Today’s Verse tells us about even more of the actions of a repentant King Manasseh. He seems now to be as vigorous FOR the Lord as he earlier was AGAINST the Lord! What a difference GRACE makes, when FORGIVENESS is extended to a rebellious human heart, now broken in grief over sin.

“And he (Manasseh) 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.” 2nd Chronicles 33:15

Trying to “undo” earlier mistakes!

Out go the “gods” and “idols” and “altars” dedicated to heathenism, demonism. (In some ways this dramatic “turnabout” makes me think of the Saul/Paul transition in the New Testament. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2nd Corinthians 5:17)

Now, for a few definitions from our text today.

“And he (Manasseh) 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.”

The verb “took away” (in Hebrew spelled “sur”) means “removed” in a general sense, but 3 times “eschewed” (absolutely hated)! The verb is an “imperfect” as well, suggesting that King Manasseh thereafter kept constant vigil … to be sure no other gods, idols or altars were ever again installed within the Temple Mount! During his lifetime, anyway.

The adjective “strange” means “foreign.” (The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob was Sufficient! No foreign deities were allowed. The “Ten Commandments” made this abundantly clear!)

The noun “gods” is “elohiym,” the same name used for the Real God, the Creator, just without its initial capital letter. In Hebrew grammar, only the “context” would determine such a fact.

The very rare word “idol” (Hebrew “semel”) means “image.” It’s from a root word meaning “to resemble!” All an idol is, of course, is a piece of wood or rock or silver or gold alloy … carved or shaped or twisted into some “visible idea” of a god or goddess it might represent! (“Semel” is only used 5 times in the Bible!)

This is essentially what Paul later teaches us. The “idol” is nothing, physically. A dead piece of material! But the god it stands for … therein is the evil power of idolatry! I mean “demons,” folks. “We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.” (Paul in 1st Corinthians 8:4) But now these “idols” are invested with evil I some mystical way … “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” 1st Corinthians 10:20, still Paul writing.

Yes, the devil is real.

Not to be under-emphasized. He has (limited) power.

But not to be over-emphasized either! He is never going to overthrow Almighty God! He was defeated at Calvary! He will spend eternity in torment!

Then the word “altars,” (in Hebrew “mizbeach”) means “places of slaughter!” Where blood is shed, for religious purposes. Violent deaths, often rituals of unforgettable horror.

And Manasseh did what to these abominations?

“Cast them out” of Jerusalem.

The verb “cast” means “to throw,” or hurl or fling! The accompanying “out” is sometimes translated as “streets” or “highways.” (I wish he had burned them out of existence.)

Still … we have here reformation.

Cleansing.

A king seeking to led his people in a new direction!

For which we can only say, “Praise the Lord!”

Maybe Revival is on the way!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

In my preparation time for this Lessons I totally missed this verse. It escaped my attention, yet is critically important. What a spiritual truth we have here!

“Now after this he (King Manasseh) 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.” 2nd Chronicles 33:14

The King built a wall around the City!

Perhaps he (for the first time on record) here reinforced His Dad’s (King Hezekiah of Judah) intention of keeping Jerusalem safer. It appears that Hezekiah also tried to keep such a wall intact.

I base this observation on 2nd Chronicles 32:5. “Also Hezekiah strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without … and made darts and shields in abundance.” This occurred when the Assyrian army had Jerusalem under siege.

In fact, maybe even Kings Uzziah and Jotham had both worked on fortifications such as these, way back during their reigns. As in 2 Chronicles 26:9 … “Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.” And in 2 Chronicles 27:3 … “He (King Jotham) built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.”

Earlier when Manasseh lived in open sin … he did not seem to care much about the safety of the Homeland! Maybe godliness and patriotism go together. If a righteous Nation is in view!

The geographical identifiers given in today’s verse … Gihon, the Fish Gate, and Ophel … tell us the wall encircled the whole Metropolis. Scholars say the city is being fortified first toward the west, then  toward the east.

But … is there a spiritual lesson to all this data?

Yes!

Yes indeed!

When Manasseh got “right” with God … one of the first things he did was erect a barrier between himself (including his City and his people) … and the enemy encamped without (but still close by) in the many hills and valleys, in the surrounding terrain.

