2nd Chronicles 33:1-3, “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.”
Josiah's grandfather, Manasseh, had become
king at the young age of 12, and he did woeful evil in the sight of the Lord
(2nd Chronicles 33:1-2). Manasseh set up false idols, burned children in
sacrificial offerings to Moloch, practiced astrology and witchcraft, and DID
WORSE THAN THE HEATHEN NATIONS . . .
2nd Chronicles 33:6 and 9-10, “And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. ... So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.”
I love the mercifulness of God! Manasseh was arguably the most wicked king in the Old Testament, even murdering little babies by sacrificing them on the fiery alters of Moloch to Baal (Satan). Today, this hideous act is still happening at Bohemian Grove, where world leaders gather each July just north of San Francisco. A human being is burned in efficacy (a mock sacrifice), but there is no doubt that real humans are sacrificed worldwide by Satanists. Each year hundreds-of-thousands of people go missing around the world, completely unaccounted for, most of them children. Search the web and see for yourself. Even worse, Americans have murdered over 57,000,000 babies since 1972 when Roe vs. Wade was passed by the Godless U.S. Supreme Court. All of these precious human lives were sacrificed on the alter of SELF.
King Manasseh was extremely evil in God's sight. But then the Bible says that God delivered Manasseh into the hands of the Assyrians . . .
2nd Chronicles 33:11-12a, “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. And when he was in affliction...”
Like most people, Manasseh needed to learn the hard way. When life was good and nothing bad happened to him, Manasseh lived in sin and lived without the fear of God. Ah, but when the party was over and Manasseh ended up shackled and imprisoned in a Babylonian prison, he cried out to God . . .
2nd Chronicles 33:12-13, “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 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.”
Affliction always helps a man whereas prosperity ruins him! Manasseh was afflicted in chains in a Babylonian prison. Now the baby-murderer is begging for his own life! Now the idolater is praying to the true and living God! Now the man who served Satan is serving the Savior! Yet, our merciful and wonderful God gladly forgave Manasseh when he repented and cried out for mercy. WHAT AN AWESOME GOD!!! My friend, I don't care how low you are in life, God's mercy is reachable! It matters not how wickedly you have done, God is full of mercy and desires to abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
God heard Manasseh's cries for mercy and miraculously delivered him from prison. When Manasseh arrived back in Judah, he was a forever changed man, having learned his lesson. King David had learned the same hard life's lesson, as do most of us . . .
Psalms 119:67 and 71, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. ... It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
Manasseh had gone astray before he was greatly afflicted, but now he has been humbled and is a changed man . . .
2nd Chronicles 33:14-16, “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. 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. 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.”
My friend, if the Lord Jesus Christ was willing to forgive wicked Manasseh when he cried out to God for mercy, you can be assured that He will forgive you too. Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” If you haven't already done so friend, won't you return to your Creator? There is no depth of wickedness to which a human being can descend, but that God won't abundantly pardon that individual if they'll simply BELIEVE THE GOSPEL (good news) of Christ's death on the cross, His burial and bodily resurrection three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
2nd Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” You are loved by a holy God.
