We begin our second half year of the Year of the Bible today. Congratulations for making it this far! Keep going. The summer’s reading will go through quite a few books quickly.

In 2 Chronicles 33 Manasseh succeeds his father Hezekiah. Manasseh does evil in God’s sight. He rebuilds the high places and sacred poles for the worship of the Baals. He builds altars for idol worship in the house of the Lord, the temple. This is the place God chose for his house. Manasseh leads the people to do more evil than the other nations God destroyed on Israel’s behalf.

God speaks to Manasseh and the people but they don’t listen. So the Lord brings the army of Assyria against them. This is the same army God destroyed for Manasseh’s father Hezekiah. They take Manasseh captive

Manasseh humbles himself before God and asks for His help. God hears his plea and reestablishes him in Jerusalem. Manasseh realizes that the Lord is the true God. He takes away the foreign gods from the temple and removes the altars in Jerusalem. Manasseh offers sacrifices of well-being and thanksgiving to the Lord. But the people still worship at the high places but this time to the Lord.

After Manasseh dies his son Amon succeeds him. He returns to his father’s old ways and does not humble himself to the Lord. His servants kill him. His son Josiah becomes king.

In 2 Chronicles 34 King Josiah does right before the Lord. Even though he is still a boy he follows God and removes the places of idol worship in Jerusalem and Judah. He also gets rid of the priests of the Baals. Josiah restores the temple of the Lord. During the restoration the high priest Hilkiah discovers a book of the law. King Josiah hears the book and realizes that God is punishing the people because of their sin. He consults the prophet Huldah who confirms that God is dealing harshly with his people who have forsaken Him. But God sees that Josiah is penitent and humble and promises to spare him from seeing the punishment of the people.

Josiah leads the priests and the people to the temple. Everyone hears the book of the covenant. Josiah makes a covenant to follow God’s commandments. The people also pledge themselves to the Lord. Josiah takes down the abominations in all of Israel and everyone worships the Lord.

Who says that children and young people can’t have a strong faith and lead others to the Lord? Josiah did all of these things from the ages of eight to twenty five. Often families are led to faith by a child who pushes them to come to church and read their Bibles. Keep it up. Everyone will be blessed by your faith.

Psalm 75 and 76 and several of the psalms we have read are written by Asaph. He was a priest during the period of Hezekiah. We can see the relationship between these psalms and what is going on in our reading of the book of  2 Chronicles Both of these psalms are songs of praise to God.