1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, hello and good morning, friends and faithful listeners. 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for tuning into the Bible Explain 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 1: podcast on this absolutely lovely morning. I call it a 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: lovely morning because spring is here, you know, officially where 5 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: I live. It feels like spring once again. Though. I 6 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: did see the weather report for this week and apparently 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: we're supposed to get more snow again, and I'm like, well, 8 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: I mean, that is the area that I live in, 9 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: you know, I can't expect it to be warm all 10 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: the time. There's going to be some snow of course 11 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: thrown in there as well. But other than that, it 12 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: has been a lovely couple days and I'm very much 13 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: excited about the turn in the weather. Now today we're 14 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: going to be reading Second Chronicles thirty three and finishing 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: out to this chapter. You guys, remember on Monday we 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: talked about the first portion of Manassa's Rain and how 17 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: he was a really bad guy. In fact, he was 18 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: probably the worst king in Israel's history except for one 19 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 1: redeeming quality that we're going to talk about in today's portion. 20 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: So we'll get into that in just a second. But 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: of course, before I begin, here's a word from a sponsor. 22 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: All right, Hopefully while that played, you guys had the 23 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 1: chance to grab your bible and also your cup of 24 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: coffee or your cup of tea. This morning, I am 25 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: actually not drinking coffee or tea this morning. I have 26 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: nothing in front of me, so this is an abnormal 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: day for me. So you guys, go ahead and drink 28 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: the coffee and the tea, and I'll live vicariously through you, 29 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: especially you coffee drinkers, because coffee that's where it's at 30 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: for all you tea drinkers. You know, I like to 31 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: tease you guys teas. You know you get it. Huh. Okay, 32 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: let's read Second Chronicles thirty three ten through twenty five. 33 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: I'll be reading as they usually do from the web. 34 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: You always spoke to Manassa and to his people, but 35 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: they didn't listen. Therefore, Yahwey brought on them captains of 36 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: the army of the King of Assyria, who took Manasa 37 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: that in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him 38 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: to Babylon. When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh 39 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: his god, and humbled himself greatly before the god of 40 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: his father's He prayed to him, and he was entreated 41 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: by him and heard his supplication, and brought him again 42 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Mnessa knew that Yahweh 43 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: was God. Now after this he built an outer wall 44 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: to David's city on the west side of Gihan in 45 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. 46 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: He encircled Ofel with it and raised it up to 47 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: a very great height. And he put valiant captains in 48 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: all the fortified cities of Judah. He took away the 49 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: foreign gods and the idol out of Yahwai's house, and 50 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: all the altars that he had built in the mountain 51 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: of Yahwai's house, and in Jerusalem he cast them out 52 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: of the city. He built up Yahway's altar and offered 53 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: sacrifices of peace, offerings and thanksgiving on it, and commanded 54 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the 55 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: people still sacrificed in the high places, but only to Yahweh, 56 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: their God. Now, the rest of the acts of Manassa 57 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: and his prayer to his God, and the words of 58 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, 59 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: the God of Israel, Behold, they are written among the 60 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: acts of the kings of Israel. His prayer also and 61 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: how God listened to his request, and all his sin, 62 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: and his trespass, and the places in which he built 63 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: high places and set up the asher poles and the 64 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: engraved images before he humbled himself. Behold, they are written 65 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: in the history of jose So Manassa slept with his fathers, 66 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: and they buried him in his own house, and Ammon, 67 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: his son, reigned in his place. Amen was twenty two 68 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 69 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: two years in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil 70 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: in Yahweh's sight, as did Nassa his father, and Amen 71 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manassa his father 72 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: had made, and served them. He didn't humble himself before 73 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: Yahweh as Manassa his father had humbled himself. But this 74 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: same Amen trespassed more and more. His servants conspired against 75 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: him and put him to death in his own house. 76 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: But the people of the land killed all of those 77 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: who had conspired against King Amen, and the people of 78 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: the land made Josiah his son king in his place. 79 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: Last week talked on this chapter, we discussed all of 80 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 1: the different idols that Manassa had brought back in to Judah. 