True to Solomon’s words found in Ecclesiastes 1:9 which says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.;” things are constantly making a comeback. This can be seen in fashion, customs, cultures, activities, mannerisms, cliches, and colloquialisms. As one example, bell-bottomed pants which are popular now; were first worn by sailors in the War of 1812 designed by the U.S. Navy. In the 1960’s girls were picking them up at thrift and second hand stores, restyling them, and popularizing them, representing the rebellion and anti-war sentiment at the time. The 1970’s brought them back, this time officially to the retail world, via Sonny and Cher, and Brian Spiller and stayed popular through the disco era of the 80’s. So, we see, even though they are a favorite once again, the trend is not new, but just an ‘Oldie Goldie’ making a comeback.
Music often comes and goes as well. Michael Bublé is one artist that comes to mind. He not only sings all the Christmas songs that Bing Crosby and others popularized, but his general songs and style, are comebacks from Frank Sinatra and others, like Arthur Hamilton, Julie London, and Kaye Ballard, such as, Feelin’ Good, Cry Me a River, and Fly me to the Moon. These are songs from the 1950’s and 60’s that he has reintroduced to this generation in the big band, blues, and jazz genres. Singers themselves often want to make a comeback and start touring again after being silent for decades, either they were already retired, or their career was on hold until they raised their family. This could be a success or failure depending on their following, and where people aka their fans are in their personal journeys. Eras, popularity, likes and dislikes ebb and flow and when things are recreated, they are never the same.
I saw an exclusive interview of one of the greatest singers alive today, Celine Dion, done this year with Hoda Kotb. She is speaking out about her health condition that finally stopped her in her tracks in 2020, with the assistance of the world shutting down due to the pandemic, which began in the early 2000’s. After losing her husband and brother from cancer in 2016 in the same week, she continued to tour and show up for her fans despite the pain and anguish she was going through, treating the unknown disease with pain killers, which her body soon became immune to, making it necessary to increase them to be able to function. She did not receive a diagnosis until 2021, which was Stiff Person’s Syndrome (SPS), which is extremely rare and can cause any or every muscle in your body to stiffen at any unannounced time, including the vocal cords, which made it even more earth shaking for her. This entire interview can be viewed on the internet, and she has a documentary of her life’s story, scheduled to come out shortly. Now, four years later and much challenging work behind her, she stated that she feels ready and able to make a comeback on the stage for her fans once again. Only time will tell if what she has done will be enough to sustain her long term, since there is no cure for her illness at this time, and will her fans, the tour, and the stage, be all that she remembers it to be and has longed for so many years? I wish her the best.
In the area that we live in, they are known for their logging industry. Property that is owned by the State, or even privately owned, boasts of hundreds of acres of pine trees. A tree is said to take from ten to forty years to grow to maturity. We see these logging trucks filled with cut trees daily on the highway in front of our house, making their way to the sawmill about fifteen miles away. Once the trees have been cleared, you can drive by months later and see how the pines have self-propagated, and the little saplings that could not be seen before because of the many massive trees, are now proudly sprouting up, allowing the forest once again to make a comeback for the next cutting years down the road. The seeds dropped by the pines do not produce weeds, grass, or apple trees, but baby pine trees. We are the same way in God’s kingdom. If we have been cut down, tripped up, destroyed, seeds have been planted. We can make a comeback and bring with us the hard lessons learned. God restores us back to the same state we were in before, a child of God, a minister, a witness, etc. We will all have curve balls thrown at us from time to time. There are those who can catch them and go on, while others are knocked out by them, but it is all the same to the Master. He is in the business of restoring.
Those who have never fallen away from the Lord, and feel that they have the right to judge, should think about the scripture we see in James 4:16-17 which says, “But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore, to him that knows to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Considering just this one verse, none of us can claim to be perfect or without sin. If we are honest, we would have to admit that none of us have done all we should have done for the Kingdom of God. But we can also make a comeback and change that record. We must keep this in mind when we are tearing down others for their one mistake, when they had years of faithfulness to their credit before that. They were steady, firm, soul winners, and propagators of the gospel. We must be careful that our criticism does not kill them and the saplings that are coming up around them. Those brand new saints that are their offspring. Rather, let us encourage, uplift, and restore them, and by so doing, we will save many. Paul puts it this way in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
There was a made for TV movie that debuted April 11, 1980, starring John Ritter from ‘Three’s Company’, and Susan Dey from ‘The Partridge Family’, TV shows, called, ‘The Comeback Kid’. The plot goes like this, “Bubba Newman, a minor league baseball player, decides to quit the sport and do something else with his life because he feels “down and out.” He renews his outlook on life when he becomes a coach for a group of underprivileged kids and finds romance. Then, one of the youngsters gets hit by a car while racing to meet Bubba when he returns to the team. The kid’s death ultimately brings the group and their coach even closer.” This type of story has been portrayed repeatedly in movies and books, and we see examples of this in the lives of bible characters as well. This is where I want to draw our attention to King Menasseh, the son of King Hezekiah.
