WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! 2nd Chronicles 33 The writer of Chronicles, guided by the Holy Spirit, aimed to warn future generations about the danger of forgetting the lessons learned from those who came before them. It references occasions when Hezekiah’s actions are explained and justified. Manasseh, whose name means "forgetting," shared leadership with his father for several years and witnessed firsthand the importance of humility before God. Probably during the last ten years of the fifteen-year extension of Hezekiah's life, he witnessed how a repentant and humble man serves God and how the people respected his father. In his pride after his father’s death, Manasseh chose to follow the example of his wicked grandfather Ahaz instead of emulating his father’s goodness.
Manasseh reigned for 55 years, and those were the worst years in the history of Judah. The list of sins he committed is described in the Book of 2nd Kings. He was a murderer who kept on murdering children. The book of Josephus offers insight into the times in which he lived and his activities. I am not sure of the reliability of the source, but tradition says that Isaiah was sawn in two by Manasseh, which might be referenced in Hebrews 11.
There is something peculiar about human beings in that it is not uncommon for us to want to change things to suit ourselves, rather than follow the tried, true, and proven ways of godly people who, in the simplicity of their faith, follow God. There are attempts to use verses from the Bible to justify evil intentions, and by taking verses out of context, they are adapted to personal opinions.
This attitude has led to an unusual and evil philosophy that says, "Your truth is truth for you, and my truth is truth for me." So, truth, then, is relative and what each individual claims it to be. To many people, there is no absolute truth or standard of righteousness. Ungodly attitudes and actions follow, and chaos ensues in personal lives. It is inevitable that when such an opinion becomes popular, whole societies and nations will disintegrate from within.
Under Manasseh's morally and spiritually corrupt reign, the decline toward God's righteous judgment on His people sped up due to Manasseh's and the people's sins. A strange fascination with the occult, demons, sorcery, and seeking omens in the stars became common. The evil king was deaf to any warnings from the Lord that came to him through the prophets. Instead, he brought more destruction and wickedness to Judah than any other king, and for the longest reign of all the kings of Judah. He led the people into paganism and servitude to the Assyrians. He burned some of his children as sacrifices to Moloch. He tried to communicate with the dead through soothsayers, mediums, and other forms of evil spiritism.
This is similar to today, where people look to horoscopes, tea leaf reading, and palmistry to gain supposed insights into their future. Even children's computer games feature demonic figures trying to kill opponents and win victories. Tattoos often depict skulls, demon faces, and other dark symbols. Sadly, some believers believe they strengthen their Christian witness by tattooing scriptures, the cross, and other so-called Christian symbols, but this simply aligns them with current culture.
We would dislike the idea of children passing through fire. Still, today, in our country, millions of children are aborted and burned before they can exercise their rights because parents don't want a child to interfere with their personal lifestyle. The pain of losing a child's life is often ignored by selfish, pleasure-seeking adults. The actions and attitudes of Manasseh are being practiced now. Why is this so widespread and accepted by so many? This is because the moral and spiritual standards of past generations are perceived as "old-fashioned and out of date" and are therefore rejected. The prevailing belief now is, “Everyone is doing it except for a few old people and religious fanatics. If the majority accepts it and practices it, it can't be wrong. After all, the majority rules."
The sins of Manasseh were truly sickening. As a corrupt leader, he was among the worst. He not only did what was wrong and promoted evil by making idols, high places, and living in debauchery, but he also worked to undermine the worship of the True God and desecrate God's house. He was not satisfied with simply promoting evil; he aimed to remove what was righteous and holy.
People who complain that everyone should tolerate everything and everyone, whether lawbreakers or religious activities, are often very intolerant of Bible-believing Christians who adhere to divine, God-given law. For us to uphold the commandments of God and openly preach them angers many. They want to eliminate guilt, which is why they reject anything that produces it, like the Ten Commandments, the teachings of Jesus, and the Gospel. By doing so, they believe they can live freely and happily.
When restraints are lifted from a society, decline quickly begins. It begins when restrictions are lifted at home, and children are allowed to do as they please. Then, in schools, there is little respect demanded from students and hardly any consequences for their misbehavior. Parents even support their children despite clear evidence of wrongdoing. Soon, they may engage in unrestrained use of alcohol and drugs. Eventually, they turn to criminal behavior in the community to support their lifestyles, including rioting against police and legal authorities. In the workplace, the restrictions and expectations placed on employers make it very difficult for small business owners to stay profitable. Once we have done all we can to stop the spread of wickedness, we can only wait for God to act in His way to bring judgment and justice.
