2 CHRONICLES LESSON 33

     We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 33:1 "Manasseh [was]
twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five
years in Jerusalem:"

     We mentioned in the lesson just before this, that Hezekiah,
one of the kings who tried to please God, was the father of this very
evil king. Manasseh was very young, when he took over as king. He
reigned, until he was 67 years old.

     II Chronicles 33:2 "But did [that which was] evil in the sight of
the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had
cast out before the children of Israel."

     To say that Manasseh was evil was an understatement of the facts.
Historical books say that Isaiah was sawn assunder by the orders of
this evil king. He chose the heathen false gods over the One True God.

     II Chronicles 33:3  "For he built again the high places which
Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for
Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and
served them."

     It seemed, that all of the good his father Hezekiah had done, he
turned around into something very evil. He restored the evil worship
of Ashteroth and Baalim. He worshipped the sun, moon, and stars,
instead of worshipping the One who created them. He was worshipping
things he could see with his physical eyes. I have said before,
anything that you can see with physical eyes is not God. God is a
Spirit.

     II Chronicles 33:4 "Also he built altars in the house of the
LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for
ever." II Chronicles 33:5 "And he built altars for all the host of
heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD."

     This is even worse than building the high places. Now, they had
brought these evil false gods into the temple in Jerusalem, which had
been built as a place of fellowship with the True God. The host of
heaven indicates they were observers of the times of the horoscope.

     II Chronicles 33:6 "And he caused his children to pass through
the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times,
and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar
spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the
LORD, to provoke him to anger."

     This is speaking of sacrificing children to the false god,
Molech. All of the things mentioned in the verses above, were strictly
forbidden of God. They were things the Ammonites and the Moabites had
been doing. Judah, under the rule of Manasseh, began to practice the
evils of the heathens. Observers of times is speaking of the horoscope
signs. This particular sin is still prevalent in our society today.
Palm reading, hypnotism, tarot cards, and many other things are
directly associated with these things. All of the things, mentioned in
the Scripture above, are forbidden in the Levitical law.

     II Chronicles 33:7 "And he set a carved image, the idol which he
had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to
Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen
before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:"

     This carved image of a false god had come into the temple, which
God had accepted from His people as His earthly abode. God had
accepted it at the dedication ceremony, when Solomon prayed before the
altar. This is the very worst thing they could have done. God will not
let this continue.

     II Chronicles 33:8 "Neither will I any more remove the foot of
Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers;
so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them,
according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the
hand of Moses."

     The blessings, that God had promised His people, had been
conditional from the beginning. He would bless them, as long as they
obeyed him and kept His commandments. When they did not, there would
be abundant curses fall upon them.

     II Chronicles 33:9 "So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem to err, [and] to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD
had destroyed before the children of Israel."

     Manasseh was so evil, himself, that he caused the people to sin
with him. God had destroyed the heathen for doing even less evil than
this. An evil ruler causes his subjects to be evil, as well.

     II Chronicles 33:10 "And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his
people: but they would not hearken."

     God loved them, even though they had done these terrible things.
They did not take the warning he sent, however. They were so proud,
they would not humble themselves before God.

     II Chronicles 33:11  "Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the
captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among
the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon."

     This is very plain that the captains of the Assyrians took him
and turned him over to the Babylonians.

     II Chronicles 33:12 "And when he was in affliction, he besought
the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his
fathers," II Chronicles 33:13 "And prayed unto him: and he was
entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to
Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he [was]
God."
     It appears, from this, that suddenly Manasseh remembered the God
of his father and prayed to him for forgiveness and help. God heard
his prayer and restores him as king of Judah. Manasseh had killed many
of the prophets, probably, because they told him what he was doing was
wrong. It is such a wonderful thing to see the forgiveness of God in
action as this. Because God answered the prayer of Manasseh, he
believed.

     II Chronicles 33:14 "Now after this he built a wall without the
city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the
entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it
up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced
cities of Judah."

     He was restored as king of Judah, and began to rebuild the city
wall. He even restored the army of Judah.

