2 Kings 21:1-9
Manasseh becomes king at 12 years old and reigned 55 years. His reign was longer than any other king, of either kingdom. He undid every good thing his father did. It's not hard to imagine him as a spoiled little kid of royalty stepping up to his throne; although this is just speculation. We have to wonder though if the power had gone to his head and his sin nature rose to the top. Manasseh did more evil than any other King of Judah. He built an Asherah and built high places to worship the host of heaven. He practiced divination and witchcraft using mediums and spiritists. He defiled the temple with his ways. He even sacrificed his son to Molech.
2 Kings 21:10-18
Because of that, God said he would bring such a calamity on them that whoever hears of it their ears will tingle. God likens this house cleaning to that of the house of Ahab to the North. He would wipe Jerusalem like he was cleaning a dish. They provoked God and His paitence had run out. He was bringing judgment.
As if we had not heard enough, verse 16 adds that he shed much innocent blood in Jerusalem from one end to another. This is likely the preying on the weak, martyr of God's prophets, or child sacrifice.
Read 2 Chronicles 33:11-17. Manasseh was taken away to exile for a time and humbled. The Lord then heard his cry of repentance and brought him back where he began to look more like his father. He led the people to worship only the Lord.
2 Kings 21:19-26
Amon, Manasseh's son, became king at 22 years old and reigned 2 years. He did all the evil his father had done. His servants conspired against him and killed him. In response to this the people of the land killed the conspirators. Josiah, the son of Manasseh, was then made king of Judah.
©2016 Doug Ford
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