WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31
Scripture: Matthew 1:10, 2 Chronicles 33:9-13

Matthew 1:10 says, “Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.” 2 Chronicles 33:9-13 says, “So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.” How did Manasseh make the lineage of Christ as one of the worst kings in Israel’s history? The answer is, he repented. God heard his cry and restored his rule. Five is the number of grace. Manasseh ruled fifty-five years and he became Israel’s longest reigning king. For Manasseh this is a picture of double grace in manifestation. When we acknowledge our sin and repent, God’s grace will be poured out to us too. God’s restoration of King Manasseh should greatly encourage us. God says in Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” Let us not squander this amazing gift of blamelessness by self-criticism, shame or doubt! “Arise, shine; For your light has come? And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.”