     II Chronicles 33:15 "And he took away the strange gods, and the
idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had
built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and
cast [them] out of the city."

     He went back and tried to make ammends for all of the false
worship he had established. He tore down the places of idol worship,
and removed the evil idols in the house of the LORD. It appears, he
had truly repented for his sins.

     II Chronicles 33:16 "And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and
sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded
Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel."

     These were both voluntary offerings. He had completely turned
around, and commanded Judah to do the same.

     II Chronicles 33:17 "Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still
in the high places, [yet] unto the LORD their God only."

     Their worship of the LORD was mixed with false worship, because
they used the high places, instead of the temple in Jerusalem for
worship.

     II Chronicles 33:18  "Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and
his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him
in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they [are written] in
the book of the kings of Israel."

     The reference, here, could be speaking of the 2nd book of Kings
chapter 21. The seers, spoken of here, are, possibly, speaking of the
prophets, who had warned Manasseh of his evil ways.

     II Chronicles 33:19 "His prayer also, and [how God] was entreated
of him, and all his sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he
built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was
humbled: behold, they [are] written among the sayings of the seers."
     There seemed to be records kept by the prophets of that day.
Perhaps, this is speaking of those records. Many of the historians had
a great deal to say about this. Whether the prophets had written down
his sins or not, God was keeping records. God knows everything that
Manasseh did, and He, also, knows everything you and I have done. Some
day all of the records will be opened. Thank goodness, our sins have
been erased, if we haveaccepted Jesus as our Saviour.

     II Chronicles 33:20  "So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and
they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his
stead."

     This is, possibly, speaking of a burial plot in the garden of his
own home. He had, possibly, prepared the place. Amon would be an evil
king.

     II Chronicles 33:21  "Amon [was] two and twenty years old when he
began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem."

     Amon was born relatively late in Manasseh's life. He would have
been 45, when Ammon was born. The oldest son usually becomes king. If
Manaseh had other sons, he had, probably, sacrificed them in the fire
to Molech. It appears, this evil son of Manasseh reigned 2 years.

     II Chronicles 33:22 "But he did [that which was] evil in the
sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed
unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and
served them;"

     He, probably, began worshipping these false gods, when Manasseh
set them up in Jerusalem. When Manasseh repented of his sins and
returned to God, it seems Amon did not repent of his sins. He
continued to worship false gods.

     II Chronicles 33:23 "And humbled not himself before the LORD, as
Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and
more."

     His father had made this same mistake, but he had repented. Amon
was too proud. He did not repent, nor turn from his wicked ways. His
sins became more and more, instead of less.

     II Chronicles 33:24 "And his servants conspired against him, and
slew him in his own house."

     They actually slew him in his own bed.

     II Chronicles 33:25 "But the people of the land slew all them
that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made
Josiah his son king in his stead."

     Josiah would be more like Hezekiah. He did right in the sight of
the LORD. He had his father's murderers killed.

                      2 Chronicles 33 Questions


1.  How old was Manasseh, when he began to reign?
2.  How many years did he reign?
3.  He did that which was ________ in the sight of the LORD.
4.  What prophet do historians say he had sawn assunder?
5.  What did he do in direct opposition to what Hezekiah had done?
6.  What did he put in the courts of the house of the LORD?
7.  What terrible thing did he do in the valley of Hinnom?
8.  What false god was this?
9.  The __________ and Moabites had been following these practices.
10. What are some of these evils, that are present in our society
    today?
11. What did he put in the house of the LORD?
12. How could Judah have been blessed of God?
13. Who did Manasseh cause to sin?
14. Who captured Manasseh?
15. Where did they take him?
16. When did he seek the LORD?
17. Did God forgive him?
18. What did he do, as soon as he returned to Jerusalem?
19. What kind of offerings did he make unto the LORD?
20. Who were the seers in verse 18?
21. Where is the rest of this about Manasseh recorded?
22. Where did the bury Manasseh?
23. Who reigned in his stead?
24. Why do you suppose the son of his old age reigned?
25. What type king was Amon?
26. How was he killed?
27. Josiah would be more like __________.