It is striking to me that Manasseh was only twelve years old when he begins his reign, but there is no mention of an advisor or mentor.

Hezekiah, when he was going to die, cries and asks to live longer. God gives him fifteen more years and apparently an heir.

Do you remember how it says Hezekiah didn’t make a return to God for the benefit that that was done for him?

What if this was it? It’s obvious God gives him a son during those extra years. It’s the firstborn son that becomes the heir to the throne. This son was a gift from God, though all children are.

Manasseh becomes one of the worst kings ever. He’s not trained to follow the Lord. I don’t know how that happens. How does his son immediately go to worship other gods?

That’s what he does, though, big time. He worships every god except the true God.

He defiles the temple. God pronounces how disaster will come on Judah because of his great sin and how Judah has followed after him into idolatry.

He gets taken into captivity. Why? Because that’s what he needed to be saved. God is patient and gracious and merciful. He tries. He really tries to save His people. Manasseh will still need to make the choice to humble himself before God, and he will. God sees and returns him to Jerusalem. It wasn’t too big a thing for God to somehow get Manasseh out from Assyria after he had been captured and taken away. We’re not told how it happened.

Manasseh repents, cleans the temple, tosses out the idols.

Manasseh’s son will be evil and would refuse to humble himself. He meets a quick, evil end.

So, what do we learn?

Call on the Lord. Acknowledge Him in everything. Humble yourself and stay humble.

What does it mean to be humble before the Lord? It just means that we realize that we need God.

A humble person does not rely on himself. He relies on God. Need God! Well, you do need Him. You desperately need Him. Just realize it and accept it! It’s a good thing!