In Manasseh's time, prophets warned the leaders and the people about what would happen if they did not repent and turn from their sinful ways. However, those warnings were either ignored or rejected. Prophets were killed, mocked, scourged, and imprisoned. They became "destitute, afflicted, and tormented." The world was not worthy of such people. Manasseh's sins were immense, and the abominations he committed and encouraged had a harmful effect on others, causing them to reject God's messengers—and then God Himself.
The Assyrians, who were the dominant power at that time, were moved by the Lord to capture and take Manasseh to Babylon for trial. He was led away from Jerusalem with a nose ring of humiliation and bronze shackles on his hands. Babylon was under Assyrian control at that time. While a captive in Babylon, Manasseh had dealings with God that brought about his conversion. The account of this is not found in the Book of 2nd Kings, so the Holy Spirit provided the chronicler with this information in some other way.
In mercy and grace, God brought Manasseh down to the bitterness of captivity and humiliation to the place of repentance and supplication before God. God heard his prayer and, in His way, brought him back to Jerusalem again, a better man. What a changed man he had become! He went from being an arrogant, evil ruler to a captive in chains. But when he returned, even though he was well advanced in years, he was a humbled and much wiser man. He returned to the place of leadership in Jerusalem and sought to undo the evil he had done. But the damage had been done, and idolatry and Judaism were mixed.
When God deals with us, it is our greatest wisdom to wait upon Him in faith, humbly, and if repentance for sin is needed, to do so without delay. "I now repent with bitter tears; Lord, I'm coming home." How wonderful it is of God to demonstrate His grace and mercy to someone as vile and evil as Manasseh. We can encourage those in the bondage of sin that… "There's a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There's a door that is opened that all may go in. At Calvary's cross is where you begin, When you come as a sinner to Jesus."
Manasseh likely shared leadership with Hezekiah for about ten years, from when he was twelve until he was twenty-two. Then, he ruled for roughly forty years, characterized by wicked and ungodly leadership and the sickening actions of idolatry. His influence led the people to practice what God opposed and to go against God's word. They mixed the worship of God with pagan rituals, resulting in confusion and sin that persist to this day. Although Manasseh had approximately five years to rule after returning from Babylon, during which he implemented positive reforms by rejecting his previous practices, the consequences of his earlier actions persisted.
The wrong he had done was picked up by his son, Amon, who reverted to open idolatry during the two years of his reign. The evil that Manasseh had committed influenced Amon more than the change, repentance, and forgiveness brought. The two altars remained in the two courts of the temple, and other remnants of Manasseh’s reign of evil were still there when Josiah became king after Amon’s short reign.
His son, Amon, had only two years to reign and seemed determined to reverse the reforms his father had implemented during his final years in office. In those two years of deliberate rejection, he repeated the same actions his father had done before being humbled and converted. He knew what his father was like in earlier years and appeared fascinated by the evil his father had promoted.
It is not good for those God saves from the dark side of life and from the powers of darkness to tell their children about their evil deeds in their unsaved days. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." For every believer, we must take our stand at the cross and find our only glory in it. "Jesus, keep me near the cross" is a wonderful safeguard that helps us remain humble. Manasseh never forgot his humbling conversion experience and must have felt unworthy of being buried with other kings, so he was buried "in his own house."
Amon's assassination by his servants reveals what this young, arrogant man of twenty-four was really like. Those who knew him best wanted him dead. They saw the kind of man he had become, and understood that under his leadership, things would only get worse "more and more." People are not stupid. They know when a leader has crossed the line and what will happen when evil goes unchecked. A leader’s lack of humility may be tolerated for a time, but "payday someday" always comes. Rebellion/ repentance. It often happens around the age of twelve; resistance to parental guidance causes righteousness to be abandoned. The lessons taught to him are put on the shelf, and a young person embarks on a path that ultimately condemns him. It seems tragic how far one will go; often much farther than those who never learned better. The wickedness and evil they choose to do wind around them and bind them with cords, making them captives to sin.
Who would have thought they would go so far; idol worship and even burning their own children. They tarnish the name of the Lord and damage family honor. Every evil practice that arises seems to attract them. Can they not see what they have done? Have they gone beyond the reach of God’s grace? Doesn't it bother them when they’re alone? What hope do they have left without true faith?
But the God of all grace has a plan; He arranges for them to become captives in a distant land. Through suffering and pain, He brings a man to such a desperate state that he is hungry and hopeless. Then, in humility and penitence, he bows and earnestly seeks the God of his father. In that remote place, Manasseh learned that God is present, aiming to bring about change and to free him from the bonds of sin.
He can start over, doing what is right because God often is the God of a “second chance.” Instead of dark deeds, he is shedding some light. His commitment to God is evident. However, he has left behind a residue; others who had followed him are doing right in the wrong places. God has forgiven him, it is true, but others were led astray, a serious consequence of his breaking the teachings of truth and holiness he had been taught.