81 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: Basically everything that Hezekiah his father, had done to get 82 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: rid of these idols, Manassa undid it all, and he 83 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: brought basically every single idol back into Judah that you 84 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: could possibly imagine, and even some new ones. And we 85 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: talked about what some of these new ones might have been, 86 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: specifically as dartee and also ishtar, among many other idols 87 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: that Manassa introduced into Judah. And obviously this made God 88 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: very unhappy for many reasons, specifically because his temple had 89 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: gotten corrupted with these idols. It actually says in the 90 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: first portion here that Manassa built altars to all of 91 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: the gods of the heavens, including putting an asher a 92 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: pole inside of God God's temple, which essentially meant that 93 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: Manassa turned God's temple into a brothel. Because the entire 94 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: Ashurah cult had everything to do with fertility and sexual desire. 95 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: It was a fertility goddess, so the people would go 96 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: into God's house and they would rent out a prostitute 97 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: male or female. They would do the deed behind some curtains, 98 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: and then they would pay their wage and go their way, 99 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: and that would be supposedly an act of worship to Asherah. 100 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: So God's house was no longer only for Yahweh, but 101 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: for all of these other idols as well, and Manassa 102 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 1: did far worse with all of this than any king 103 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: had ever done in Judah's history. So now it says 104 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: in verse ten, Yahweh spoke to Manassa and to his people, 105 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: but they didn't listen. Therefore, Yahweh brought on them the 106 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who 107 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: took Manassa in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried 108 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: him to Babylon. So here's something that God said to 109 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: Manassa that he did not listen to. This is in 110 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 1: Second Kings twenty one, Verse ten. It says Ya always 111 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: spoke by his servants the prophets, saying, because Manassa, king 112 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: of Judah, has done these abominations and has done wickedly 113 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: above all that the Emirits did who are before him, 114 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: and has also made Judah to sin with his idols. Therefore, Yahweh, 115 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: the God of Israel, says, behold, I will bring such 116 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: evil on Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, 117 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: both his ears will tingle. I will stretch over Jerusalem 118 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: the line of Samaria and the plumb line of Ahab's house, 119 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipes a dish, 120 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: wiping it and turning it upside down. I will cast 121 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 1: off the remnant of my inheritance and deliver them into 122 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: the hands of their enemies. They will become a prey 123 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: and a plunder to all their enemies, because they have 124 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,599 Speaker 1: done that which is evil in my sight and have 125 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: provoked me to anger since the day that their fathers 126 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: came out of Egypt, even to this day. So basically, 127 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: what God is saying there is that he is going 128 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: to show Judah the same level of contempt that he 129 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 1: showed to Samaria and the house of Ahab. I don't 130 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: know if you guys remember Ahab. We talked about him 131 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: kind of briefly in Second Chronicles because he was a 132 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: king of Israel, not of Judah. But Ahab was basically 133 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: like the worst king in Israel's history because he married 134 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: a Phoenician woman named Jezebel, who caused all sorts of 135 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: corruption and did just terrible things, murders and idolatry throughout 136 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: all of Israel and caused Israel to fall astray. And 137 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: God said that he was going to wipe out the 138 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: House of Ahab, essentially the exact same thing he says 139 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: right here about Manassa and Judah in Second Kings twenty one. 140 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: So God is going to show Judah the same punishment 141 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: that he showed to Samaria. And by the way, at 142 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: this point in time, Samaria was already punished. It was 143 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: essentially wiped off the map because the Assyrians had gone 144 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: in during the early days of Hezekiah, actually displaced all 145 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: the people and took control of Israel entirely. And now 146 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: God says that same judgment is now going to happen 147 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: to Judah because of all of these sins that Manassa 148 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: had done. Now, this was what God told Nassa, and 149 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: Manassa did not listen, because anytime God gives a punishment 150 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: of some sort, it is always an opportunity for the 151 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: person to repent, to turn back to Yahweh. And Manassa, 152 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: it says, did not listen. So going back to Second 153 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: Chronicles thirty three, here's how God responds. It says Therefore, 154 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of 155 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: the King of Assyria, who took Manassa in chains, bound 156 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 1: him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. Now there's 157 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: a little bit of history about this event. Firstly, Assyria 158 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: was actually in control of Babylon at this time. In fact, 159 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: Asyria was in control of Babylon for about a century 160 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 1: until Babylon completely revolted. So Babylon came into pay a 161 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: little bit later after this, but Assyria was still in 162 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: control of Babylon, which is why it says right here 163 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: that the king of Assyria took Manassa in chains, bound 164 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. Now what's 165 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: interesting about this judgment God chose to Manassa is because 166 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: remember how Manassa was bringing all of these idols into Judah. 