2 Chronicles 33:1 – 25 Manasseh Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 21:1-9)
” Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Manasseh even took the carved image he had made and set it up in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to leave the land that I assigned to your fathers, if only they are careful to do all that I have commanded them through Moses—all the laws, statutes, and judgments.”
So Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.
Manasseh’s Repentance and Restoration (2 Kings 21:10-18)
And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen. So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and he brought it around the Ophel and heightened it considerably. He also stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.
He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city. Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.
As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. His prayer and how God received his plea, as well as all his sin and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself, they are indeed written in the Records of the Seers. And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried at his palace. And his son Amon reigned in his place.
Amon Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 21:19-26) Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon served and sacrificed to all the idols that his father Manasseh had made, but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt. Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed him in his palace. But the people of the land killed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.”
Remember God granting Hezekiah fifteen additional years of life? During that time, Manasseh, Hezekiah’s successor, was born. Why Manasseh wound up as king at age twelve is a mystery. Didn’t Hezekiah have other sons who were older and wiser who might have succeeded him? Was Manasseh’s mother a favorite wife who manipulated the aging Hezekiah? This information is unavailable. But when Manasseh became king, obviously, those advising him were full – bore idolaters who had been enduring Hezekiah’s reforms just waiting for their opportunity.
It is always a bad mistake to assume that evil has been defeated and will never resurface! Within a short time, Manasseh built Asherah poles, altars, and high places throughout Judah. Not content with building pagan altars, Manasseh even offered his sons as live burnt offerings to Moloch in the Valley of Hinnom. Manasseh set up pagan altars and pagan images in the temple and turned his back on the God of Israel. “So Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.” Judah was rapidly sliding into a spiritual morass, until the kings of Assyria captured Manasseh, placed a hook in his nose, and sent him to Babylon in chains.
While Manasseh was in captivity in Babylon, a miracle happened. “And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.”
Manasseh returned to Jerusalem a totally changed man! “He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city. Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.” For the rest of Manasseh’s reign, he did well. Then Manasseh died at age 67 and his son Amon reigned in his place.
Amon was twenty – one when he became king, and he was horrible. In two short years, Amon attempted to undo all the good that his father had done in the latter part of his career. Did Amon assume that his father had been a weak and foolish old man when he turned to the God of Israel? Did Manasseh attempt to teach Amon, only to have Amon refuse to listen? The only thing we know is that Amon was so horrible that his own servants killed him in the palace. Evidently, nobody mourned Amon’s death.
APPLICATION: Several years ago, I heard the testimony of a man who had been a member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang, despite the prayers of his mother. But at a point, God got this man’s attention. The man took refuge in a phone booth in rural Oregon. Just as the Hell’s Angels were about to capture and kill him, the man called his mother in South Carolina, who called a local Assemblies of God minister. The minister turned out to be a big strong man who looked fully capable of defending himself. The minister collected this man from a phone booth just as the Hell’s Angels were about to attack him, took him home, and led him to the Lord. I attended church with the man’s mother, and I knew the story was true. Something similar happened to Manasseh.
Manasseh repented, and God extricated him from the Assyrians and returned him to Jerusalem, where he did everything he could to undo the spiritual damage that he had done previously. Too bad Manasseh’s son Amon refused to learn from his father’s experiences. Amon ruled for only two years, was assassinated, and was not mourned by anybody.
Sometimes we pray for unsaved family members and wonder if our prayers do any good. Manasseh’s story should give all of us help. The same God who picked Manasseh out of captivity in Babylon and brought him back to Jerusalem can do the same thing for our loved ones. One of my favorite Gospel songs says, “I know my God can turn it around!” Don’t lose hope! Don’t stop praying! Remember Manasseh! God can still turn seemingly hopeless situations into victory!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You and to continue to pray, even when things appear hopeless, knowing that you are still the God of miracles! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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