How sad it is to see the strong years of young lives wasted in the pursuit of sin. How encouraging it is to see them brought to repentance by the hand of grace. We who are older pray they will be useful for the Lord. We need to show interest in the young in the early years and try to instill in them a willingness to heed God’s Word and ways, keeping them from following the ways of the sinful world.
"I HAVE FOUND THE BOOK." 2nd Chronicles 34 We often underestimate what young children absorb, especially if their parents do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or even in God. It is encouraging to read about Josiah, an eight-year-old boy who was positively influenced by his teachers and mentors. By the time he was sixteen and beginning to make serious decisions for himself, he "began to seek after the God of David his father." The consistency of those who taught him had a greater influence on him than his father’s evil actions.
Josiah, the young king, began seeking God as a teenager who was entrusted with great responsibility. During this time, Jeremiah and Zephaniah prophesied about the coming judgment on Judah because of their ancestors' sins. However, during Josiah’s reign, in many ways, he was Judah’s greatest king. His reforms restored Israel’s commitment to God’s Word. His loyalty to the written scriptures gave the Jews hope, even during the upcoming exile.
As a child, Josiah probably feared his father's wicked ways, so he sought the Lord early in life. By sixteen, it was clear that his faith in God was genuine and not just a passing fancy, and at twenty, he took steps to remove evil from his country. Although young, he had the authority to act against evil and used it. He understood how spiritual darkness hurt the nation. While he couldn't change people's hearts, he could eliminate objects associated with idolatry.
Eliminating sin and anything that leads to sinful behavior is very important. Ultimately, it is what comes from within that "defiles a man." Christian youth work might not seem very important now, but planting good seeds leads to good results. Age does not disqualify anyone from serving God. Faith in God, obedience to His word, and consistency in life build character and balance, regardless of age.
Removing evil through cleansing and purifying the remnants of sin is right, but dealing with sin also means committing to doing what is right even when it costs. The loss of popularity, friendships, finances, and worldly success often happens with cleansing. Just cleaning up and stopping there leaves one "empty, swept, and garnished." Truth must fill the soul and life to fill that emptiness. We do not live in a personal vacuum, even though society is in a "values vacuum." Our minds will be filled with whatever they feed on.
Josiah’s first step in seeking “the God of his father David” was to completely eliminate everything related to idolatry by burning it or grinding it into powder. His reforms included Israel, which had been conquered by the Assyrians many years earlier. The Assyrians weren’t concerned with the religion of the people they controlled, as long as they kept paying tribute. Josiah personally addressed the issues he saw as wrong and made sure the idols and symbols of idolatry were fully destroyed before he focused on repairing the temple.
Repairs to the house of the Lord required initiative from Josiah. He understood that restoring the temple was essential to bringing the Israelites back into obedience to God. Repairing the temple properly was important to him. There must have been some records that the recorder found, which included plans and specifications, so the temple could be restored exactly according to the original design. The work was carried out “faithfully.”
In a remarkable act of faith and unity, the Levites collected money from those remaining in the northern tribes after Israel was conquered as a nation. The poor who stayed behind to farm the land shared in the effort to restore the house of the Lord to its proper condition. There was unity in the repair work, and "the men did the work faithfully." In the place where the money was kept, they found the Book of the Law of the Lord, also known as “the Book of the Covenant.” That suggests it was the Pentateuch written by Moses. It had originally been kept next to the ark, but when the ark was moved, the container it was in was overlooked. It was when Josiah was motivated by the desire to repair the Lord's house and fix what was wrong that the book of the law, probably Deuteronomy, was discovered. When Josiah and his leaders listened to the book of the law read aloud, they realized how far the people of God had strayed from knowing and following God's will. Josiah did not take lightly the damage caused by sin. When Josiah heard the words of "the book," they deeply moved him in his heart and mind.
The task of repairing God's house and raising funds for it faded into the background as he humbled himself before God in repentance and tears. Josiah personally took God's word seriously and "rent his garments" in sincere sorrow. The impact of the words was so powerful that he immediately called Hulda, the prophetess, to see if there was any hope of mercy to escape God's wrath. She told him that God’s just anger against the nation would come, but he would be spared because of his tender heart and sincere humility. Judgment was unavoidable, and the people needed to hear and grasp the seriousness of their choices.
Because of his commitment and faithfulness to the Lord, judgment would come upon the nation after he died. He and his generation were granted a reprieve. The story of this period is more thoroughly detailed in the Book of 2nd Kings. Josiah did not halt the reform work because of the promised future judgment but encouraged it to continue until it was completed and the Passover could be celebrated.
