wives had burned incense to idols, A 220 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: great crowd of all the Judaeans living in northern Egypt 221 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: and southern Egypt, answered Jeremiah, we will not listen to 222 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: your messages from the Lord. We will do whatever we want. 223 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: We will burn incense and pour out liquid offerings to 224 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: the Queen of Heaven just as much as we like, 225 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: just as we and our ancestors and our kings and 226 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 1: our officials have always done in the towns of Judah 227 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: and in the streets of Jerusalem. For in those days 228 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: we had plenty to eat, and we were well off 229 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: and had no troubles. But ever since we quit burning 230 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: incense to the Queen of Heaven and stopped worshiping her 231 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: with liquid offerings, we have been in great trouble and 232 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: have been dying from war and famine. Besides, the women added, 233 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: do you suppose that we were burning incense and pouring 234 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven, and making 235 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: cakes marked with her image, without our husband's knowing it 236 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: and helping us. Of course, not then, Jeremiah said to 237 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: all of them, men and women alike, who had given 238 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 1: him that answer, Do you think that the Lord did 239 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: not know that you and your ancestors, your kings, and 240 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: your officials and all the people were burning incense to 241 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: idols in the towns of Judah and in the streets 242 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: of Jerusalem. It was because the Lord could no longer 243 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: bear all the disgusting things that you were doing, that 244 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: he made your land an object of cursing, a desolate 245 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: ruin without inhabitants, as it is today. All these terrible 246 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: things happened to you because you have burned incense to 247 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: idols and sinned against the Lord. You have refused to 248 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: obey him, and have not followed his instructions, his decrees, 249 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: and his laws. So the people were adamant in their 250 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 1: worship of these starry hosts. Basically to the very end, 251 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: Babylon is at their doorstep hunting them down, and the 252 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: people are like, no, we are still going to offer 253 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 1: these liquid sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven. Now, the 254 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: queen of Heaven was probably a goddess that Manassa himself 255 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: introduced into Judah's worship. The queen of Heaven was likely 256 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: Astarte or possibly Ishtar, which would have been one of 257 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: the gods that the Babylonians worshiped. And this goddess was 258 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: related supposedly to the moon and also to Venus. And 259 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: if you do some research on Astarta, you see that 260 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: she is basically the exact same recycled goddess that has 261 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: always existed. She is the same as Asherah, an Ashtarith 262 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: and Ishtar and Nana and a nat an Aphrodite, and 263 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: Venus and Hathor. It is all the same idol no 264 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: matter what period of history. And you can see the 265 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: same with Bail and some of the other gods of 266 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 1: the region. They just get recycled over and over and 267 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: over again. Because Satan, he's a father of lies, and 268 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 1: he's very good at lying, but he's not super creative. 269 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: He's been doing the exact same thing that he's always 270 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: done from the very beginning of time of his time, 271 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: so Satan is not super creative. So of course these 272 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: idols are all exactly the same thing, but people think 273 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: they're different, they think they're unique and creative. Every single 274 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: time this new idol pops up and it's like, no, 275 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: nothing is new under the sun, as Solomon would say. 276 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: But the way that as Starte or Ishtar or Asterith 277 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 1: would have been worshiped or all three of them together, 278 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: because it's very possible that Vanessa introduced all three of 279 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: these goddesses thinking that they were different even though they're not. 280 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: They were all fertility idols. So some of the ways 281 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: that this goddess would be worshiped was through dances, likely 282 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: very provocative dances, a temple, prostitution, animal and human sacrifices, 283 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: also the baking of cakes as we mentioned here in Jeremiah, 284 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: and pouring out liquid offerings. I believe specifically with Ishtar, 285 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: it was worshiped through something called a sacred marriage ritual 286 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: where a king would symbolically or physically couple with a 287 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: high priestess. Yeah, I mean, it just happens to include 288 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: all this like sexual deviance, which always cracks me up 289 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: because it's like, yeah, this god that I'm worshiping, it 290 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: wants me to have sex with everybody. It wants me 291 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: to have sex with the people I want to have 292 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: sex with, and it's like, well, that's very convenient for you, 293 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: isn't it. And that's why God would get so angry 294 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: because idolatry at its core is selfishness. What can I 295 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: gain from worshiping this thing? It's always about the self. 296 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: That is what idolatry comes down to. So let's go 297 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: back to Second Chronicles thirty three and see how