2 Chron. 33
The name of this king was Manasseh, and he began to rule over Judah when a boy of twelve, and ruled the longest of any of the kings. His father was the good king Hezekiah, so we would expect his son to choose the right, and to do great things for his nation, but, sad to say, he chose the wrong for many years.
He set up idols in the city, even in the temple and made offerings to them. You have heard of heathen tribes who pray to the sun, moon and stars: this king did so, and he was a man who knew the Lord was Creator of all. We could not live without the light and warmth of the sun, and truly enjoy the beauty of the moon and stars, but only the Creator of all can hear our prayers.
Do you know how the heathen became ignorant?
There are people now who are not heathen, who speak much of the beauty of nature, but who give no honor to Christ Who made all.
Because this king did not ask the Lord to help him or give him wisdom, he went to people who told fortunes and used charms, who are not true or honest, and whom God said they should not go to (Deut. 18:10-1210There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. (Deuteronomy 18:10‑12)). Some now make games of telling fortunes or pay some to tell their future, but this is very wrong (Galatians 5:2020Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20); Rev. 22:1515For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:15)).
Manasseh became so dreadfully wicked, he had his own children pass through the fire of the idol altars, as the heathen people near them did. God sent men to urge him to repent, but he would not listen, so God let an enemy’s soldiers come and take him captive, bound with chains, to a far city.
We are not told how long Manasseh was a captive, but he then knew how much he had sinned, and he began to pray to God. He had not listened when God sent men to speak to him, arid we might think God would not listen to him, but how great mercy the Lord shows to any who are sorry for sin! He had Manasseh returned to Jerusalem. He no longer prayed to idols, but cast them out of the city, for he “knew that the Lord, He was God.”
We do not know how long the king lived after his return, but when he died, his son, Amon, who was a young man, became king. We would think he would not want idols, lint he was so wicked and foolish as to get the images his father had cast out of the city, and set them up again. and worship them!
He was never sorry for his sins as his father had been, and kept on until his death.
How long was Manasseh king? (Verse, 1).
Where was he taken prisoner? (Verse 11).
Perhaps Manasseh remembered in prison the kind invitation given by God to the prophet Isaiah for the people, which is for us also:
ML 09/24/1939