II Kings 21:1-16 , II Chronicles 33:1-13
“Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.” (II Kings 21:1-3)
Ahaz had been one of the worst kings Judah had ever had. His son Hezekiah had been the best, destroying idolatry and leading the entire nation to turn back to God. Manasseh decided to copy his grandfather rather than his father, and restored the old high places for nature worship and began to practice astrology again, doing the very things that had caused God to destroy the original inhabitants of Israel.
“And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.” (II Kings 21:4-8)
The temple had been built and chosen by God as a place that was wholly dedicated to him. Like Ahaz, Manasseh converted the temple from a place to worship God to a heathen temple for the worship of astrology and nature. In addition, he sacrificed his own children to Baal and consulted mediums and practitioners of various forms of witchcraft. It was totally disrespectful toward God.
“And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.” (II Chronicles 33:10)
“But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.” (II Kings 21:9-15)
When God sent prophets to warn them, the people didn’t listen, and Manasseh led them even farther into sin until they worse than the Amorites had ever been. As a result God said he was going to destroy Jerusalem like he had Samaria, It would be so bad it would make the hearer’s ears hurt, and Jerusalem would be wiped out like a person would wipe a spot off a dish.
Jeremiah 15:4-6 gives additional details. “And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.”
“Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.” (II Kings 21:16)
Idolatry and witchcraft were not enough to satisfy Manasseh. He also had people who didn’t agree with him or go along with what he wanted murdered to get his way. There was no freedom of speech or protection from the government.
“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.” (II Chronicles 33:11)
For a while it looked as if God might fulfil his promise of total destruction of Jerusalem immediately. The Assyrians came up and arrested Manasseh, carrying him away in handcuffs 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 entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.” (II Chronicles 33:12-13)
In prison in Babylon, Manasseh finally recognized what the prophets had tried to tell him and turned to God, asking forgiveness and to be allowed to go back to Judah. God heard the prayers, and just as he had done when Ahab asked forgiveness, delayed the fulfillment of his prophecy. Manasseh was allowed to return to Jerusalem. As a result Manasseh recognized God as God. It would change the rest of his reign.
“Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.” (II Kings 21:1-3)
Ahaz had been one of the worst kings Judah had ever had. His son Hezekiah had been the best, destroying idolatry and leading the entire nation to turn back to God. Manasseh decided to copy his grandfather rather than his father, and restored the old high places for nature worship and began to practice astrology again, doing the very things that had caused God to destroy the original inhabitants of Israel.
“And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.” (II Kings 21:4-8)
The temple had been built and chosen by God as a place that was wholly dedicated to him. Like Ahaz, Manasseh converted the temple from a place to worship God to a heathen temple for the worship of astrology and nature. In addition, he sacrificed his own children to Baal and consulted mediums and practitioners of various forms of witchcraft. It was totally disrespectful toward God.
“And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.” (II Chronicles 33:10)
“But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.
And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; Because they have done that which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.” (II Kings 21:9-15)
When God sent prophets to warn them, the people didn’t listen, and Manasseh led them even farther into sin until they worse than the Amorites had ever been. As a result God said he was going to destroy Jerusalem like he had Samaria, It would be so bad it would make the hearer’s ears hurt, and Jerusalem would be wiped out like a person would wipe a spot off a dish.
Jeremiah 15:4-6 gives additional details. “And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.”
“Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.” (II Kings 21:16)
Idolatry and witchcraft were not enough to satisfy Manasseh. He also had people who didn’t agree with him or go along with what he wanted murdered to get his way. There was no freedom of speech or protection from the government.
“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.” (II Chronicles 33:11)
For a while it looked as if God might fulfil his promise of total destruction of Jerusalem immediately. The Assyrians came up and arrested Manasseh, carrying him away in handcuffs 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 entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.” (II Chronicles 33:12-13)
In prison in Babylon, Manasseh finally recognized what the prophets had tried to tell him and turned to God, asking forgiveness and to be allowed to go back to Judah. God heard the prayers, and just as he had done when Ahab asked forgiveness, delayed the fulfillment of his prophecy. Manasseh was allowed to return to Jerusalem. As a result Manasseh recognized God as God. It would change the rest of his reign.
No comments:
Post a Comment