167 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: He was bringing Babylonian idols into Judah. Because it actually 168 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: said that Manassa introduced these idols that represented all the 169 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: stars in the sky and the moon and the sun. 170 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: These were all things that the Babylonians worshiped. They were 171 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: super into astrology, and so Nasa is essentially worshiping the 172 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: Babylonian gods, and now Yahweh is like, Okay, Manassa, you 173 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: want to worship the Babylonian gods, here you go. I'm 174 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: going to send you straight into Babylon and you can 175 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: tell me what you think of it once you're there. 176 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: And Manassa did not think very well of it. We 177 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: do know, based upon some of the things found that 178 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: Manassa had revolted against Assyria because Assyria had come in 179 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: and basically made Israel a vassal state of sorts, and 180 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: so Manassa had to pay a tribute to the king 181 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: of Assyria during his days, and we know that Manassa 182 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: actually revolted against that and refused to pay the Assyrian 183 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: king any further. And the reason Manassa probably did that 184 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: was because Egypt had done the same thing, and Manassa 185 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: assumed he could follow in the footsteps of Egypt. But 186 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: it didn't work out for Nasa as well, because Egypt 187 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: was far further from Assyria than Judah was. So when 188 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: Manassa did it, Judah, which was already becoming weaker, was 189 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: not able to defend itself against Assyria that came in 190 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: and took Nassa in chains. Bound him with fetters and 191 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: carried him to Babylon. It says in verse twelve, when 192 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: he was in distress, he begged Yahweh, his God, and 193 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He 194 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: prayed to him, and he was entreated by him and 195 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into 196 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: his kingdom. Then Manassa knew that Yahweh was God. So 197 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: those verses prove something that I've been saying here for 198 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: a while now. Idolatry is nothing but pride and selfishness. 199 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: I mean, think about it. When you worship an idol 200 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: that is not God, you are worshiping it to gain 201 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: something for yourself, whatever it might be. But that's not 202 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: the reason we worship God. We worship God because he's 203 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: the creator of the universe, because he's the truth, because 204 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: he gives us life, and he deserves worship and he 205 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: deserves praise. And you know, we have benefits for worshiping Yahweh, obviously, 206 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: specifically eternal life, and that's the greatest benefit that you 207 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: can have. But what does God tell us, you know, 208 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: throughout the entire New Testament, all the letters I've been 209 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: discussing on this podcast over the past years. What do 210 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: they say? They say, humble yourself in front of God, 211 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: put others first, put yourself second to other people. Don't 212 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: be selfish, don't be prideful, be humble, and put God 213 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: first in your life. That is how you're supposed to 214 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: worship Yahweh. But on the flip side, idolatry is the 215 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: exact opposite. What can this idol give me if I 216 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: worship it? What can I gain for myself? What can 217 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 1: people put out for me? What kind of pride can 218 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 1: I have? What kind of vice can I satisfy? That 219 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: is what idolatry is, through and through, And it says 220 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: right here that Manassa humbled himself from this pride that 221 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: he had, because ultimately this idolatry that Manassa had in 222 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: his heart came down to pride, and it says he 223 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the 224 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,439 Speaker 1: God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God 225 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: was entreated by him and hurt his supplication and brought 226 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. So we don't 227 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: know exactly how this happened because there's nothing in history 228 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: that we found on this topic of how Manassa ended 229 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: up going back home other than the Bible itself. So 230 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: we do know that Nassa ended his life in Judah, 231 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: but we don't know exactly how he got released from Babylon. 232 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: We have no clue. But God did it. It was 233 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: a miracle. It kind of sounds like through and through. 