this 298 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: really plays out. It says in verse six that Manassa 299 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: made his chill to pass through the fire in the 300 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: valley of the son of Hinham. He practiced sorcery, divination, 301 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: and witchcraft, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits 302 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: and wizards. He did much evil in Yaway's sight to 303 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: provoke him to anger. Manassa took it so far that 304 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: he actually offered his children, his baby children, and killed 305 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 1: them in order to gain something for himself. And you 306 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: can see how selfish that is, to sacrifice your child 307 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 1: for your own selfish gain. If I sacrifice my child, 308 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: if I kill my child, I'm going to gain something 309 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: for myself. That is idolatry. It's selfishness through and through. 310 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: What can I gain? What can other people give me? 311 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 1: What can killing my child gain for myself. It says 312 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: that Nassa also placed an engraved image of an idol 313 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: which he had made in God's house, which God said 314 00:17:57,680 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: to David and to Solomon his son, in this house 315 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all 316 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 317 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: So the image that Manessa put in the temple ended 318 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 1: up being the Asherah, which was just a sex thing. 319 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: So essentially God's temple became a brothel because that's where 320 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: people would go to get their religious prostitutes. They'd go 321 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: to God's temple, go inside and worship the Asherah by 322 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: hiring a prostitute, and there would be these curtains that 323 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: would be put up that the people would go behind 324 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: with their prostitute and do the ritual act of sex conveniently, 325 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,440 Speaker 1: and then give their money to the temple and go home. 326 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: And it was not just men that did this. Women 327 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: did this too. There were male prostitutes as well that 328 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: were very common in the cult of Asherah. So this 329 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: was a disgusting act being done in God's temple, disgusting 330 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: for so many reasons, not to mention just the STDs 331 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: and the filth taking place in God's temple absolutely disgusting. 332 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: And this is what Manassa introduced. He says in verse nine, 333 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: Manassa seduced Judah and the inhabitants of jerusalems that they 334 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 1: did more evil than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed 335 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 1: before the children of Israel. And that's where we end 336 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: for today. So Manassa, he was a bad, bad king. 337 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: He caused Judah, the people of Yahweh to sin even 338 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: greater than the Canaanites had sinned. Remember, all the way 339 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 1: back in the book of Genesis, God told Abraham, he said, 340 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 1: I'm not going to bring you into the Promised Land 341 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: yet because the people who live there have not filled 342 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: up their sin yet. So God told Abraham He's not 343 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: going to drive those people out yet, not until they 344 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: sinned so greatly that God was disgusted with them. And 345 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: now Judah had sinned even greater than the Canaanites had sinned. 346 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: This is how bad this became. The selfishness of idolatry 347 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: was everywhere. People are murdering their children so that they 348 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: can gain something for themselves. People are going into God's 349 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: temple and committing lewd acts with a prostitute, male or 350 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,360 Speaker 1: female so that they can I don't know, have more 351 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: kids or whatever. Can you imagine going into a church 352 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: and hiring a prostitute, And yet that's what people are doing. 353 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: Not to mention all of the offerings that they're wasting 354 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: by giving them to these false idols, the animals that 355 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,399 Speaker 1: they're killing needlessly for these false idols, the amount of 356 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 1: violence that took place. If you turn to Second Kings, 357 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 1: chapter twenty one, it actually says that Manassa also shed 358 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: a lot of blood. In verse sixteen, it says moreover, 359 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: Manassa shed innocent blood very much until he had filled 360 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: Jerusalem from one end to another, in addition to his 361 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: sin with which he made Judah to sin in doing 362 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: that which was evil in Yahweh's sight. And there's a 363 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: legend not necessarily true, but it's possible that Nassa killed 364 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: Isaiah the prophet. It would make a lot of sense 365 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: if he did, actually, because Nassa is probably targeting the 366 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: prophets of God who were saying things to him like 367 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: you got to stop, or God is going to punish you, 368 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: and Judah, you got to stop. Nassa is likely killing 369 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: those prophets not to mention anybody else who got in 370 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 1: his way, or anybody he didn't like, or anybody he 371 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: wanted something from his own children. Vanassa was a bad, 372 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: bad man, but God's mercy is really great. And that's 373 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: what we're going to talk about on Wednesday, because even 374 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: though Nassa is this bad of a guy, he ends 375 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: up kind of turning it around a little bit. We're 376 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 1: going to talk about