2nd Kings 21 EVIL ACTIONS, DESECRATION -- "FORGIVENESS?" Some things are hard for us to grasp or even imagine. How could a young man, the son of a righteous man who did right personally and taught what was right to those under his leadership, turn out to be as mean as a "junk yard dog" who was so perverted by false religion as to actually sacrifice his own son in the fire. Manasseh actually served with his father in leadership for ten years and would have been learning how to serve and please God. But when his time came to lead the people, he totally and deliberately rejected all he had been taught.
A person can be born into favorable circumstances in a "Christian home;" be taught the Bible truths from childhood; share in the practices of believing parents; seem like they are believers themselves - and turn away from it all in a very short time. The only reasonable explanation is their heart is not right before God. Because they were under parental authority, they did what was acceptable by others and expedient at the moment for them. Once they get on their own, who they really are is obvious. They may even claim to be "Christians," but "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it.
Manasseh's deliberate rejection of God; his desecration of the temple by putting idols there; the practice of divination and occultism lead to sickening acts. Perhaps he had heard of Ahab and all the evil things he did in Israel. It may be his own grandfather Ahaz had stirred a dark fascination in his sinful heart for forbidden things. To be kept away from worldly activities by parents who love the Lord does not keep our children who are not indwelt by the Holy Spirit from wanting to try those things that had been prohibited. A life of faith in God who is not seen by natural eyes is not as exciting to an unbeliever as the immoral attractions of the world that appeal to the flesh and are promoted by the devil.
For a self-centered man who is in a place of leadership to do the things Manasseh did even to his own son, is so abhorrent to us that we are surprised God would allow him to even live. The we remember God is a God of mercy and grace. If we compare ourselves with others, we would think they should be more like us. But there is really no difference. We have "all sinned and come short of the glory of God." It is not because of our supposedly sterling qualities that He saved us. We were sinners just like everyone else. We can only live to please Him because it is Christ "the hope of glory" who is in us. It is because of the new nature He planted in us that has preserved us from doing the same things as other people. Beside this, we have the Holy Spirit in us at all times so that we are able to fulfill the "lusts of the flesh."
Manasseh went farther than just the practice of evil in himself, but the bitterness in his heart and the evil he did extended to others. He went to séances, consulted with soothsayers and wizards, and went farther into idolatry than the idol-worshipping people who inhabited the land generations earlier. Not only did the king do these things but he led others into the same practices. Evil overtook the nation in one generation. The Lord warned him through prophets and he would not listen to them but killed them.
Isaiah gave warning that God was measuring their evil by His divine standards, and the king had failed in every way. There was no redeeming feature in him and those who followed his leadership. The measuring tools used in building were used to show what was wrong and were symbolic of the destruction and judgment that was coming. When Manasseh "killed the prophets," despised the Lord, desecrated the temple and led the people astray - "the cup of iniquity" was overflowing. The judgment that had been promised would inevitably come.
Innocent people who were likely those who lived godly, were being killed because of their opposition to the evil that had come upon the nation under king Manasseh. It may have been that Isaiah was one who was killed during that time. Jewish tradition suggests that he may have been sawed in half in a hollow log. In our minds there doesn't seem there could possibly be hope for one who has gone so far away from the faith of his father. He had done so much evil and influenced so many people to do that which is wrong, that there could be no possible way grace could reach him.
However, when Manasseh was a captive in Babylon there was repentance on his part that was genuine and he turned to God for mercy. For a time, he led the people of Judah again and there was a brief period of revival under the leadership of the same man who led them astray. We should never underestimate the extent and power of the grace of God. For those who mourn for the waywardness of their children - fear not. God is able to do what we cannot do. He can bring the prodigal to his senses and perhaps use them in some way for His glory, even after we are gone.
Sowing and reaping are principles which cannot be avoided. Manasseh's son, Amon, became king and he followed the practices of his father during the dark days of his leadership. He walked in willful disobedience to God. Even though the nation had a revival, once again it fell under the influence of an evil leader. It may have been that the people had been appreciative of the change in Manasseh that they resented the evil leadership of Amon and so some of his servants assassinated him. The confusion that followed continued when the people killed those assassins and chose his eight-year-old son to be their king.
It is possible when apostasy comes upon a people that they become sickened with the senselessness of what is happening and say, "Enough is enough." This gives us hope even though this does not happen very often; there can be at least some recovery. In Manasseh's case his repentance and God's forgiveness was unexpected, but it happened - his life was changed and he was given the opportunity to right some of the wrongs he had done. Amon his son quickly undid the good he had done, but the people had a brief taste of what was right, and under Josiah, his son there was recovery. When one comes to his senses and calls out to God for mercy, God hears. When repentance is real, forgiveness is real and a new attitude toward the Lord is obvious and the changes in one's life are not superficial.
2Kings 21:13. “And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.”
UPSIDE DOWN. What is happening in the house of the Lord? What are they building in there? All those strange altars, what are they for? God doesn’t with evil worship share! To place altars there to the host of heaven, Is sacrilege of the worst kind! As God looks down where He once dwelt with men
I wonder what now He can find?
What is happening in the house of the king? What is he teaching his son to do? Surely, he’s not going to the world’s fire bring His son so that the fire he must pass through?! In the home of a leader there will be indelibly impressed On the minds of his family – truth or lies! The children know well what their father possessed – Where his morals and main interests reside.
God is the same today as He was back when He wiped the city that turned from Him – like a dish. With the plumb line of His justice He dealt with them then, And made their heritage no more than a wish. Upside down and empty without a thing to offer – Is the family or house of God that turns away From God and His truth to what the world proffers Because we let ourselves fall under the world’s false sway.
“O God: places that once held and taught the truth of Thy Word have adapted to what the world system offers. They think it is right because it is more acceptable to everyone. Please keep me from wrongly influencing my family and the whole family of God I pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”