II Chronicles: Manasseh

By the time Manasseh came to the throne, Judah was rapidly approaching the time of God's judgment. In approximately 110 years, the nation would be destroyed and its inhabitants taken captive. The impending judgment was not unpredictable. Though there had been some positive segments in Judah's history, the overall trend was one of increasing godlessness, accompanied by tastes of God's judgment.

Manasseh "did evil in the sight of the LORD according to the abominations of the [heathen] nations" (II Chronicles 33:2). He hastened Judah's decline toward judgment. The only previous king to approach Manasseh's level of wickedness was his grandfather Ahaz. Astoundingly, Manasseh was wicked from the young age of twelve, when he became king. His entire life fell after the sad change in his father, when Hezekiah's devotion to God declined. Nevertheless, considering his heritage, it seems unusual that Manasseh could be so depraved. He apparently came to the throne with a heart of rebellion against everything - rebellion against his father's reputation, against the social and spiritual status quo, and especially against God. Manasseh blatantly exercised that rebellion, allowing it to permeate his actions and push him into unprecedented expressions of evil.

Manasseh started with the predictable wickedness of someone who opposed God. "He rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he also erected altars for the Baals and made Asherim" (33:3). Manasseh did not stop there. He "worshiped all the host of heaven and served them" (33:3), and he built altars for serving the host of heaven "in the two courts of the house of the LORD" (33:5).

This was only the beginning of Manasseh's desecration of God's house. Twice (v. 4 & vs. 7-8) the passage highlights what an abomination it was that Manasseh would establish idols for false gods in the special place that God had reserved for Himself. Manasseh actually "built altars in the [very] house of the LORD" (33:4) and he carved an idol which he placed "in the house of God" (33:7).

Beyond these heinous insults of worship, Manasseh "made his sons pass through the fire" (33:6). "He practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists" (33:6). Essentially, Manasseh was not satisfied with simply neglecting God. Even beyond simple rejection, Manasseh actively pursued spiritual powers that were wholly opposed to God. He embraced those evil powers and brought them into God's house to usurp the place of God. As the king, Manasseh "misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel" (33:9). It is no wonder then to read God's summary that Manasseh "did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger" (33:6).

God could have brought swift and certain destruction on a king so wicked, but He didn't. He gave Manasseh a chance when He "spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention" (33:10). With this continued rejection, God took unprecedented action toward Manasseh's wickedness. The king of Assyria brought his army, "and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon" (33:11). What a disgrace both for him and for the nation, and what a fitting end that this wicked king would be led away in chains as a Babylonian prisoner!

The most incredible part of Manasseh's story is that this very predictable and deserved end was, in fact, not the end. Something amazing happened in Manasseh's life. As he languished as a prisoner in Babylon, "he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers" (33:12). Manasseh prayed to God with "entreaty" and "supplication" (33:13). This earnest and sincere prayer was so worthy of note that it is mentioned again in verse 18 and again in verse 19, and his humility is mentioned again in verse 19.

Manasseh's prayer was important and life-changing, and God's response to it is almost unbelievable. The extent of God's judgment on Manasseh would seem irreversible. Because of God's character, it should not be surprising that God heard and forgave Manasseh. It is incredible, however, that God actually reversed his captivity, restored him to his land, and lifted him up again to be king. The unexpected reversal is an indication that God extended abundant grace when He saw a truly humble and repentant heart.

The proof of Manasseh's sincerity was his changed life. Manasseh made every attempt to reverse the evil he had previously done. He removed from the temple the idols that had been so heinous to God. He discarded the false altars and set up the altar of God instead. He stopped his false worship and offered true sacrifices and offerings of thanks. He ordered the people to serve God also; while their revival was not complete, they did make significant strides toward God. The change in Manasseh was so great that his story's conclusion (v. 19) again recounts his great wickedness and his subsequent change to true worship when he humbled himself before God.

Only after Manasseh turned to God did he do anything worthwhile as king; the previous years record no accomplishments whatsoever. After his restoration he helped his country militarily by building walls and defenses and by effectively utilizing his military leaders. He also strengthened the nation spiritually by openly and publically returning to God and by encouraging true worship.

The wicked actions of Manasseh's early reign did have consequences. God foretold the destruction of Judah, saying, "I will make them an object of horror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem" (Jeremiah 15:4). Nevertheless, this is an amazing story, illustrating that no one who humbly repents is beyond the reach of God's grace. God restored Manasseh's heart and his kingdom and even used this previously wicked man to promote God's work in the hearts of others.