seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Chronicles 33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
7 He took the image he had made and put it in God’s temple, of which God had said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites leave the land I assigned to your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them concerning all the laws, decrees and regulations given through Moses.” 9 But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.
10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11 So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shacklesand took him to Babylon. 12 In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. 13 And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.
I can see how loosing your dad when you are twelve is rough. I can see that running a country at the age of twelve is quite a burden. I can not see... I can not understand how he could do what the Bible says he did. In verse 6 He sacrificed his children in fire. Now that doesn't mean he tested his children... by forcing them to make decisions about life.... as God does.... Manasseh burned his babies alive!
Now... As I read it.....here's where God stands.... God made a promise to David. Jesus had to come from David's line. Manasseh was murdering his babies.... a line cannot continue when the children are being cooked like pork for a pulled pork sandwich. He had to be stopped. So God sent the king of Assyria.... Manasseh thought he was captured because "he"[Manasseh] took on the king of Assyria.... actually he was captured because "He"[God] wouldn't allow this to continue.
Then in verse 7 I see Manasseh setting up his own idol in the Temple. God doesn't like shiny little idols in His house.
Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me."
They put a hook in his nose. It's in verse 11. The bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. I bet the Assyrians thought this was all their idea! I bet they didn't have a clue that God was using them to bring Manasseh to his senses..... humble him....like putting him in a chair in the corner to calm down and see the reality of the situation.
Manasseh thought he was king.... the top cat. Manasseh, however, was only the figurehead in a Theocracy.... Manasseh really didn't rule Judah.... anymore than the Queen of England rules England. The king of Judah was a figurehead. God ran things and on top of that.... God had an agreement with David, Manasseh's great great whatever grandfather... and that agreement included making sure that at least one baby survived to carry down the line of David. In other words... Manasseh needed a time out and God was going to make sure he got it.
God knew that once Manasseh had a chance to consider the realities of his situation... he would come around. Manasseh now knew who was really in charge of Judah and Jerusalem. No more baby cooking. No more building fake churches. Reign it in Manasseh.... God is in charge, children are a blessing, and the fake churches had to go.
This is from the easy English site.
Manasseh was the king of Judah from about 687 BC to 642 BC. It seems that he ruled with his father Hezekiah for about 10 years before that. He was 12 years old when he started to rule. And he ruled for 55 years. He ruled more years than any other king of Judah or Israel.
Manasseh made an image and he put it in the LORD’s temple. This image was probably an image of the female god Asherah. This was an awful sin and it was an insult to the LORD God.
The LORD had promised that the country would belong to the Israelites. He had said that he would never remove them from that country. But this promise depended on their actions. They had to obey God’s commands. They had to do all that God told them by Moses. They had not obeyed the LORD. They had not done as they should have done.
Manasseh led the people in Judah away from the LORD. He led them into all the wicked ways of the nations. The people in Judah were worse than those nations that the LORD had removed. And the LORD was angry with Manasseh and with the people.
Manasseh and the people would not listen to the LORD. Because of their sin, the LORD told them about the punishment that he would send upon them. Enemies would destroy Jerusalem and the people would go into exile (2 Kings 21:10-15).
The LORD sent officers from the king of Assyria. They tied Manasseh with chains and they took him to Babylon. No other records mention this event. Perhaps he joined Egypt’s army as they tried to get free from the rule of Assyria. It may be that Manasseh had involved himself in the affairs of Babylon. The brother of King Osnappar, Shamash-shum-ukin was the ruler in Babylon. He tried to free Babylon from the rule of Assyria. But Osnappar defeated the army of Babylon. These events were in about 652 to 648 BC.
Manasseh suffered there in Babylon. He prayed to the LORD. He repented that he had been proud. And he repented of his wicked deeds. He was humble toward the God of his ancestors. And th *LORD heard him. He did not deserve it but the LORD was kind to him. The LORD caused the king of Assyria to free Manasseh. Manasseh returned to Jerusalem. The answer to his prayers convinced him that the LORD was the real God. But this was too late to prevent the future punishment of Judah.
When I first started this Bible study.... Back in Genesis 1:1.... I wanted to find out more about the people in the middle east. Where did their people come from. Who is cousin to who? Which one of Noah's sons is the father of their nation? This baby killing, idol carving moron is from the line of David.... he's the great great whatever grandfather of Jesus of Nazareth... The Messiah.... Savior! I now see... based on this Bible study.... that we humans can not just blindly follow our leaders. If someone this messed up.... someone who would take a baby and throw it on a fire to sizzle and burn, while singing praises to the fire.... is the king of Judah in a Theocracy.... we have to be careful. Manasseh repented and got off the hook.... but the people... the everyday citizens who were only following the direction of the king.... they didn't repent... and they will still get the punishment that the Repentant baby killing, idol carving moron missed.
Doing what is Right is a personal thing. When the rest of the world is worshiping tiny shiny objects and taking innocent lives.... it's hard to stand up and say stop. My friend, is ok with spraying hot sauce in the faces of children at the border because "the President says it's got to be done." See where I'm going?
