The
Book of Second kings
Chapter 21
[1]
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and
five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzi-bah.
[2] 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.
1) Survey 1,2
Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, was
12 years old when he began to reign as King of Judah
His age indicates that he was born
in those additional 15 years God had extended to Hezekiah
Manasseh would reign for 55 years
and generally his reign was considered to be wicked
The king imitated the sins of
heathen nations whom God had cast out of the land before Israel
[3] 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.
[4]
And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem
will I put my name.
[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the
house of the LORD.
2) Specific Sins 3-9
Vs
3 Direct Disobedience
Manasseh
opposed the godly changes and reforms Hezekiah had brought to the nation
Manasseh
led the nation of Judah back into idolatry
This
clearly shows that repentance and revival are not necessarily permanent
conditions
Manasseh
rebuilt pagan altars and re-established his grandpa Ahaz’s worship of Baal
Manasseh was attracted to
the cult of astrology
Its bad enough Judah is back
into pagan worship BUT Manasseh brought it into Gods House
[6] 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.
Manasseh sacrificed his children to Molech, a pagan
god of metallic image that’s heated until fire red.
Manasseh approved &
practiced arts of the occult (soothsayers, mediums and promotion of witchcraft)
God had surely warned
against this wicked practice (Ex 22:18, Lev 19:31, Dt 18:9-13)
[7]
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:
[8]
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.
[9]
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.
Manasseh made an image, probably of Asherah, the
Canaanite goddess of fertility--- A.K.A.- Venus.
God had given generous and
gracious promises of protection to Judah if they would obey the LORD
But the people paid no attention to Gods Word. They
were willingly seduced to act in wickedness
2 Chr 33:10 “The LORD spake to
Manasseh and to his people but they would not listen”
God spoke to the leader and
to his people but they rejected Gods Words
[10] And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
[11] 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:
[12] 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.
[13] 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.
[14] 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;
[15] 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.
3) Severe Judgment 10-15
God spoke to His disobedient people through His
prophets (Hosea, Joel, Nahum, Habakkuk & Isaiah)
They spoke saying “Manasseh has acted more wicked
than the violent, immoral Canaanites and caused Judah to sin greatly before the
LORD”
God pronounces that HE will utter such judgment that
whosoever hears both his ears shall tingle
“both ears shall tingle” – 1 Sam 3:11, Jer
19:3 a sure sign of severe judgment
God will cleanse Jerusalem as HE did with the N
Kingdom, Samaria and King Ahab
God will just wipe them clean like a dish is wiped
and turned upside down (emptied out)
God will utterly forsake the people and give them
over to their enemy
[16] 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.
4) Shedding of Blood 16
Manasseh hated the warnings from the men of God
& the loyalty of the some people to serve the LORD
Thus, on top of all his other sin,
the King persecuted and murdered the people of God
Jewish tradition teaches that Manasseh killed the
prophet Isaiah by sawing him in two (Heb 11:37)
[17] Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin
that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Judah?
[18] And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in the garden of his
own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.
5) Summary 17,18
The sins of Manasseh and the rest of
his acts are recorded in 2 Chr 33.
Lets read 2 Chr 33:11-17
[11] 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.
[12] And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled
himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
[13] 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.
[14] 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.
[15] 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.
[16] 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.
[17] Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto
the LORD their God only.
The LORD allowed the Assyrians to come attack Judah
and bind Manasseh & take him captive to Babylon
In great affliction, Manasseh sought the LORD,
humbling himself and praying to the LORD
God heard the prayers of the king, had him released
and allowed him to be restored to his throne
Then Manasseh took away the false gods he had
created and commanded Judah to serve the LORD
BUT this change was not sweeping as the high places
remained, though they did serve the LORD
[19] Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Meshullemeth, the daughter of
Haruz of Jotbah.
[20] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father
Manasseh did.
[21] And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the
idols that his father served, and worshipped them:
[22] And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way of
the LORD.
6) Son of Manasseh 19-22
Upon Manasseh’s death, his son Amon
reigned in his stead
Amon was 22 yrs old when he began to
reign and he reigned as king for a period of 2 years
He was wicked and served in
corruption as his father had done for most of his life.
Though his father Manasseh had
repented, his sons and many others were influenced by his sin
[23] And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king in his
own house.
[24] And 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.
[25] Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
[26] And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his
son reigned in his stead.
7) Sin Slain 23-26
Amon’s servants killed King Amon.
Maybe a power struggle had formed. Maybe an alliance
with a foreign nation caused the coup.
But, the people of Judah put to death the
conspirators.
By this action, the people demonstrated they wanted
righteousness rather than sinfulness