Divided Kingdom II; Judah Alone Lesson 14 Manasseh / Amon / Josiah (2 Kings 21-22; 2 Chron. 33-34)

Manasseh 12 years old; reigns for 55 years (2 Kings 21:1-9; 2 Chron. 33:1-9) 12 years old; reigns for 55 years He “did evil in the sight of the LORD Rebuilt the high places Raised up altars for Baal Made a wooden image Worshipped all the host of heaven & served them Built altars in the house of the LORD Built altars for all the host of heaven in the courtyard of the house of the LORD Made his sons pass through the fire

Manasseh 12 years old; reigns for 55 years (2 Kings 21:1-9; 2 Chron. 33:1-9) 12 years old; reigns for 55 years He “did evil in the sight of the LORD Practices soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums He did much evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger He even set a carved image of Asherah in the house of the LORD They paid no attention to what the LORD had said and Manasseh seduced the people to do more evil

Jehovah’s message (2 Kings 21:10-16; 2 Chron. 33:10) Because Manasseh had done these abominations the LORD brought such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that whoever hears of it, both ears will tingle. The LORD will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. The LORD will forsake the remnant of His inheritance and deliver them into the hand of their enemies.

Jehovah’s message - why (2 Kings 21:10-16; 2 Chron. 33:10) Because the people have done evil & provoked the LORD to anger since the days they had come out of Egypt. Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; he made Judah sin in doing evil in His sight

Manasseh’s Captivity (2 Chron. 33:11) “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.”

Manasseh’s Repentance (2 Chron. 33:12-13) In affliction, Manasseh implores to the LORD and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prays to God. The LORD received His entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

Manasseh’s efforts at Restoration (2 Chron. 33:14-17) Manasseh added an outer wall around Jerusalem; he strengthened the defenses of Jerusalem and the fortified cities of Judah. He took away the foreign gods, removed the idol from the house of the LORD; removed the pagan altars he had placed on the temple grounds; repaired the altar of the LORD; sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it.

Manasseh’s efforts at Restoration (2 Chron. 33:14-17) Manasseh commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. But the people still sacrificed on the high places, but only to the LORD their God. ************************************ Manasseh dies and is buried in his own house. Amon, his son, reigned in his place

Amon 22 years old; reigns for 2 years (2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 33:21-25) 22 years old; reigns for 2 years He “did evil in the sight of the LORD He walked in all the ways his father had walked He served the idols that his father had served & worshipped them He forsook the LORD God and did not walk in the way of the LORD He did not humble himself He trespassed more and more

Amon (2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 33:21-25) His servants conspired against him and killed him in his own house But the people of the land executed all those how had conspired against Amon The people of the land made his son, Josiah, king in his place

Josiah 8 years old; reigns for 31 years (2 Kings 22:1 – 23:30; 2 Chron. 34:1 – 35:27) 8 years old; reigns for 31 years He “did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.”

Josiah purges land of idolatry (2 Chron. 34:1–7) In the 8th year of his reign (16 years old), Josiah began to seek the God of his father David. In the 12th year of his reign (20 years old), Josiah began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, wooden images, the carved & molded images.

Josiah purges land of idolatry (2 Chron. 34:4–7) He broke down the altars of Baal in his presence He cut down the incense altars He cut down the carved and molded images; he made dust of them and scattered the dust on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them He burned the bones of the priests on their altars He cleansed Judah and Jerusalem He did these things also in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with axes/swords.

Lessons One “good” generation doesn’t necessarily mean the next generation will be “good”…it takes work. Deut. 6:6-9; Eph. 6:4 God offers His grace and mercy to even the worst of sinners. 1 Tim. 1:15 God means what He says Ref: 2 Chron. 33:7-8 The names Hosea, Joshua, and Jesus are all derived from the same Hebrew root word. The word “hoshea” means salvation but Joshua & Jesus include an additional idea: “Yahweh is Salvation”. As God’s messenger, Hosea offers the possibility of salvation if only the nation will turn from idolatry back to God.