A wall, folks!

Mr. “inclusive” has now become quite “exclusive!”

In reality, Nehemiah also was dedicated to building (rebuilding really) a wall around Jerusalem.

To keep the citizens, family members, loved ones … “in.”

And to keep harm and evil … “out!”

This is the Bible principle of … SEPARATION!

Here’s how Paul described such a “wall,” such a “barrier,” metaphorically, spiritually. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2nd Corinthians 6:14

This too: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2nd Corinthians 6:17

Wow!

Oh, how we need to build some “walls” in our lives yet today.

Walls of protection … with the enemy in view.

Walls of prevention … with myself in view.

I think this sound so unusual … but Biblically true … MANASSEH, THE WALL BUILDER!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today’s Verse is largely why I wanted to study (with you all) the life of Manasseh. Wicked Kings were common in those days long ago, as are wicked world rulers yet in our age. Manasseh in that sense was certainly not much of an exception!

But here is a wicked King … who repented!

And whom God forgave!

It’s 2nd Chronicles 33:13. “And (Manasseh) prayed unto Him (the Lord): and He was intreated of Him, and (God) heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He was God.” Wow!

Manasseh, in his misery, finally “prayed” unto the Lord. The verb is “palal,” meaning “to intervene, to intercede, to beg, to mediate.” The word is translated “pray” 74 of its 84 occurrences in Scripture. He made “supplication,” a word that basically means “to seek peace!”

And once the humbled King prayed, God “was intreated.” The Hebrew verb here is “athar,” in the passive voice. God being “influenced” by this man’s praying! I studied this word and it simply means “to treat” a person a certain way! One dictionary says it means “to make peace with a person!” Propitiation!

But God did even more!

He “heard” (in Hebrew “shama,” that is … “to listen carefully, attentively, with the view of doing something about the request) Manasseh’s “supplication!” This noun, “techinah,” is rare. Only 25 times in  the Old Testament does it appear. It means “a request for favor, for grace, for mercy!”

Wow again!

But then there is even more, done by God for this (I thought) reprobate.

God … “brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.”

Released from a foreign prison!

Permitted to go “home!”

With God’s Power being the catalyst to make it all happen!

The verb “brought again” is “shub,” suggesting a complete “turnaround!” It presents the classic idea of “repentance!” A clear change of direction.

No longer incarcerated in Babylon … but reigning in Jerusalem!

It’s like the man has been made anew!

A fresh opportunity at life!

Then our Verse ends with a beautiful conclusion on Manasseh’s part. “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD He was God.”

“Then” … as if he had not really (personally, in his heart) ever seen this fact before that very moment! As in: “I once was blind, but now I see!”

The verb “knew” is “yada,” and can easily mean a “close, intimate” knowledge. It is personal now. In New Testament language, “Manasseh just got saved!”

He believed.

Assuredly.

“Lord” is “Jehovah.”

And “God” is the word “Elohiym.”

He is the soul-saving Deity!

I stand amazed today … at the verse we’ve studied.

God’s forgiving Grace is astounding.

Nearly ineffable … a term meaning “cannot be described, beyond words!”

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yesterday we saw Manasseh the wicked King of Judah being taken into “captivity.” By a foreign power! Deported from his own Land, from the Holy Land.

Then what happened?

It is surprising!

“And when he (Manasseh) was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.” 2nd Chronicles 33:12

I wish he could have sought the Lord long ago! How many lives would that have saved. Remember, he had shed much blood in his Country. “Moreover Manasseh shed INNOCENT BLOOD very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.” 2nd Kings 21:16

But still … “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God.”

Let’s study that noun “affliction.” Spelled “tzsrar” (Hebrew), it means “to be in a narrow place,” uncomfortably so. In an adversarial sense, too. “Tzsrar” is translated “enemy” 14 times and “besieged” 2 times in the King James Bible. Then it’s “in distress” 7 more times. Then “in pain” (pangs) 2 times.

And the verb “sought” (actually “besought” here) is “challah.” Look at these lexicon definitions for the word: “to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.” Wow!

