Introduction (2 Chronicles 33:1-20, 2 Kings 20:20-21:1-18.)

Last week, we considered the prayer of Jabez found in First Chronicles 4:9-10. This prayer is important, as all utterances to God are, because the man was in deep despair and God heard his supplications. We need the same confidence that God hears us when we pray. Brother Gus Nichols made an interesting comment about God hearing our prayers. He noted that many Christians find it difficult to believe that God hears them when they pray. Yet, he said, nearly everyone believes that God hears one when one curses! Why should we not believe that God hears us when we beseech Him earnestly?

There is another man in Scripture who cried out to God in very difficult circumstances in his life and God answered his prayer. He was Manasseh, the king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 33:13-20.) This Manasseh should not be confused with one of the sons of Jacob after which one of the tribes of Israel was named. He reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem, 685-630 BC; such is a long time for a weak and wicked king to reign.

Hezekiah was Manasseh’s father; Hephzibah was his mother. Hezekiah was a good king, unlike his son and grandson who followed him. Hezekiah was "sick unto death," but he prayed to God to spare his life. Isaiah the prophet told him that God would add unto his days fifteen years. (2 Kings 20:6.) Manasseh was born during the years of grace added to Hezekiah’s life; he was born three years after this incident. The king of Babylon sent gifts to the king when he heard of his sickness. When the royal party arrived in Jerusalem, Hezekiah showed him all the treasures of the kingdom in Jerusalem. Isaiah foretold that the Babylonians would carry off all those treasures one day and that his sons would serve as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. This is a prophetic utterance concerning the Babylonian captivity in the years ahead. After Hezekiah died, Manasseh reigned in his place, beginning at twelve years of age.

Manasseh reversed all the good things that his father had done. He rebuilt the high places of idol worship and even set up altars in the courts of the house of God. He welcomed the false gods of the people around him. The history of his life sadly records that he did abominations more than the Amorites whom God drove out of the land of Canaan. He allowed innocent blood of children to be shed. God promised that he would bring destruction upon Jerusalem and Judah due to their wickedness.

"And the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people, but they gave no heed." (2 Chronicles 33:10.)

This passage shows the extent of his waywardness and wickedness. There is another reference during the days of the judges which show how he was regarded. "The children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land." (Judges 18:30.) Because Moses was such a revered name in Israel, the scribes felt it an insult to leave the name of Moses so closely connected with such evil. Therefore, they added one Hebrew letter to change the name from Moses to Manasseh, by adding a small nun (n). This act of the scribes shows the reputation of Manasseh among God’s people.

The army of the Assyrians carried Manasseh into Babylon. He was led away in chains and bound with fetters. He was led away with a hook (like one used to catch big fish) in his nose, as if he were an unmanageable beast. God fulfilled what he had warned concerning this wicked king.

"And when he was in distress, he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And he prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God." (2 Chronicles 33:12-13.)

The Chronicler of Israel recorded often that the rest of the deeds of the kings were written in the records of the nation of Israel.

"His prayer also and how God was intreated of him and all his sin and his trespass . . . behold, they are written in the history of Hozai (seers)." (2 Chron. 33:19.)

The two records we have concerning Manasseh do not include the words of his prayer. The Greek Church is the only one that has consistently reckoned "The Prayer of Manasseh" as a part of the Bible. Up to the time of the Council of Trent (1545-1563 AD), it formed a part of the Vulgate (Latin version of the Bible). This Council relegated the prayer to an appendix including other non-canonical scriptures. They wanted to keep a record of the prayer "lest they should become wholly lost, since they are occasionally cited by the Fathers and are found in printed copies." (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, page 1979.)

We do know that what he said was once recorded. The prophet Hozai recorded the words. We are not sure that the words that have come down to us are the same words uttered by Manasseh. But here are the words as found in the apocrypha, Prayer of Manasseh.

"O Lord Almighty, that art in heaven, thou God of our fathers, of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all things fear, yea, tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and the anger of thy threatening toward sinners is importable: thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for thou art the Lord Most High, of great compassion, longsuffering and abundant in mercy, and repentest of bringing evils upon men.

"Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions are multiplied, O Lord: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands that I cannot lift up mine head by reason of my sins, neither have I any respite: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done that which is evil before thee. I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments. I have set up abominations and multiplied detestable things.

"Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities, but I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me forever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth. For thou, O Lord, art the God of them that repent, and in me thou wilt show all thy goodness. For thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. And I will praise thee forever all the days of my life. For all the host of heaven doth sing thy praise, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen."

