MANASSEH’S REIGN

We covered 2 Kings 20 back on Feb. 12 along with Isaiah 38 so today I’m looking at chapter 21- the reign of Manasseh.

I’m also going to combine portions differently than the original reading schedule so that I’m covering the narrative perspectives from 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles together. Feel free to follow the original schedule OR you can read this week by the schedule below which will give you an extra day to catch up if you’re a little behind. I’m only going to do 5 posts this week.

Monday (today) – 2 Kings 21

Tuesday – 2 Chronicles 32-33

Wednesday – Nahum

Thursday – 2 Kings 22, 2 Chron. 34

Friday – 2 Kings 23, 2 Chron. 35

Saturday – free to catch up

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There’s evil and then there’s Manasseh, the wickedest king in the history of Israel and Judah. He was so evil he made even old King Ahab of Israel look decent by comparison.

Remember how Hezekiah was dying and cried and begged God to give him more time? Manasseh was born about 3 years after Hezekiah was healed. And we noticed how Hezekiah himself went downhill spiritually after his recovery.

While we are not God and can’t really know “what might’ve been,” as far as I can tell, it would’ve been better if Hezekiah had just accepted his death.

Who knows what makes a kid turn bad? Hezekiah may have been proud in his waning years, but he certainly wasn’t modeling satanic worship for his son.

Manasseh was only 12 when he became king. We aren’t told how quickly he turned to idolatry but it was probably early-on since he is described right out of the gate as “evil.”

It could be that there were some court advisors or influential people who wanted to “come out of the closet” as idolaters since all non-Yahweh worship had been outlawed during Hezekiah’s reign. Perhaps they wanted their worship-preferences to be accepted and persuaded the young king to not be “narrow minded” like his father and embrace all of the gods, not just Yahweh.

Whatever the cause, Manasseh went all-in. He was Judah’s Idolater-in-Chief; going so far as to place idols and altars to them in the Temple itself and offered up his own son as a burnt offering in demonic orgy.

When people wander off that far into darkness, violence is always part of it- particularly violence against the innocent.

“Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” 2 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

There have been serial killers and blood-thirsty maniacs down through the centuries. The ones who are caught and put on trial often show no remorse; no conscience. There is no way they could do what they did to their victims if they had the least shred of conscience. Paul warns Timothy about this:

“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The matter of keeping a “clear conscience” comes up several times in Paul’s letter to Timothy; in 1:5 but also here:

“Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Don’t go along with the flow; even if “the flow” claims to be Christian. We go by the Word of God.

The opposite ditch to avoid is a hyper-sensitive conscience where a person is so legalistic and anxious they’re afraid that if they sneeze the “wrong way” they have sinned. And then there are the demon-hunters who suspect an evil spirit behind every sniffle, headache, hormonal imbalance.

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Freedom is the narrow path between the ditches of legalism and license.

Let’s invite the LORD to shape our conscience according to His Truth and Grace.

Now back to Manasseh…

“Then the Lord said through his servants the prophets: “King Manasseh of Judah has done many detestable things. He is even more wicked than the Amorites, who lived in this land before Israel. He has caused the people of Judah to sin with his idols.”
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yahweh sent prophets to warn the people. So they couldn’t say “We didn’t know!” They knew.

Manasseh was more wicked than the Amorites! And that’s saying something! The Amorites were one of the giant clans descended from post-flood incursions of human and fallen-angel intermingling or some kind of demonic, genetic highjacking. So if Yahweh would destroy the Amorites from out of the land for their wickedness, Manasseh and Judah will not get a pass.

“So this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of those who hear about it will tingle with horror. I will judge Jerusalem by the same standard I used for Samaria and the same measure I used for the family of Ahab. I will wipe away the people of Jerusalem as one wipes a dish and turns it upside down.”
‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jerusalem and Judah are about to get the Samaria Treatment: Total destruction.

Have you ever seen a kid do something he KNEW he wasn’t supposed to do, then say “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” All the way to the woodshed?

🤔 Woodshed? He’s gotta chop wood?🪵🪓

No, Junior. In the old days, a dad would sometimes take a disobedient kid “to the woodshed” for a thorough paddling or a whoopin’ with a switch.

😐 Sounds unpleasant.

Indeed. I wouldn’t want to experience that.

😯 You never got taken to the woodshed?

Heavens no. I had way more sense than that, even as a child.

Under king Manasseh, Judah crosses the point of no return. It won’t matter how much they say to the LORD, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Their fate is now sealed. They are going to get their backside thrashed. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren will get a second chance, but they have used up all of their many chances.

There is a twist in Manasseh’s story that you won’t see coming. That’s in tomorrow’s reading. See you then.