234 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 1: And so Manassa when he goes back to his hometown, 235 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: he knows, it says in verse thirteen. He knows that 236 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 1: Yahweh is God. So now Manassa is a changed man. 237 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: It says. After this, he built an outer wall to 238 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: David's city on the west side of Gihan in the valley, 239 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: even to the entrance at the fish gate. He encircled 240 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: Ofell with it and raised it up to a very 241 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: great height. And he put valiant captains in all the 242 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: fortified cities of Judah. So now suddenly Manassa is very 243 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: interested in security. Now that he has become a Yahweh follower, 244 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: he has this renewed interest in protecting his homeland, whereas 245 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: before he didn't have that same interest. In fact, he 246 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: was bringing idols from different countries. In possibly people from 247 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: different countries in He didn't have that same fervor for 248 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: taking care of his country when he was an idolator. 249 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: But now that he is a Yahweh worshiper, he sees 250 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: the importance of taking care of Israel, and so he 251 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: builds up the security in Israel, also probably knowing that 252 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: Assyria could come back at any time, probably scared that 253 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: that might happen again. So he starts actually protecting his 254 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: own people. And he builds this wall, it says, to 255 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: a very great height, and then circled o fell with it, 256 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 1: and he put valiant captains, it says, in all the 257 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: fortified cities of Judah. So now Israel is going to 258 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: be protected again. But this isn't the only thing he does. 259 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: He changes his ways in a lot of ways. Actually, 260 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: he truly does repent. And that's the one thing we 261 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: can say about Nassa that we can't see about a 262 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: has who was Manassa's grandfather. It's kind of confusing a 263 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: has An a Hab. A Hab was a really bad 264 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: guy up in Israel. Don't forget, many many kings before this, 265 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 1: a has was the bad king in Judah, only a 266 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: couple kings before Manassa. But the one thing you can 267 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: say about Manassa that you can't say about a Has 268 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: even though they did very similar things in their lifetime. 269 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: At least Manassa turned toward God and repented fully at 270 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: the end of his life. Now, that didn't erase everything 271 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: that Manassa had done before this, Obviously, it didn't erase 272 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: any of it because Nassa had caused Judah to sin 273 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: this very great sin by sacrificing children to Molik. I mean, 274 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: imagine the amount of children that suffered during that Even 275 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: one child dying in that way is one too many. 276 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: It is disgusting the way they would sacrifice those children 277 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 1: to Malik, just the most tortuous, abuse usive way you 278 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: can possibly imagine. And Manassa did this to his own children, 279 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: And if Nassa was doing it, he was leading the 280 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: way for the rest of Judah to do this to 281 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: their children. And all of this, of course comes back 282 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: to the selfishness once again. If I sacrifice my child, 283 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: if I give a life of another human being, a baby, 284 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: what can that gain for myself? But Manassa humbles himself. 285 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: It says that in verse fifteen he took away the 286 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: foreign gods and the idol out of Yahway's house and 287 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: all the altars that he had built in the mountain 288 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: of Yahwai's house and in Jerusalem, and cast them out 289 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: of the city. So he fully got rid of all 290 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: of his idols, like he was done with it. It 291 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: says he built up Yahwai's altar and offered sacrifices of peace, 292 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: offerings and of thanksgiving on it, and commanded Judah to 293 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: serve Yahweh, the God of Israel verse seventeen. Nevertheless, the 294 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: people still sacrificed in the high places, but only to 295 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: Yahweh their god. Now that's not much better and sacrificing 296 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:06,399 Speaker 1: to the idols, unfortunately, because the high places were notoriously disgusting. 297 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: In fact, the Expositor's Bible commentary had a really good 298 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 1: point on this verse. And here's what this says. Quote. 299 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: In his remaining years, Manassa did what he could to 300 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 1: reverse his years of apostasy. Ezra explains that the people, however, 301 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: continued to sacrifice at the high places because half a 302 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: century of paganism could not be counteracted by a half 303 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: dozen years of reform. It is true that Judah presented 304 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: the offerings only to the Lord their god, but the 305 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: high places were still contrary to Moses's law for a 306 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: central sanctuary. In practice. Moreover, the worship on those sites 307 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: meant little more than applying a new name to old 308 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: Baal worship with all its debased rites. So there you go. 309 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: You know, Manassa had a very long reign. He reigned 310 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: for fifty five years, and during those fifty years he 311 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: caused Judah to sin of very great sin by bringing 312 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: back all of this idolatry, and it couldn't be reversed 313 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: in just five short years. At the end of Manassa's life, 314 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 1: I mean, he did what he could to reverse it. 315 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 1: He did command that the people only serve Yahweh, but 316 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,479 Speaker 1: still he didn't remove the high places, and the people 317 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: just kept worshiping God through bail worship essentially, so they 318 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:21,880 Speaker 1: were doing all of the same things that they would 319 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 1: do to worship Bail, but claiming they were worshiping Yahweh. 