DAILY TEXT, Today  Sunday, October 15, 2023,  Manasseh came to know that Jehovah is the true God (2 Chron. 33:13).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2023

Sunday October 15

Manasseh came to know that Jehovah is the true God (2 Chron. 33:13).

King Manasseh refused to heed the warnings that Jehovah gave him through his prophets. Finally, “Jehovah caused the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria to come against them,” that is, against Judah. “They captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with two copper shackles, and took him to Babylon.” It seems that while he was held captive there he reflected on what he had done. He “was deeply humbling himself before the God of his ancestors.” But he did something else: “He pleaded with Jehovah his God” and “continued to pray to him” (2 Chron. 33:10-12). In time, Jehovah answered Manasseh's prayers. He saw that his heart had changed, and that was reflected in his prayers. Jehovah was moved by his prayer and restored him to his kingdom. And Manasseh did his best to show that his repentance was sincere. w21.10 4 paras. 10, 11.

What does Manasseh's example teach us about repentance?

What do we learn from Manasseh? He not only humbled himself, but prayed, pleaded for Jehovah's mercy, and changed his ways. Furthermore, he did everything he could to repair the damage he had done and strove to worship Jehovah and help others do the same. His example gives hope to even the worst of sinners. It is clear proof that God is good and “willing to forgive” (Ps. 86:5). Those who truly repent can obtain forgiveness from Jehovah.

What example helps us understand a very important lesson about repentance?

As we have seen, Manasseh did more than simply mourn his sins. This teaches us a very important lesson. To understand it, let's think about the following example. Let's imagine that we go to a bakery and order a cake. But instead of a cake they give us an egg. Would we settle for that? Of course not. What if the baker justified himself by saying that the egg is an important ingredient in the cake? Still, it wouldn't be enough for us. Similarly, Jehovah asks anyone who commits a sin to truly repent. If the person feels bad about his sin, he does well, because that is an important part of repentance. But that is not enough. To see what more is needed, let's look at a moving parable Jesus told.

How did the lost son in Jesus' parable begin to show that he was repentant?

Jesus told a moving story about a lost son, which we can read in Luke 15:11-32. A young man rebelled against his father, left his home and “traveled to a far country.” There he led a riotous life. But, when problems came, he began to reflect on what he had done and realized how good it was in his father's house. As Jesus said, the young man “came to his senses.” He decided to go back and ask his father to forgive him. It was important for him to understand that he had made many bad decisions, but that was not enough. He had to make changes.

How did the lost son in Jesus' parable show that he was truly sorry?

How did the lost son show that he was truly sorry? He made the long trip back to his house. When he arrived and met his father, he said to her: “I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son” (Luke 15:21). With this sincere confession, he demonstrated that he wanted to restore his relationship with Jehovah. He also acknowledged that his actions had hurt his father. And he was willing to work hard to win back his approval, even to be treated as one of his workers (Luke 15:19). This parable is more than a moving story. It teaches some principles that can help elders determine whether someone who has committed a serious sin is truly repentant.

All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2023 Watch T ower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania JW.ORG.