The Forgiving God

The Repentant King
2 Chronicles 31-26
“When he was in distress, he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.” (33:12)

In many ways, the reign of Manasseh serves as a picture of the nation of Judah and Israel. As we saw at the beginning of 1 Chronicles, the books of Chronicles were written to encourage the people returning from the exile to remain faithful in their obedience to God. Although the nation had been sent into exile because of their sin, God was still with them. He moved Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to the land (36:23). Thus, the book was written to remind the people that God was faithful to His covenant and was forgiving towards those who repented and sought Him.  This is the same message we see mirrored in the life of Manasseh.
Of all the kings of Judah, Manasseh was the most wicked. In 2 Kings 21, the depth of his moral and spiritual depravity is described. He led the people to worship the gods of Baal and Asherah, even building altars in the temple area to venerate these false gods. In 2 Chronicles 33:9, we see the extent of his sin: “Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.”  In 2 Kings 21:11, it is stated that Manasseh acted more wickedly than the Amorites before him. So great was his sin and spiritual depravity he even performed human sacrifices, sacrificing his own children on the altar of Baal (2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chron 33:6). In his pursuit of evil, he practiced witchcraft, divination, sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists, all which was specifically condemned in the Mosaic law and was regarded as a capital offense. Not only did he practice and promote idolatry, but he even turned against his people. In 2 Kings 21:16, it states, “Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.”Of all the wicked kings of Judah, Manasseh was the most depraved and was unequal in his spiritual apostasy.  

However, the message of the writer of Chronicles is one of salvation, repentance, and hope for a nation that had abandoned God but not been abandoned by God. This is why the story of Manasseh is so essential, for the writer of Chronicles reveals something that the writer of Kings did not. In 2 Chronicles 33:10-21, we find “the rest of the story.”  Even thou Manasseh was the most wicked king in the history of Judah, when confronted with the discipline of God, Manasseh did the one thing that changed everything. In 33:12, we find that in his distress, “he entreated the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.”  Manasseh repented and turned to God, seeking His forgiveness. In response, God forgave him and restored him. This was the hope for the Jews in exile. Even though the nation had been judged by God and sent into captivity because of their sin, God was still forgiving and would restore the nation if they remained faithful to God and walked in obedience to Him. The past does not determine the future, for the past can be forgiven. In the future, even the worst sinner can experience God’s forgiveness and restoration.

This is true for us today. In the infinite grace and power of a redeeming God, He can forgive our sins and restore us into fellowship with Him. He can restore our relationship with Him, even when we have committed the most heinous sins before Him.  Paul understood this in his own life and thus he writes, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things pass away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we accept the salvation that Christ offers, the past, no matter how depraved, no longer defines us. What defines us is our new relationship with Christ and the forgiveness and restoration He gives. If you are still struggling with the past, present it to Christ and accept His cleansing and forgiveness, then the past is no longer relevant. The only thing relevant is our new relationship with Christ.