King Hezekiah had done wonderful things for his people and served the One True God of Israel to the best of his ability and knowledge, one could say. However, he became gravely ill, and the prophet had told him to set his house in order, because he was going to die. He sobbed and pleaded with the Lord to remember all he had done, the tearing down of the altars to the false gods and setting the people on the right path, and the Lord heard his prayer, sent the prophet Isaiah back to him to declare that he would allow him 15 more years. He was righteous at that time, but as the years went by, he became lifted up in his own mind and boasted of his own wealth to other nations, revealing to them all his personal business, while taking gold from the house of God to pay his personal debts. God was displeased with him and brought a curse down upon his household, that those who he had disclosed all to, from Babylon, would take his children into captivity someday, yet this did not happen in his lifetime. When he died, he was honored by the people because of his great deeds and buried in a pristine spot amongst the sepulchers of King David, but it is not stated that his relationship with God was restored.
Menasseh, his son, was born during the last fifteen extra, latter, God given, years of King Hezekiah’s life, and took the throne when his father died, at age twelve, and the Bible says he reigned for 55 years. One does not have to wonder why the scripture states that he did not serve the One True God of Israel. Though he does not have a valid excuse, he did not have an example of worship, sacrifice, and integrity lived before him. This is a powerful lesson for another day. We see that what happens to him was not due to his own actions, though God did give him a chance to change his ways, but it was so that the prophecy that had been given to his father Hezekiah, because of his haughty spirit, could be fulfilled. 2 Chronicles 33:1-11 tells us, “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Balaam, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. Also, he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be forever. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also, he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. So, Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spoke to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.”
While in captivity, Manasseh seeks the Lord and repents of his evil ways, possibly for the first time in his life. We see this in verses 12-17, “And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. And he took away the strange gods, and the idols out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Nevertheless, the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only.” God was moved by Manasseh’s entreaty and restored him back to his throne, and he in turn changed his ways, brought the people back to God, and restored the altar of God to its rightful place. He was Judah’s Comeback King, literally and spiritually.
We often think that one unwise decision or choice we make will be what defines us for the rest of our lives, but it does not have to be so. Though there are consequences to our actions, God is our redeemer and restorer. The Hebrew name, Manasseh means, ‘to forget.’ Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”Hebrews 8:12 states, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” When we repent of our sins and God forgives us, he choses not ‘to forget’ them. He has already paid the price and did the time for us. Applying His blood to our lives through baptism and repentance gives us a fresh start. Many of us, we will need to access this blood daily.
We see an increased number of pawn shops popping up these days. With our economy so bad, people are looking for quick cash to help them out in a jam and they will take their precious possessions to the pawn shop and sell them for whatever cash they can get. The theory is that between thirty to ninety days, they have the chance to come back to the store and redeem, aka buy back their item, howbeit for a higher price. If they do not make it back in time, the store will put it up for sale to the highest or first bidder. Then, whatever was so precious to them is gone forever. The disobedience of Adam and Eve caused all of humanity to be sold into slavery to Satan’s pawn shop, giving him full rights to us to do as he pleased. We could not redeem ourselves in any way, shape, or form, because we did not have the pure blood that was required to redeem ourselves. In walked Jesus, the sinless lamb, onto the scene and paid the outrageous price, in full, that Satan had put on our heads, his pure blood, to buy us back, redeem us, and secured control once again of our souls, death, hell, and the grave.
Do not think that you cannot make a comeback to a relationship with God. Even though we make bad choices, trying to gain instant gratification and make a quick buck, so to speak, Jesus has already paid for it. All you need to do is make a comeback to the altar, and he will restore you to your original relationship with him. He forgets the sins you have already repented of and does not hold them to your charge. You do not have to sit for months and prove yourself or do penance as we as humans would require, but he fully restores. Could we mess up or fall on our faces again, certainly, but He is our father and will be waiting to welcome us, the prodigal son, back repeatedly, as a son, not as a servant. Manasseh did not have to come into the palace as a servant first, do six months of chores to see if he would stay, and act in humility, before claiming his throne, but was restored back as the King of Judah. There is no twelve step program that we should require of people, or the wearing of sack cloth and ashes, but we should act toward them as the Lord would and offer restoration in love.
Though the enemy will try to lie to you and say that you can never preach or teach ever again because you are despicable, remember that in John 8:44 Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” Those who do not forgive, forget, and restore, are not of God, but of the enemy of our souls. 1 Peter 5:1-4 states, “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.” We must remember who the Lord is and who the Chief Shepherd is. Matthew 7:1-5 tells us, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” We must beware lest the tables be turned, and we would be the ones needing restoration, and the judgement would be more than we could bear.
A delicious dipping sauce originating in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1930’s and 40’s, as the house dressing used to dip fried foods, at the Greek restaurants, The Mayflower Café and Rotisserie Restaurant, was called the ‘Comeback Sauce”. It boasts of a mayonnaise and chili powder mixture as the major ingredients, and recipes include Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and paprika as well. It is now sold in bottles and is said to be like Louisiana’s remoulade. The classic Southern ‘Comeback Sauce’ was named this because of the traditional goodbye greeting they give in Mississippi, “Ya’ll come back.” What a unique idea! The TV show, “The Beverly Hillbillies” used the saying “Ya’ll come back ya hear” and it was adopted and used by Anchorman, Walter Cronkite for 19 years to end his show. It met with much displeasure until the big wigs saw the ratings skyrocket.
We also have a Comeback King, and His Name is Jesus. No, he was not taken into captivity, but he has gone to prepare a place for us in His Kingdom. Revelation 1:7 tells us, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” And Revelation 22:20 states, “He which testifies of these things saith, ‘Surely, I come quickly. Amen.’ Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” I would admonish everyone to begin your comeback to Him today. He will restore you and make you ready for His return, aka Comeback. He is waiting and watching for you. “Ya’ll comeback now, ya hear!”