These words were written in Greek. Its free flowing style seems to argue against a translation. There has never been found a Hebrew copy of this prayer. The words of the prayer seem to argue for someone writing this after the bondage of Manasseh. He seems too confident that God will forgive him and speaks as if it were already a fact.

What can we say about the prayer (the real one) of Manasseh? Like the prayer of Jabez, what applications can be made to us?

Even though we are not sure if we have the words that Manasseh uttered, we do not need them to use as if they were some magic formula for obtaining God’s forgiveness. Jesus gave some general words that are simple in expressing penitence.

"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." (Matt. 6:12.)

David cried out in deep despair, "Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit." (Psalm 51:7-12.) David confessed to Nathan, the prophet of God, "I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." (2 Samuel 12:13.)

"Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord and he heard me, out of the belly of hell (the grave) cried I and thou heardest my voice." (Jonah 2:1-2.) Jonah promised that he would look again toward the holy temple and that he would sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving. He simply said, "Salvation is of the Lord." (2:9.)

The publican would not so much lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote his chest saying, "God me merciful to me a sinner." (Luke 18:13.)

The prodigal said to his father (God), "I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. I am no more worthy to be called thy son." (Luke 15:21.)

We need no magical words or formula to obtain forgiveness. We should simply confess our sins sincerely. Punishing ourselves does not gain God’s mercy. Living a guilt-ridden life does not honor God. His forgiveness is based upon grace and the blood of Jesus.

Things did not look bright for this king. He had reigned for 55 years. Like so many in positions of power, he perhaps thought a king had sole discretion to do as he pleased. He had allowed the culture about him to confuse his views about the one God. Many had likewise fallen before him. The one God concept and truth was just hard to embrace in a world of idolatry. Manasseh had placed altars of these false gods in the house of God. He had failed Judah and he had sinned against God.

Now is the time for judgment---the judgment of God. The captain of the army of the Assyrians captured Manasseh and bound him in chains. He is humiliated as a king and carried into captivity to Babylon. We do not know how long he remained in captivity, but while in Bablyon he prayed to God. How bleak the circumstances for one whom once ruled as king. He was carried from a king’s palace to a dreary prison.

We should learn from Manasseh’s prayer and God’s answer that we should always pray and not faint. One writer said, Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. We must always pray.

It seems such a contradiction that the good king Hezekiah could possibly be the father of the wicked Manasseh. The son was born during the fifteen years extended to Hezekiah’s life. Hezekiah prayed to God when he heard from Isaiah that he was going to die. The father and son had this in common that both had extraordinary requests answered from Jehovah.

This relationship between Hezekiah and Manasseh brings up the age old problem of raising children. Solomon’s familiar proverb is, "Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Prov. 22:6.) Christians have interpreted this to say, If the parents are Christians, so will the children. If children are brought up in the church, the children will remain faithful to the church. If our children do not remain faithful, then we conclude that the parents must have done something to cause the children to go away from God.

I would note with you that we have many such "contradictions" to this proverb in many father-son relationships in the Bible. Hezekiah and Manasseh are good examples. The father of Luke 15 and the prodigal son in the New Testament is another example. We likewise have bad parents who had children who were obedient to God. Amon, the son of Manasseh, was as wicked as his father and would not humble himself before God. Yet, Amon’s son Josiah is known for his zeal in reforming the nation of Judah and upholding the name of Jehovah. (2 Chronicles 34.) He led a "restoration movement" in Judah and Jerusalem.

We should also remember that the Law of Moses commanded parents of wicked children to stone them. (Lev. 20:9—for cursing parents; Lev. 21:9---if a priest’s daughter played the harlot, she was burned with fire.) The Law did not blame the parents; it blamed the children for not doing God’s will. Parents are not perfect; there are flaws in everyone. If our children want to find some fault with us, they can easily do so. This game of blaming others for our own sins does not convince God. Ezekiel stated that each is responsible for his own sins. "The soul that sins it shall die." (Ezek. 18 & 33.)

We do not remember Manasseh for the good that he did after obtaining forgiveness. We remember his evil before his captivity and release. When he was allowed to return to Jerusalem, he did many wonderful things. He took away the false gods and idolatry. He repaired the altar of the Lord. He built walls around the city for protection against other nations. (2 Chronicles 33:14-17.) Yet, some of the people continued to worship in the high places.

We do not hear of any more evil from the prodigal after he was accepted back home. (Luke 15.) Jesus told the adulterous woman, Go and sin no more. Look at the life of Saul of Tarsus after he obtained the mercy of God. He was so influenced by the grace the God, that it changed him forever. "I am what I am by the grace of God," so say all forgiven sinners.