2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 33:1-9

Hezekiah had done so much for the nation. It was from his leadership and faith that he led the nation back to God and put away the idolatry and wickedness in the land. Then, at his passing, his son takes his place on the throne. Both the Chronicler and the book of 2 Kings focus on the wickedness of king Manasseh. Yet, as is always the case, we should not give up as if the wicked are a lost cause.

Manasseh was twelve when he became king and he reigned fifty-five years, longer than any other king. This tells us he wasn't truly capable of making wise decisions, so his decisions were highly influenced by those around him. Under Manasseh things had turned back toward evil. The evil he brought was according to the nations that were in the land before Israel. God warned the children of Israel not to worship these gods. Manasseh undid what his father had done, raising altars and re-establishing high places. He sacrificed children in the fire as well as practicing witchcraft and sorcery. He not only built altars to these other gods, he went so far as to build altars to other gods in the House of the Lord.

Manasseh lead the children of Judah to do more evil than the nations had done prior to Israel bing in the land.

2 Chronicles 33:10-17

Manasseh was hard hearted and led the people to the same; they could not, or would not hear the Lord. Because of this hard hearted rebellion the Lord arranged for a meeting with the Assyrians who led Mannasseh off to Babylon with hooks and in bronze fetters. This affliction led him to cry out to the Lord. He humbled himself and prayed and God made a way for him to return to his throne. This must have seemed like an impossible task; something that could never happen. Because it did, Manasseh knew the the Lord was indeed God.

This lead Manasseh to repentance; he turned away from his previous wickedness. He began to clean out the latars and idols from the land. He didn't quite undo all that he had done, but had done quite a bit. The people still sacrificed to God on the high places; this constituted worship of the right God in the wrong way.

2 Chronicles 33:18-20

As the Chronicler wraps up the story of Manasseh, he focuses on his prayer and humility as well as those who spoke God's word into his lfie, not the wickedness of his earlier life. At his death, he is buried in his own house. His son, Amon, took the throne.

2 Chronicles 33:21-25

Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king and only reigned two years. He did evil, much like his father had done. He failed to humble himself before the Lord; his trespassed more and more. His own servants then conspired against him and killed him in his own house. What an existence; he couldn't find safety among other prople or even in his own house.

©2017 Doug Ford