“And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.” — 2 Chronicles 33:12-13

If we were to compile a list of evil individuals who have ruled over nations of this world, surely Manasseh, King of Judah, would be near the top. Manasseh restored all the idolatrous forms of worship that his godly father, Hezekiah, had abolished. He erected altars to Baal and turned to witchcraft and wizards. He worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, and even sacrificed his own son to the Ammonite god, Molech. And he killed all who protested his evil actions. 

When Manasseh faced adversity, though, he was driven to his knees. Our focus verses record that in a time of affliction, he “humbled himself greatly before God.” And despite his record of terrible wickedness, God had mercy on him and restored him to the throne. In response, Manasseh went on to institute spiritual reform in Judah. 

Many centuries later, a backslider named Art Benedict also experienced the amazing mercy of God in a time of great affliction. It was in the burn ward of a hospital that Art turned back to the God he had rejected for years. He testified, “As I left for work that fateful morning, I told my family I would be home early, but that was not to be. Just a few hours later, a gasoline explosion took place in the boiler room where I was working. The only way of escape was up a steep stairway and through a manhole. However, the manhole acted like a flue for the fire. Caught on that stairway, I was burning from head to foot. I was a backslider— I had turned away from God—and oh the terror that a few moments face to face with eternity can bring! 

“In desperation, I cried out, ‘Oh God, help me!’ My screams alerted my co-workers, and I was pulled to safety, but I was severely burned on my face, neck, and forearms. Rushed to the hospital, for days I hovered between life and death. With my head swathed in bandages and my eyes swollen shut, I was fed through tubes. The suffering was intense. 

“Another man occupied the room with me. He, too, had been terribly burned, but he was able to walk around. During the night hours, he would come over to my bedside and hold a cigarette to my swollen lips, and I would take a drag or two. My wife, who was also a backslider, was troubled by the sight of me smoking after being rescued from the very brink of death. She objected to me doing so, pointing out that perhaps God had permitted the accident to bring me to my senses. She said that if I were to ignore Him, I might never get out of that hospital alive. 

“Her words made me think. On the fifth day of my awful suffering and semi-delirium, a minister from the Apostolic Faith Church came to my bedside. Although I couldn’t see him, his presence gave me hope. After that I began to pray secretly. However, there was a restitution I thought I could not face. At night, when the hospital was quiet, I would weep and say, ‘I can never do it!’ But God continued to deal with me and eventually, I yielded and committed to making that restitution. 

“The next time the man of God came to see me, I whispered through parched lips that God had spoken peace to my soul. That peace was mine during the crucial time when an awful infection raged through my system. One night just past midnight, I awoke, and the room seemed to be full of angels. My heart was so full of joy that I wondered how long I could stifle the praises! A picture of God’s mercy burst vividly before me—the Hell I had escaped and the peace I had gained. The Spirit of God rolled through my being, and God sanctified me. Afterward, I slept like a child. My burned arm, which had caused the doctor so much concern, was clean. He said, ‘It is marvelous!’ 

“Four weeks to the day after the fire, the doctor sent me home. The next Sunday, for the first time in over nine years, I stepped into the Apostolic Faith Church. As the service took place, I drank in the testimonies, the songs, and the sermon. When the altar call was given, I went forward, and the Spirit of God surged through me again. My tongue poured forth praises to God in an unknown language. To think that God would again baptize me with the Holy Ghost! I could not keep quiet. During that altar service, the Lord also saved my wife. God is still on the throne, and surely my testimony is that His mercy endureth forever.” 

What an amazing God we serve! If God forgave Manasseh of Judah and, centuries later, Art Benedict of Portland, Oregon, we can be certain He will do the same for any sinner who turns to Him with an honest and repentant heart. As we pray for those who are currently going their own way in sin, let’s remind ourselves that until death, no one is beyond God’s great mercy in this life!

BACKGROUND

In Chapter 33 of 2 Chronicles, a record is given of the fifty-five-year reign of Manasseh and the two-year reign of his son, Amon. Manasseh was a desperately wicked king who worshipped pagan gods and even sacrificed his own children to them (verses 1-9). However, verses 10-13 relate that when Manasseh faced the bitter consequences of his sins, he humbly repented, was restored to his kingdom, and went on to institute spiritual reforms in the nation (verses 14-17). Manasseh’s death is recorded in verses 18-20. His son and successor, Amon, followed the evil ways of his father, and was killed by his servants after just two years on the throne (verses 21-25). A parallel account regarding these two kings is found in 2 Kings 21, although Manasseh’s humbling and repentance is not covered in that passage. 

A number of the specific sins of Manasseh are mentioned in this chapter.
   • He followed the abominable practices of the heathens (verse 2).
   • He rebuilt the high places destroyed by Hezekiah, and followed the example of Ahab in erecting altars to Baalim and worshiping “all the host of heaven” (verse 3).
   • He built altars to pagan deities in the Temple and its courts (verses 4-5).
   • He offered his own sons as burnt sacrifices in the Valley of Hinnom (verse 6).
   • He practiced soothsaying (fortune telling), used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums (verse 6).
   • He defamed God by setting an idolatrous image in the house of God (verse 7). 

Verse 9 indicates that Manasseh’s apostasy and evil actions influenced the people of Judah to turn away from the godly reforms of his father, Hezekiah, and ultimately marked them for destruction because they did deeds “worse than the heathen.” 

Verse 10 says that “the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people…” Prophets such as Isaiah, Micah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel warned the people of the coming desolation of Judah and Jerusalem, “. . . but they would not hearken.” The account in 2 Kings 21:16 relates that “Manasseh shed innocent blood very much,” and no doubt some of the prophets were among those victims. Early Jewish and Christian traditions hold that Manasseh ordered the martyrdom of Isaiah. 

The word “wherefore” in verse 11 indicates that God sent the Assyrian army as His instrument of divine judgment upon unrepentant Manasseh and Judah, and the king was carried away captive to Babylon. In his distress, Manasseh “besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly” (verse 12), crying out to God for deliverance. In response, God extended mercy and the king was restored to his nation and the throne. The fact that his repentance was genuine is illustrated in verses 14-16 by the actions he took following his restoration: he fortified the city of Jerusalem, removed the idols from the house of God, took down the altars he had built to false gods, sacrificed to God, and commanded the people to serve the Lord God of Israel. Manasseh’s death, burial, and successor is noted in verse 20. 

Amon, who followed his father as the king of Judah, was twenty-two years of age when he ascended the throne. His rule is described only briefly and is characterized as being “evil in the sight of the Lord.” After two years, he was assassinated in his own house at the hands of his servants, who were then killed by the people of the land. The chapter concludes with the statement that the people appointed Amon’s son, Josiah, as his successor.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

III. The history of the kings of Judah
     N. The reign of Manasseh (33:1-20)
          1. The wickedness of his reign (33:1-9)
          2. The captivity and restoration of Manasseh (33:10-13)
          3. The later reforms by Manasseh (33:14-17)
          4. The death of Manasseh (33:18-20)
     O. The reign of Amon (33:21-25)
          1. The wickedness of his reign (33:21-23)
          2. The conspiracy against Amon (33:24-25)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. According to verse 9, who was influenced by Manasseh’s evil actions?
2. What does the fact that God responded to Manasseh’s entreaty tell us about His nature?
3. God often uses adversity to draw people to Himself. What methods did God use to get your attention?

CONCLUSION

God will never turn away a truly repentant heart that comes to Him seeking forgiveness.