how God is merciful to Mnassa 377 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: even after all of this evil that he had done. 378 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: On so faithful listeners, I hope you enjoyed today's episode 379 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 1: and learned a little bit of history today. I always 380 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,719 Speaker 1: like talking about these different idols and delving into the 381 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: history of how these things were worshiped, because it's always 382 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,400 Speaker 1: disgusting and it's always a fake, cheap imitation of how 383 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: people worship Yahweh. In fact, I'm going to wrap up 384 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: by talking a little bit more about the fakeness of 385 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:31,360 Speaker 1: idolatry after this last word from a sponsor. So I'd 386 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: like to wrap things up by talking about how idolatry 387 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: is always imitating Yahism because Satan is really really good 388 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: at making things look kind of truthful, so he takes 389 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:48,199 Speaker 1: elements of truth and twists and corrupts them so that 390 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: people fall into sin and fall into untruths. So I 391 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: looked up one of these goddesses that Manassa probably introduced 392 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 1: into Judah, specifically Ishtar, which, like I said, they're all 393 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: the same anyway, so it doesn't really matter. But Ishtar 394 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: it says that a sacred marriage ritual would take place, 395 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 1: and I mentioned this earlier on the podcast, where a 396 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: king would symbolically or physically couple with a high priestess, 397 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: so basically have sex with a high priestess. Now, the 398 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 1: reason this is a fake imitation is because God actually 399 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,719 Speaker 1: did want the kings to work side by side with 400 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: the high priest so that the king could take care 401 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 1: of the government side of stuff and the high priest 402 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,439 Speaker 1: could take care of the spiritual side of stuff. So 403 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:37,439 Speaker 1: the king and the high priest were supposed to work 404 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: hand in hand in taking care of the people. But 405 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 1: in this worship of Ishtar, instead of working on the 406 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: spiritual well being of the people, the king would work 407 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: side by side with her by essentially having sex with her. 408 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: It also says the worship of Ishtar included bringing food 409 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: and drink offerings often involved with the creation of special 410 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 1: shaped cakes, which some scholars believe were created in clay 411 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: molds offered by individuals. Now, we know that looking through 412 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: the Old Testament, people were supposed to bring food sacrifices 413 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: to Yahweh drink offerings. And now instead of offering those 414 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: offerings to Yahweh, you're offering them to a goddess who 415 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: can't eat them, who can't smell them, who can't see them, 416 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 1: who can't feel them, who can't do anything with them. 417 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,479 Speaker 1: So that's another fake imitation. Is just a waste of 418 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: food and a waste of resources. Now here's another way 419 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,959 Speaker 1: that this ishtar was worshiped. Kings and warriors worshiped ishtar 420 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: for military prowess protection in battle, and they would offer 421 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: animal or human sacrifices to ishtar during times of war. 422 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: That is another disgusting fake imitation of worship of Yahweh. 423 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,159 Speaker 1: Because God required a bull or a goat or a 424 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: lamb to be offered as a guilt or sin offering 425 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: to him. It was only supposed to be one for 426 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 1: your sin, and that animal was to be treated with 427 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: a modicum of respect. Actually, because the priest was to 428 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 1: lay their hands on that animal and signify how this 429 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:18,879 Speaker 1: innocent creature is dying on behalf of the sinful human being. 430 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: And then the animal was to be sacrificed very humanly actually, 431 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: But with the worship of Ishtar, these poor animals are 432 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:33,119 Speaker 1: dying needlessly. These poor human beings are dying needlessly, just 433 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: loss of life for absolutely nothing gained. It also says 434 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: Lapis laza Lee would be offered to Ishtar as well. 435 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:48,199 Speaker 1: Interestingly enough, Lapis Lazoli is mentioned as one of the 436 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: stones surrounding God's throne in the Book of Revelation, So 437 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 1: that's another thing associated with Yahweh that is being imitated 438 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: here in the worship of Ishtar. Then there's the worship 439 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: through hymns. Obviously we're supposed to worship God through hymns, 440 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: not to mention priestesses and other cult practices. All of 441 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: these things are fake imitations. They seem a little bit truthful, 442 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 1: because that is what Satan is very good at, twisting 443 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: the truth to make it look truthful, but it's actually not. 444 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: So we'll talk more about Manassa on Wednesday, and I 445 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: hope you guys enjoyed today's episode. But until then, I 446 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day, 447 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: happy listening, and God bless. I just want to take 448 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: a second to thank the team at Life Audio for 449 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 1: their partnership with me on the Bible Explain podcast. In fact, 450 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,719 Speaker 1: if you go to lifeudio dot com you'll find dozens 451 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got 452 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 1: shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.