2Ch 28:22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

2C 32:26 Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem humbled their hearts and God removed his wrath.

Manasseh, The Son of Hezekiah [2K 21 & 2C 33

2Ch 33:2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

·       Compare Ahaz 2C 28:3 Manasseh like his grandfather chose the way of those heathen that the LORD cast out before them

·       2C 33:9 worse than the heathen

2C 33:3-7a the wicked actions of Manasseh

He polluted the very place the LORD chose to rest for ever (Ps 132:14)

2C 33:10 The LORD offered Manasseh and the people of Judah an opportunity to repent but they did not hearken (obey what they heard)

2C 33:11 The LORD’s judgment

2C33:12-13a The influence of his father (2C 32:26)

2C 33: 13b The LORD’s response to a broken and contrite heart      

·       (Ps 34:18; 51:17)

2C 33:14-16 Manasseh’s change of heart

2C 33:17 NEVERTHELESS the high places remained and the people went to them and sacrificed unto the LORD their God only. BUT The object of their worship was right but the place of their worship was wrong.

Amon the son of Manasseh [2C 33:21-25; 2K 21:19-24]

2Ch 33:22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them;

·       Note:  2C 33:15 took away the strange gods & idols but not destroyed. Amon found them and brought them out again.

2Ch 33:23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

This verse seems to imply the LORD offered Amon an opportunity to repent as He did Manasseh but he came under the Ahaz influence.

 Kings of Judah Part 4

Josiah (2C 34:1-  2K 22:1-)

2Ki 23:25 ¶ And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.“walked in the ways of David his father” is written of the kings who did right in the sight of the LORD. Doing right in the sight of the LORD is tied to being a man after His own heart

·       (1Sam 13:14) (Acts 13:22) with {Psalms 44:19-21; Ps 35:24}

2C 34:3-5 He purged Judah and Jerusalem from the gods of the heathen. He did not just remove the destroyed them and killed the priest of these gods. 1K13:2

·       2C 34:7 He cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel

·       In two years Josiah cleared the land of the heathen way of worship. He was another lamp that lit the path back to the LORD.

2C 34:18 Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law

·       Shaphan the scribe read the book of the law to Josiah. When he heard the words of the book Josiah rent his cloths. Why?

Ø    V20-21 Josiah learned from the book that the great wrath of God was poured out upon them because the fathers did notg do after all that was written within it. Josiah realized they were living on borrowed time. He sent men to inquire of the LORD

·       2C 34:24-25; 2K 23:26-27  -  LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah

·       Could it be the men Josiah sent were afraid to tell Josiah what the LORD had said because they knew what past kings often did to prophets who brought “bad” words from the LORD so they sent Huldah the prophetess in  their place?

Ø    Curse of the law from which we are redeemed (Gal 3:19) – God’s wrath is poured out upon all who defies His law!

·       2C 34:26-28 God’s promise to Josiah

·       2C 34:30-33 Josiah’s desire was to correct the wicked ways of all the kings before him . V33 took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel and charged the people to serve the LORD. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

2Ki 23:25 ¶ And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

I ask myself how long has it been since I have come to the point when I feel like rending my clothes over what I have read in God’s word? Is my heart broken when I realize I have taken for granted my salvation and lightly esteemed that from which I have been saved? What about when I think of those who know not the saving grace of God?