Furthermore, here are the definition the King James translators utilized for “challah:” (often called “usage” by scholars.) “sick” 34 times, “beseech” (as here) 6 times, “be weak” 4 times, “be grievous” 4 times, “be diseased” 3 times, “be wounded” 3 times , “pray” 3 times, “intreat” 3 times, “to be sorry” 1 times, “make suit” 1 time, “make supplication” 1 time, and “to travail” 1 times. And it’s only located 75 times in the whole Bible! And it’s a Piel stem verb in Hebrew, meaning he besought the Lord INTENSELY, ENERGETICALLY, WITH ALL THE SINCERITY HE POSSESSED!

Then (for today’s Lesson) Manasseh did one more thing, “humbled himself” (before God)! “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and HUMBLED HIMSELF GREATLY before the God of his fathers.” 2nd Chronicles 33:12

This is “kana” in Hebrew, meaning “to be brought low.” In the passive voice of course, “he humbled himself.” This verb is rare in the Bible, found only 36 times in the Old Testament’s 929 chapters! I just noticed where it is once translated “to be in subjection.”

But let’s do remember what the New Testament says about humbling oneself. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10, for example.

What a change, if it’s sincere.

The most wicked King to ever sit on Judah’s Throne … seeking the Lord God and humbling himself!

That’s a turnaround.

That kind of behavior smacks of repentance!

But there’s more, a lot more to come.

A King is about to be revived!

Lord willing, another Article tomorrow morning.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

It seems that King Manasseh should have known what was coming!

He had sinned against God for years. To the point of unashamedly placing heathen idols around the City of Jerusalem, even in the House of the Lord.

So, 2nd Chronicles 33:11 relates: “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.”

By “them” the Holy Spirit simply means both the King (Manasseh) and his people. Yes, generally … “As goes a leader, so goes his constituency.”

The Text does not say the Assyrians “attacked” Israel, Judah. But rather, the “Lord” authored the whole invasion! “The Lord brought the enemy upon them!”

So … “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Psalm 118:23

The verb “brought” is spelled “bo” in Hebrew, using 3 consonants and a single vowel. It means (both) “to come” and “to go,” depending on the context in which it is located. And in this setting God Himself “causes” the Assyrians to fall upon the Jews, again because of their sin!

It actually sounds like the Lord did the “coming,” just with an enemy army in tow! I believe that picture is validated by the grammar here, too!

The “captains” of the Assyrian host involve their chief military “brass” anyway. The noun “sar” means (in the Old Testament) “prince” (208 times), “chief” (33 times), “ruler” (33 more times), “governor” (6 times), “general” (1 time only), plus a few miscellaneous parallel terms.

The noun “host” (spelled “tzsaba”) implies the whole “army.” Yes, when God is said to be the “Lord of Hosts” … He is the Commander in Chief of Heaven’s ARMIES!

And the Assyrians did what to King Manasseh?

They “took” him, “lakad.” It means “to capture, to seize.”

They deported the King, under arrest!

Imprisoned him.

The noun “thorns” means ” that which pierces.” This may mean … they put a “hook” in his nose! Actually, literally chaining him to an ox-cart or a military escort, making him walk (perhaps humiliatingly naked) all the way to Babylon! A distance of a little over 500 miles, by the way!

Wow!

“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.”

Being “bound with fetters,” means “leg shackles” likely. “Fetters” is the literal Hebrew word for “steel, brass,” and is even translated “chain” 3 times.

The verb “carried” means “to make walk!”

No chariot ride!

To Babylon?

I would have suspected “Nineveh!”

Yet the Bible must stand as correct, in every single circumstance.

This suggests that the attacking army may have ben a coalition of Babylonian-Assyrian fighters. (Remember Daniel chapter 2 and the “world rulers” depicted there. The Babylonians were at the top! Right after the not-mentioned Egyptians who indeed preceded the Assyrians.)

The first “deportation” of Jews to Babylon (for the “70 years” of captivity) occurred in 606 BC, if you need a time frame. Manasseh’s dates are just a few decades prior to the first “official” harvesting of Jews to that foreign Country.

Yes, sin has consequences.

Ask the shackled Manasseh today.

Sin is still “binding” people, I might add.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell