Manasseh

Introduction

I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.

Worshipping the whole host of heaven is just as bad as not worshipping any at all.

When you have a godly witness like Manasseh had, the evil you turn to gives you no excuse. “To know to do good and to do it not …” “To whom much is given, much is required”.

I. Manasseh’s Nature

((What is their History / Background?)

13th King of Judah

Rehoboam, Abijam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah

Ascended the Throne at 12 years old, Reigned for 55 Years (2Chr. 33:1)

Possible Co-regent with Hezekiah

Some historians believe that he was co-regent for around 10 to 11 years but there's no biblical evidence necessarily to support that specifically.

It's possible we just cannot say for sure.

Otherwise, He’s a Son from Borrowed Time

The alternative is that Manasseh was born during the last fifteen years of Hezekiah's life, which would mean that he was born because God extended his years.

Son of Hezekiah, father of Amon

He came from a firecracker but would leave a dud.

Prophets were Sent, but were Unnamed (2Chr. 33:18)

2 Chronicles 33:18 “Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel.”

While in some of the previous kings we see how there were particular prophets that were mentioned in relation to the kings (i.e. Isaiah with Hezekiah), though we know that God sent prophets and seers to Manasseh, none of them are named specifically in scripture.

II. Manasseh’s Notoriety

(What they are known for?)

His Wickedness (2Ki. 21:2)

2 Kings 21:2 “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.”

Manasseh would be recorded and known as being a wicked king and we see listed reasons supporting that.

Restoring Idolatry in the Land (2Ki. 21:3)

His father, Hezekiah began his reign by reinstituting Passover and feasting of unleavened bread and gave great speeches in doing so. (2Chr. 29:3-10; 30:6-7). Then we see after that they went throughout all the land and tore down the groves in the high places. (2Chr. 31:1)

When his son gets into power, he does the very opposite.

Worshipping an Assortment of Entities (2Ki. 21:3b; 6b)

We see also that Manasseh was a very spiritual man for he was worshipping all sorts of stuff.

Sacrificing His Son (2Ki. 21:6a)

He was also a murderous lot by killing his own child.

This topic is of course in the news today. We'll touch on it shortly.

Setting an Image in the Temple (2Ki. 21:7)

He not only polluted the land with heathen idolatry. He polluted the very temple itself by setting up things in the outer court yards and an image he made up in the temple.

So by all accounts a very wicked man that did very wicked things and led the people in a very wicked way.

This did not escape God.

His Chastisement (2Chr. 33:11)

“Wherefore…” BECAUSE of his wickedness, God brought Judgment down upon him, and he was carried away into captivity by the king of Assyria to Babylon.

But then we see something wonderful happen…

His Repentance (2Chr. 33:12-16)

The Bible says he was “humbled” (v19) In order to be humbled, you must first be prideful.

His pride lifted him up and God's chastisement brought him low and he turned unto the Lord.

And because he humbled himself and prayed unto the Lord, God delivered him from that chastisement. We're not told how he escaped the fetters and chains from the king of Assyria in Babylon but we are told by what means and that was that God delivered him. He “brought him again unto the kingdom…”

We see his repentance

Judah’s Consequence (2Ki. 23:26-27; 24:3-4; Jer. 15:4)

Something else though, and that was after Esau had left the scene. Judah, the nation still suffered the consequence of his actions.

Judah would endure the judgment of God because of Manasseh's leadership.

We see Judah's consequence.

III. What Makes him Noteworthy

(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)

Worship is Reserved for God Alone (2Ki.21:3)

Manasseh set up the high places and the groves and reared up altars for Baal and the Bible says that “he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them”.

Now you and I, and I would say many Christians know that you shouldn't be worshipping Satan, worshipping Baal, Ashtoreth, so forth and so on, but there's a big distinction between biblical Christianity and Catholicism that I want to point out.

The Bible teaches that God alone is to be worshipped:

Colossians 2:18 “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,”

John tried to worship another in: Revelation 22:8–9 “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

The Bible instructs us to pray unto God alone:

John 16:23 “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”

This is a problem for Catholic teachings - who pray to and worship various “saints”. Not to mention the manner in which they place Mary - as an intermediator to God.

