2 Chronicles 33

2 Chronicles 33 recounts the reign of Manasseh, a king of Judah known for his idolatrous practices and subsequent repentance. He initially led the nation into great sin, promoting worship of foreign gods and engaging in practices that provoked God’s anger. However, after being taken captive by the Assyrians, Manasseh humbled himself and turned back to God, leading to his restoration and efforts to reform Judah. This chapter emphasizes the themes of repentance, the mercy of God, and the importance of true worship.

2 Chronicles 33:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
2 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals and made wooden images, and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them.
4 He also built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.”
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

Manasseh became king at a young age and ruled for an extended period, yet his reign was marked by significant evil. He not only engaged in the same idolatrous practices that led to the previous nations' destruction but actively reversed the reforms of his father, Hezekiah. By rebuilding high places and creating altars to foreign gods, he violated the sanctity of the temple, showing a blatant disregard for God's commandments. His actions demonstrate how a leader can influence a nation towards spiritual decline, as he led the people away from true worship.

2 Chronicles 33:6-9 (NKJV)
6 Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke Him to anger.
7 He even 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 out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever;
8 and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers, only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them.”
9 So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

Manasseh's depravity escalated to extreme measures, including the horrific practice of child sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom. His engagement with sorcery and witchcraft showcased a deep-seated rebellion against God's ways. By placing an idol in the temple, he not only desecrated God's house but also violated the covenant established with David and Solomon, which assured the permanence of God’s name in Jerusalem. Manasseh's influence led Judah into even greater sin than the nations that had previously faced God’s judgment, illustrating the devastating effects of sin on a nation.

2 Chronicles 33:10-13 (NKJV)
10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen.
11 Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.
12 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
13 and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

God’s patience eventually ran out, leading to Manasseh’s captivity by the Assyrians. His binding and exile were not just punitive but served as a wake-up call to him and the people. In his time of suffering, Manasseh sincerely sought God, acknowledging his wrongdoing and recognizing God’s sovereignty. His heartfelt prayer and repentance highlight a transformative moment where he returned to God, illustrating that no one is beyond the reach of God's mercy, even a king who had committed grievous sins.

2 Chronicles 33:14-17 (NKJV)
14 After this, he built a wall outside the City of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it encircled Ophel and raised it to a very great height. Then he put military captains over all the people.
15 He removed the foreign gods and the idol from 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.
16 He also repaired the altar of the Lord, sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
17 Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the Lord their God.

Following his return to Jerusalem, Manasseh took significant steps to reverse the damage caused during his reign of idolatry. He fortified the city by building a protective wall, signaling a shift towards a defensive and restored kingdom. By removing the foreign gods and idols, he demonstrated a commitment to re-establishing true worship in the temple. However, the people’s continued sacrifices on high places indicate that while reform had begun, it was not yet complete, reflecting a struggle between old practices and new commitments to God.

2 Chronicles 33:18-20 (NKJV)
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel are written in the books of the kings of Israel.
19 Also his prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin and trespass, and the sites where he built high places and set up wooden images and carved images before he was humbled.
20 So Manasseh rested with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. Then his son Amon reigned in his place.

The closing verses summarize Manasseh’s story, emphasizing the significance of his prayer and the transformative effect of his repentance. His acts and the messages from the prophets serve as a testament to the power of humility before God. His burial in his own house signifies respect and honor, contrasting with his earlier actions that led him away from God. The chapter concludes with the transition to his son Amon, who would inherit the legacy of both Manasseh's sins and his late repentance, highlighting the complexities of generational influence.

2 Chronicles 33:21-23 (NKJV)
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.
22 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done; Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made and served them.
23 And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, but Amon trespassed more and more.

Amon succeeded his father Manasseh at a young age, continuing the idolatrous practices that characterized his father's reign. He mirrored Manasseh's sins rather than embracing the reforms that followed his father's repentance. By engaging in idol worship and refusing to humble himself before God, Amon's actions led him further into spiritual decay. His failure to learn from his father's transformation signifies a troubling trend of disobedience, illustrating how easily the next generation can repeat the mistakes of their predecessors, particularly when they lack humility and acknowledgment of God.

2 Chronicles 33:24-25 (NKJV)
24 Then his servants conspired against him, and killed him in his own house.
25 But the people of the land executed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

The conspirators’ assassination of Amon reflects the instability and discontent present in Judah during his reign. The act of murder signifies the people's rejection of his leadership, stemming from his unrepentant and idolatrous behavior. However, the swift execution of Amon’s assassins indicates a desire for stability and continuity in governance. The ascension of Josiah, Amon's son, marks a pivotal moment, foreshadowing a return to righteousness and further reform, suggesting that even amid sin and rebellion, there is hope for redemption and restoration in the future leadership of Judah.