2nd Chronicles 33:1-3, “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 Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.”
There are some very powerful life-changing
truths contained in the Biblical account of Manasseh, his son Amon and
grandson Josiah. These three men were all kings over Judah in succession.
Judah was the capital of the southern kingdom. Originally Israel was just one nation under king's Saul, David and Solomon; but was then divided into two under Solomon's rebellious son, Rehoboam. Jeroboam journey north to Samaria with ten of the Jewish tribes, and then the two tribes of Benjamin and Levi (the priestly tribe) remained in Jerusalem. Here is a very helpful chart showing the kings of Israel.
Josiah was only 8-years-old when he became king over Judah, where is the holy city of Jerusalem. Josiah's grandfather, Manasseh, had become king at the young age of 12, and he did woeful evil in the sight of the Lord (2nd Chronicles 33:1-2). Manasseh set up false idols, burned children in sacrificial offerings to Moloch, practiced astrology and witchcraft, and DID WORSE THAN THE HEATHEN NATIONS . . .
2nd Chronicles 33:9-13, “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 spake 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. 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.”
I love the mercifulness of God! Manasseh was arguably the most wicked king in the Old Testament, even murdering little babies by sacrificing them on the alters of Moloch to Baal. Yet, Manasseh repented, crying out to God for forgiveness and mercy, and the Lord heard him. God is awesome!
2nd Chronicles 33:15-16, “And he repaired the altar 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.”
2nd Chronicles 33:14-25, “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 idol 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. Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers. So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them; And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.” END