Awareness of sin brings godly sorrow, which leads to repentance, and repentance results in salvation. True repentance and humility foster change when we obey the living word of God. When God's people have a clearly defined goal and a specific objective, they focus their attention and efforts on that aim and can find resources, even limited ones, to help with the Lord's work. Doing one thing correctly often opens the door to more opportunities and spiritual blessings, much like someone recognizing the need to restore an assembly's work.
A return to simple Gospel preaching, clear and relevant teaching, and active involvement by the Lord's people in His work gives us purpose as a gathered community of saints. It is not enough to just understand what needs to be done. God's people must be united in the work and develop a sense of ownership and responsibility that encourages commitment to the mission.
Many people today "study the Bible" and know a lot about what it says. But when someone admits that this is the word of God to me, it transforms everything—from seeing it merely as a volume to analyze, just "a book," to recognizing that there is a relevant message from God to me within "the book." This attitude toward the Bible clears up all the confusion caused by denominational biases, schools of theology, and seminaries, encouraging individuals to consider whether they are true "practitioners" of eternal life and to submit to biblical authority regardless of others' opinions or actions.
Someone once said, "The work of God in our hearts is far more important than the work of God in our hands." Not everyone reacts to God's word the same way when they hear it read and explained. Two people from the same family can sit on the same bench, listen to the same message at the same time, and one may be moved to tears and resolve, while the other looks over and wonders, "I wonder what's wrong with him?"
The traditions of men, actions in one's life, and the motivation and commitment to God all influence how God’s word is received. Altering the text and its context to fit people's desires can weaken the truth of Scripture, making everyone feel comfortable with what's said. When this happens in one generation, all the efforts and methods proven effective in past generations are lost. When someone speaks for God, they must deliver both the bad news and any encouraging words that can strengthen faith. People have temporarily changed their outward appearance depending on who led them, but outward change doesn't always reflect inward change.
In Josiah's time, God's people had drifted so far from Him that judgment was unavoidable. His repentance and sorrow over sin were sincere. God considers the heart, so Huldah's message gave him some insight into his own future. Josiah wanted God's people to understand they were a covenant people.
True humility is visible not only to God but also to others. God's word convicts and touches the heart, and when the heart is changed, the person is transformed as well. When we accept God's word with its convicting power, repentance leads to faith, and faith results in personal change. We naturally want others to experience the same. Truth has inherent power, and when it is received from God, we desire others to enjoy the same blessing.
The effect on people is not always consistent. When it is "believed with all thine heart," the inner conviction leads to genuine commitment. If it is received only as an intellectual agreement, it will influence a person only until a more appealing "doctrine of men" emerges.
Josiah's determination that all wrong practices be removed across Israel marked a major act of purification that influenced an entire generation. The people submitted to his leadership and were blessed because of his dedication to God and His word. He responded with "all his heart and with all his soul," and did what was right because he knew God. The people accepted his commands because of who he was, not solely because of their own devotion to God.
The sin of apostasy, like the one that brought God's judgment on Judah, is not something to be taken lightly. There is no greater or more serious sin than turning away from God and abandoning His word to serve other gods. Other gods refer to anything that replaces God in a person’s life. Both nations and individuals can become apostate. When other gods become the focus of life, those acts of apostasy cut off the loving care, wisdom, and discipline of the Creator God, who is grieved when rejected. It also hurts those who love God.
Found a Book. Josiah was young and impressionable, but he was not beyond change when he chose his life's path. He recognized moral and spiritual corruption and decided to stay true to what was right. This choice equipped him to address all the wrongs. As a result of his actions, the king and the entire nation turned to God when the book of the covenant was discovered.
An unread Bible is useless, and the message it holds is powerless to bring about the life change that the Author intends. But when it is dusted off and read, allowing us to gain its truth, honest people will then kneel before the holy God. When its message touches our hearts, it isn’t long before we begin making the changes that draw us back to God. First comes conviction, followed quickly by rejecting self-will, which humbles us before the Lord.
Reading the Bible and recognizing our responsibility before God encourages us to pause and turn to Him in repentance. It awakens our conscience, prompts us to abandon worldly distractions, and leads us to deliberately turn away from sin. When read in faith, the words of the book will soon prompt actions that demonstrate positive change. Both leaders and readers alike will confess the wrong they have committed.
Light, when it begins to dawn, not only shows what’s wrong but also reveals to all who care what is right. When genuine change occurs, it is not just a passing phase; the moral darkness quickly gives way to light. The Lord looks on with pleasure when we treasure the words of His book and act upon the truths within it. With the grace He possesses, He begins to bless us, and with love, He welcomes us to come back to Him.