A Word Of Hope Series

Well … I don’t have to tell you, the whole world as we know it is undergoing something I’ve never seen in my lifetime … and I hope that I will never see anything like this again in my lifetime … however long that might be. In two months, everything has been turned upside down and inside out as we shelter in our homes, maintain social distance, argue over whether or not we should wear masks … people by the millions … 33 millions and rising in this country alone … losing their jobs and applying for unemployment … businesses shutting down … some may never re-open. One minute we’re told that the ‘curve’ has been flattened and that we can begin to cautiously emerge from our homes and return to something resembling our former lives … the “new normal” as they’re calling it … and then in the very next newscast they talk about ever-increasing death and infection counts … second and third waves even deadlier than the one we’re going through now … and the on-going “sheltering” that they say will never end.

In the midst of all of this, where do we find hope? What do we have to grasp onto to steady us? Where is our light in all of this darkness? Where is our anchor … our lifeline or life preserver … in this storm?

It’s right here [hold up Bible].

Does anyone know what the word “bible” means? It’s Hebrew. It means “book.” And the reason that we always capitalize the word “bible” when we refer to this book is because it is “THE” Book … the Book of all books.

I love this book … this “bible” … an amazing book for all kinds of reasons. It has heroes and villains. It has romance and betrayal. It has songs, poems, great stories. It’s packed with interesting people. It is a book of science … a lot of science … I’ll tell you about it some day. It’s a history “bible” … it’s a philosophy “book” or “bible.” And the thread that holds it all together is “theology” … the study and understanding of God … who He is … what He’s done …and what He promises that He will do.

I love this “book.” It saved my life … and it continues to guide my life today. I’m not joking when I call is our “owner’s manual.” This is a book … a “bible” … that was written to a world that was hurting. It is a book that was written for a world that is still hurting today. It is the premier book on how to live our lives. It is a map and a compass for a people and a world that has lost its way ... and we could sure use a map and a compass … a “GPS” … a “God Positioning System” … today, couldn’t we, amen?

How do know that this map and compass … this GPS … will work? How can I be so certain that this “bible” … this “book” … can show us the way out of this mess we’re facing today? Because this book has worked in situations much, much worse than the one we’re dealing with now. Don’t think that’s possible? Well, let’s let “The Book” … the Bible with a capital “B” … speak for itself, shall we?

Imagine, if you can, President Trump telling us that the only way out of this pandemic is to appease the gods by sacrificing our children … and then, to demonstrate just how serious he is about this horrifying request … he sacrifices his own son, Barron, on national TV. Well, that is exactly what a king by the name of Manasseh did … and we find his story right here … in “The Book.”

Now … Manasseh lived over 2,700 years ago, so there wasn’t any TV or internet or social media but he was a king and he did sacrifice one of his own son. Let’s turn to 2nd Kings, chapter 21, and read what the Bible has to say about this ancient king of Judah, shall we?

The Bible says that Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king of Judah. Let that sink in for a moment. Manasseh was 12 years old when he inherited the throne from his father, Hezekiah. Twelve years old! Maybe you know a 12-year-old or can think back to when you were 12 years old … and then imagine being told that you are now the supreme leader of the United States of America … yikes! Bad for you … that’s a tremendous responsibility to place on the shoulders of any boy or girl … bad for the country too, I would think, amen? Judah’s king is 12 years old … you know that can’t end well … and, no surprise, it doesn’t.