Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, reigned as king of Judah for fifty-five years, the longest of any king in the history of Judah (2 Kings 21:1). His reign is marked by a significant departure from the religious reforms of his father, Hezekiah, and a return to idolatrous practices that provoked the anger of the Lord. Despite his grievous sins, the account of Manasseh is a profound testament to the patience and mercy of God.

Idolatry and Apostasy

Manasseh's reign is characterized by a wholesale embrace of idolatry. He rebuilt the high places that his father had destroyed, erected altars to Baal, and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done (2 Kings 21:3). He also worshiped the host of heaven and served them, building altars in the house of the Lord, where God had said, "In Jerusalem I will put My Name" (2 Kings 21:4). Manasseh's actions went further, as he practiced witchcraft, divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists, doing much evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:6).

Desecration of the Temple

Manasseh's idolatry extended into the very temple of God. He placed a carved image of Asherah in the temple, an act of desecration that defiled the sacred space dedicated to the worship of Yahweh (2 Kings 21:7). This act was a direct violation of the covenant God had made with David and Solomon, where He promised that His Name would dwell in the temple forever, provided the people remained faithful (2 Kings 21:7-8).

The Consequences of Sin

The Bible records that Manasseh led the people of Judah into greater evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites (2 Kings 21:9). The Lord spoke through His prophets, declaring that He would bring such disaster upon Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of those who heard of it would tingle (2 Kings 21:12). The Lord's patience was tested by Manasseh's actions, yet He continued to warn the people through His prophets.

Repentance and Restoration

The account of Manasseh's reign takes a remarkable turn in 2 Chronicles 33. After being taken captive by the Assyrians, Manasseh experienced a profound change of heart. In his distress, he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers (2 Chronicles 33:12). The Lord, in His great patience and mercy, heard Manasseh's plea and brought him back to Jerusalem and his kingdom. This act of divine grace led Manasseh to know that the Lord is God (2 Chronicles 33:13).

Reforms and Legacy

Upon his return, Manasseh undertook significant religious reforms. He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, as well as all the altars he had built on the temple hill and in Jerusalem, and he threw them out of the city (2 Chronicles 33:15). He restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship and thank offerings on it, commanding Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel (2 Chronicles 33:16).

Despite his late repentance and reforms, the legacy of Manasseh's earlier sins had lasting consequences for Judah. The people continued to sacrifice at the high places, though only to the Lord their God (2 Chronicles 33:17). The prophets later cited Manasseh's sins as a reason for the eventual downfall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile (2 Kings 24:3-4).

Theological Implications

The account of Manasseh highlights the profound patience and mercy of God. Despite Manasseh's extensive idolatry and rebellion, God's willingness to forgive and restore him upon genuine repentance underscores the depth of divine grace. This narrative serves as a powerful reminder of God's enduring patience with His people, even in the face of persistent sin, and His readiness to forgive those who turn back to Him with a contrite heart.2 Chronicles 33:10-13
And the LORD spoke to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not listen.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Prayer and Trouble (Continued)
... It is the presence in us of patience, meekness, submission ... Not till King Manasseh
was bound with thorns and ... trouble, was he awakened and brought back to God. ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/vi prayer and trouble continued.htm

A Discourse of the Building, Nature, Excellency, and Government of ...
... Nor Jonah, nor Manasseh, nor the rest; No runaway from ... o' th' reach of man Nothing
but God, and gospel ... them, if not, as has been said, In exercising patience. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse of the building.htm

The Patriarchs.
... His unsearchable works; and Job, for his patience in the ... Israel, which meant a prince
before God; and his ... made up by reckoning Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson ii the patriarchs.htm

A Miracle of Grace
... Had he not been God"the God of all patience"he would have resented ... city who continually
do all that they can to provoke God, and to show ... Such was Manasseh. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/a miracle of grace.htm

They Shall be Called the Children of God
... When Manasseh was in chains, then he knew the Lord was ... He stood bound for every child
of God as a surety ... He said to justice, Have patience with them and I will ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/19 they shall be called.htm

A Calm Evening, Promising a Bright Morning
... the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought ... dead Joseph to bid us
wait with patience and never lose our firm grip of God's promises, but ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/a calm evening promising a.htm

The Ascension of Isaiah.
... xiv.), he writes, "Exhibiting such powers of patience, Isaiah is cut asunder, and ...
in the presence of Manasseh, and said: As God liveth, Manasseh thy son ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the ascension of isaiah.htm

Election Confirmed by the Calling of God. The Reprobate Bring Upon ...
... 24:6). And thus the Spirit exhorts believers to patience, and not ... much they then
owed to the kindness of God, by which ... (Josh.2:4); in Manasseh when Jerusalem ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 24 election confirmed by.htm

The Wilderness.
... Even Moses had his patience worn out by their fretful ... and Gad, and half the tribe
of Manasseh, were permitted ... that he would bring down the curse of God on them ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson iv the wilderness.htm

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Or, a Brief Relation of ...
... GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS OR, A BRIEF RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING
MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST, TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN. ...
/.../bunyan/grace abounding to the chief of sinners/grace abounding to the chief.htm

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