320 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: And this was really bad because God told his people 321 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: I want to be worshiped in a very specific way. 322 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: I am not like these other gods. I don't want 323 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: paganism associated with my name, So don't worship me the 324 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 1: way that the foreign nations worship these other gods. So 325 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: unfortunately this was not enough. Manassa caused great harm to Judah. 326 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: But God is still merciful to Manassa, and ultimately he 327 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: wants our hearts. Obviously, God loves Manassa and he wanted 328 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: Nassa to turn to him, and Manassa did end up 329 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: turning to him, and God blessed him in the end 330 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: by getting him out of Babylon. But that doesn't mean 331 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: that God still wasn't going to judge him for the 332 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: fifty years of corruption and idolatry that he brought in 333 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: to Judah. It does say in scripture. We've been hitting 334 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: this point a lot actually recently, that God is going 335 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: to judge everything that we do. That's talked about in 336 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: First Corinthians, I believe chapter three. I'm not going to 337 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: read that chapter for you guys now, but if you're 338 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: curious about God's judgment and what that looks like for Christians, 339 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: you should definitely go over to First Corinthians three and 340 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: read that. But Manassa unfortunately was going to be judged 341 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: for the bad things that he did. He's not without 342 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,199 Speaker 1: consequences for those things, even though he has now become 343 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: a Yahweh follower. But God's grace is good, and God 344 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: does not reject anybody that comes to him, no matter 345 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,880 Speaker 1: how late it is, no matter what they've done in life, 346 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,640 Speaker 1: how much murder and corruption and evil they have done. 347 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: Because that was Manassa. He committed murder, and he was corrupt, 348 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: and he was evil. But he turned to God, and 349 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: God is very gracious, it says in verse eighteen. Now 350 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: the rest of the acts of Nasa in his prayer 351 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: to his God and the words of the seers who 352 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God 353 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: of Israel. Behold, they are written among the acts of 354 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,959 Speaker 1: the Kings of Israel. So we don't have the Acts 355 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: of the Kings of Israel, but we do have the 356 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 1: Book of the Kings of Israel, which is Second Kings, 357 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 1: and some of what God told Manassa is in there. 358 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: But it does sound like, based upon this, that God 359 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: had warned Manassa even further to stop in his idolatry, 360 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: And unfortunately Manassa didn't listen until something really bad ended 361 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: up happening to him, it says in verse nineteen. His 362 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: prayer also, and how God listened to his request and 363 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 1: all his sin and his trespass, and the places in 364 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: which he built high places and set up the ashra 365 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: polls and the engraved images before he humbled himself. Behold, 366 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: they are written in the history of Jose And we 367 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: also don't have that book either. And just because we 368 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: don't have a book that the Bible references doesn't mean 369 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 1: the Bible is incomplete. This is something that kills me. 370 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: And I'm sure you guys have heard me on this 371 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: rant before, those of you who listened to me. Often, 372 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,879 Speaker 1: this kills me when people are like, oh, because the 373 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 1: Bible references this other book, that means the Bible is 374 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: not complete. Okay, but tell me any other book that 375 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,680 Speaker 1: you've ever read that references another book. Would you ever 376 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:18,120 Speaker 1: say that that book is incomplete? No, you wouldn't. I'm 377 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: just going to answer it for you. You would not say 378 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: that that book is incomplete. So why is it any 379 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: different for the Bible. When the Bible mentions a book 380 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: that we don't have, it does not mean the Bible 381 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: is incomplete. It just is giving us more history into 382 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 1: what Manassa did. We already have everything we need to 383 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: know about Manassa right here. This is what God wanted 384 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: us to know. So when the Bible references another book, 385 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: it does not mean that that book should be canonized 386 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: if we still have it, or that the Bible is incomplete, 387 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:52,120 Speaker 1: or anything along those lines. So now that Manassa has died, 388 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 1: it says they buried him in his own house and 389 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: Aim and his son reigned in his place. I do 390 00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: find it interesting that they didn't bury him in the 391 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: tombs of the kings. I'm not sure why that's the case. 392 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,160 Speaker 1: Sometimes when the people were really angry with a king, 393 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: they wouldn't bury them with any particular pomp, and they 394 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: also wouldn't bury them in the tombs of the kings. 