2 Kings 21:10-15 – Privilege comes with accountability

The privilege of having a relationship with God comes with responsibility. We cannot have one without the other. The greater the privilege the greater would be the responsibility. It was important for every one of us whom God has called into relationship with Him to live an accountable life. We live to give Him praise, not to tarnish His name or foil His plan. Unfortunately, Manasseh abused the privilege he was given. He did everything that a bad king would do as we have discovered in 2 Kings 21:1-9.  He outdid the Amorites whom the Lord had dislodged from the promised land and led Judah into idolatry.

So in 2 Kings 21:10-15, God sent prophets to warn him and the nations of the impending outcomes. For what Manasseh and the people had done,  what God was about to bring upon them would make oppression and wars pale in comparison. What God would bring upon them would be both startling  and shocking. It would be like a constant stinging pain in the ears of everyone who hears of the impending devastation. God would be assessing. God’s coming judgment upon them would be as precise and exact as that he did to Samaria and their northern brethren and Ahab and his family. Illustrating with the dish being wiped clean, God was saying that His dealing with them could be thorough and complete. What they would be experiencing would be total devastation. The remnant in verse 14 is referring to Judah. They would be delivered into the enemies’ hands and be spoils of the plunderers. Like sin, their stubbornness was deeply rooted. It was there ever since they were delivered from Egypt.

Lessons to learn. For the Amorites’ evil, we can say that they were none the wiser because they did with have the revelation of God or a personal relationship with Him. But for Manasseh and the people of God, they have no excuse because they have a personal revelation and relationship with God. If the Amorites had to pay dearly even though they did not know God, how much more would the people of God have to pay since they had bot revelation and relationship with Him. For a person who knows God, the wicked deed done is worst than one who has no relationship with Him. Greater revelation demands greater responsibility and accountability. Let’s live responsibly for the privilege God had granted us.