What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 33:2? And he did evil • The “he” is King Manasseh, who reigned over Judah for fifty-five years (2 Kings 21:1–2). • Scripture records him as intentionally reversing his father Hezekiah’s reforms and choosing practices God condemns (2 Chronicles 33:9). • Evil is not an abstract idea here; it is concrete rebellion against God’s revealed will (Isaiah 5:20; 1 John 3:4). in the sight of the LORD • God sees and evaluates every deed (Proverbs 5:21; Hebrews 4:13). • Human approval never excuses sin; the only opinion that finally matters is the Lord’s (Galatians 1:10). • Manasseh’s choices were openly offensive to the One who had covenanted with Judah (Exodus 19:4-6). by following the abominations • “Abominations” are practices God calls detestable, such as sorcery, child sacrifice, and idol worship (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Leviticus 18:30). • 2 Chronicles 33:6 lists Manasseh’s specific offenses: he practiced witchcraft, consulted mediums, and burned his sons in the fire. • Choosing these sins was not ignorance but imitation of what God had repeatedly forbidden (Deuteronomy 12:31). of the nations • Manasseh copied the surrounding cultures rather than remaining set apart as God’s people were commanded to be (Leviticus 20:26; Romans 12:2). • The pull to blend in with the world is timeless, yet Scripture warns that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). • Israel’s purpose was to display God’s holiness; Manasseh instead mirrored pagan society (Deuteronomy 7:6). that the LORD had driven out • The Canaanite nations were expelled because of their persistent wickedness (Leviticus 18:24-25; Deuteronomy 9:4-5). • God’s judgment on them was a living warning to Israel about the consequences of the same sins (Joshua 3:10). • Manasseh ignored that warning, choosing what had already provoked divine wrath. before the Israelites • God cleared the land “before” His people, giving them a fresh start rooted in obedience (Psalm 44:1-3). • By returning to the old evils, Judah risked the same judgment that had fallen on the former inhabitants (2 Kings 17:7-20). • Manasseh’s reign illustrates how forgetting God’s past acts leads to repeating others’ failures. summary 2 Chronicles 33:2 shows that King Manasseh knowingly adopted the very sins for which God had judged and removed the Canaanites. Though privileged with God’s presence and past deliverance, he chose evil practices, tested God’s patience, and led Judah astray. The verse warns every generation that imitating the world’s detestable ways invites the same judgment and calls us instead to live under God’s watchful eye in faithful obedience. |
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