But the Bible instructs us in this: 1 Timothy 2:5–6 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

Worship is reserved for God alone

All Worship is Not Acceptable Worship (2Chr. 33:17)

After Manasseh had Commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. They used their old worship sites to worship the Lord.

The problem was they weren't supposed to be worshiping God there.

In times past Samuel and others would sacrifice in high places and it was accepted unto God but once they had established the place of permanence, which was Jerusalem in the temple, then they were forbidden to sacrifice anywhere else.

Deuteronomy 12:5–6 “But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:”

Deuteronomy 12:13–14 “Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: But in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.”

So even though they were worshipping unto God they were not worshipping according to His dictates.

And this is a problem today.

There are many Christians today that I believe are sincerely worshiping the Lord but sincerity does not equal what is right.

We've talked about this principle several times but that's because this principle presents itself several times throughout Scripture.

Proper worship is God-focused, God-centered, with God's standards. We do not have right nor authority to worship God any other way.

All worship is not acceptable worship.

You Can Bend Willingly, or be Broken Stubbornly (2Chr. 33:10)

We see that God had spoken to Manasseh and the people to try to get them right but when they would not listen, God brought down Judgment.

Church, one way or another, God will get his people right, or He’ll get them gone.

You can do it the easy way, or the hard way.

(Ill.) I wonder how many times God has used His servants to preach warnings to His people, only to have them ignore the preached Word & Warnings of God, to then bring down the hammer on them because of their stubbornness.

Church, it’s a whole lot easier to maintain a right life before God than put back together a broken one.

You can bend willingly, or be broken stubbornly.

No One is Beyond God’s Grace (2Chr. 33:13)

Here’s where the story gets good!

Remember all the wicked things this man did? Yet, even still, he was not beyond the Great Grace of God!

Church, if you want to see what Grace looks like, read 2Chr. 33:13.

This man had nothing to give. He was as wicked as the day is long. He ABSOLUTELY DESERVED having a ring in his nose and be drug around the courtyard before the masses. He deserved far worse than what he got!

Yet, God showed him Grace! He brought him up out of that bondage and sat him back on the throne!

Psalm 40:1–3 “I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

God did this for me! I didn’t deserve His goodness, but He gave it anyway! Nor did you!

There’s no one too far gone that God cannot save!

“There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.” — Betsie ten Boom, later made famous by Corrie ten Boom

No one is beyond God’s Grace

Sanctification Follows Salvation (2Chr. 33:15)

That Manasseh was not satisfied with only escaping the judgment he was under but he went through and began to cleanse the wickedness throughout the land and in his life.

That’s the way it should be.

Sanctification (def) purification; The act of consecrating or of setting apart for a sacred purpose

The Christian life is one of continual purification. The purging of impurities

2 Timothy 2:20–21 “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Christian, are you examining your life to find the impurities, that you might be used of God?

Sanctification follows Salvation

Some May Never Acknowledge your Conversion (2Ki. 21; 2Chr. 33)

Interesting thing is that 2 Kings records the life of Manasseh but not his taking away, repentance, or change. It's as if it did not happen.

And there may be some in your life that are like that.

(Ill.) I certainly have experienced it. No matter how big a difference there is in my life today as opposed to when I was twenty, there are some that will always think of me the way I used to be.

Some may never acknowledge your conversion. And in addition to that God can restore but others never forget.

God can Restore, but Others Never Forget

If you go off in sin as a Christian, God most certainly can restore you and forgive you but just know that some people will never forget. It will always be in the minds of some.

God can restore but others never forget.

Forgiveness Removes the Guilt, but not always the Consequence (Jer. 15:4)

Jeremiah 15:4 “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.”

While Manasseh experienced forgiveness. There was still a consequence for his actions.

Lastly here is an important point to consider. When you sin, you can experience forgiveness - thank God! BUT, that doesn’t mean that there will not be consequences you will face.

(Ill.) Man in prison can be forgiven and get saved, but they don’t automatically get out of prison. Someone commits fornication, God will forgive them, but they still can experience, unintended pregnancy, STD’s, etc.

Once again, it’s easier to stay away from sin than to deal with the effects of sin upon your life.

Forgiveness removes the guilt but not always the consequence.

Conclusion