Listen, Jack, here's the deal: I'm gonna tell you about 2 Chronicles 33 in a way that my father used to tell stories. It's all about King Manasseh of Judah, and how he was a real bad apple. I mean, he was so bad that he literally rebuilt the idolatrous altars and shrines that his father, King Hezekiah, had destroyed. Can you believe it? He even sacrificed his own sons on those altars and practiced divination and sorcery. C'mon, man!

So naturally, God was not happy about this. He gave Manasseh a good scolding and then finally decided to punish him. He allowed the King of Assyria to capture Manasseh and take him to Babylon. Manasseh eventually got so desperate that he finally prayed to God for help, and God answered his prayers. He allowed Manasseh to return to Judah, and Manasseh promised to repent and do whatever God commanded.

But then, folks, here's the kicker: Manasseh didn't just stop there. He went above and beyond. He removed all of the idols and foreign gods from the Temple and restored the Temple to its former glory. No malarkey! He even re-instituted the observance of the Passover and encouraged the people of Judah to worship the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

So, in the end, Manasseh got it right. He realized that he had to repent and turn back to God if he was going to gain his favor. See here, Jack, that's a lesson for all of us. We all have to make sure that we're doing what God asks of us, and if we don't, we can expect consequences. I'm not joking. That's 2 Chronicles 33, excuse me.