395 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 1: So it could be that the people were not very 396 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: pleased with Nassa his overall reign, and so they buried 397 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: him not in the tombs of the kings, but his 398 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 1: own house. So I don't know about that, But it 399 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: says that Aim and his son reigned in his place. 400 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: Amen was twenty two years old when he began to reign, 401 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: and he reigned two years in Jerusalem, so that shows 402 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: right there that he did not have a blessed reign. Now, 403 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: on the other hand, though Manassa had one of the 404 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,959 Speaker 1: longest reigns in any of the kings in Juda's history, 405 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: and God did not bless the majority of Manassa's reign. 406 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: Just because somebody seems to be blessed by God does 407 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: not necessarily mean that they are. But on the flip side, 408 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: we don't see any kings that were good that only 409 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: reigned for a couple years. It was always the evil kings, 410 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: and it says that right here. It says that Amin 411 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: did that which was evil in ya sight, as did 412 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: Nassa his father, and Aimen sacrificed to all the engraved 413 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: images which Nassa his father had made, and served them 414 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: some of those idols. The people were still worshiping them. 415 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: Not all of them disappeared. It does say that Nassa 416 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: threw out a whole bunch of them, But still fifty 417 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: years of idolatry, Manassa's not going to be physically able 418 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: to get every single idol that was created in Judah 419 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: at this time. It is not possible. And Amon had 420 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 1: some of these idols that he either kept or possibly 421 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: retrieved from the trash we don't know. But regardless, Vanassa 422 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: had made these idols and Amen still had them. It 423 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:45,120 Speaker 1: says he sacrificed to these engraved images and served them. 424 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: He didn't humble himself before Yahweh as Nasa his father 425 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:54,159 Speaker 1: had humbled himself. But this same Aimen trespassed more and more. 426 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: His servants conspired against him and put him to death 427 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: in his own house. But the people of land killed 428 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 1: those who had conspired against King Amen, and the people 429 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. 430 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: Now I don't remember where I read this, but there 431 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,919 Speaker 1: was a commentary I was reading through that said, the 432 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 1: only good thing that Amon had ever done was produced Josiah, because, 433 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: as we're gonna find out, Josiah turns out to be 434 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: the best king in Israel's history. So we're gonna talk 435 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: about the reign of Josiah next week on the podcast. 436 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: So I hope to see all of you guys on 437 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:34,919 Speaker 1: Monday as we discuss King Josiah. But before I end 438 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 1: today's podcast, here is one last word from this sponsor. Well, 439 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: faithful listeners. I have been just loving the Book of Hebrews, 440 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,719 Speaker 1: and as you guys know, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we've 441 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: been going through the New Testament discussing the Book of Hebrews, 442 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: and there have been so many great topics we've talked 443 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: about in Hebrews so far. And I mentioned yesterday one 444 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: of the reasons I love the Book of Hebrews so 445 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 1: much is because it connects to every other portion of Scripture. 446 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 1: It's like the connecting Book. It ties everything together. It 447 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: feels like So tomorrow we're going to be in the 448 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: Book of Hebrews once again, and I hope to see 449 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 1: all of you guys over there now. On Friday, I 450 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: promised you guys a special Friday podcast episode. Normally, I 451 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,679 Speaker 1: don't do episodes on Fridays for Faithful Listeners. They're usually 452 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: for the faithful members over on KOFE, which you can 453 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: find a link to that if you are interested in 454 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: going through the Book of the Psalms with me on Fridays. 455 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 1: But this Friday there will be a special episode because 456 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 1: it is Good Friday, and other than Easter, it is 457 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 1: the most important holiday on the Christian calendar. So that's 458 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 1: why we're going to have an episode on Good Friday 459 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: as well, which I'm very much looking forward to discussing 460 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: that with you guys. Also, Faithful Listeners have a fantastic 461 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: and wonderful rest of your Wednesday. Hopefully I'll see you 462 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: guys tomorrow for an episode from the Book of Hebrews. 463 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: Happy listening, and God bless. I just want to take 464 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: a second to thank the team at Life Audio for 465 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 1: their partnership with me on the Bible Explain podcast. In fact, 466 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: if you go to lifeudio dot com you will find 467 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've 468 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,640 Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.