The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-03-21
The sunday School.
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sp.r A4aaa y. ISIS.
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Iiesekiah died . year o. two AFTER
hls uosdsrtal debrsrAaae irou ssEss-
oberb, s2s years B c. aad Bis son
Mcaaaeh born no n G., became
ling wheH be WAS bot twelve years
oii. 2 G. 6ss Being deprived q .
gob.y PalefsAl ifaisisg for the throne,
SAD lsii auder tie iuaaehee Of the idol.
airops party. he became both wicked
aat iyaanieal lie died Is. G.. cas-.
TIC fret twenty year II biz rule was
atcign q terror aud blood. Then his
troubles cane, a. described 10 osr les.
son his ascension was the signAl Tor
90 eannt change 10 the religious Ad-
hiuistraii0n a the kingdom. The old
faith 81 Israel was condemned aud pre-,
senbed and bic was the browning sin
which doomed the nation TO captivity,
III Was The fourteenth king Of Judah.
aod his rule q City wears was the
Longest aud the worst Of the Jadaic
kings but after bis return from Baby.
loo he WAS a changed man and good
king 4 parallel history is given ia 2
Kings Xxi, which contains several i'm.
ptrtaut events not recorded 10 this
chapter TIE idolatrous party bad the
ascepdeucy aud under their influence
the young king became the patron Of
that worship 10 It's worst forms.
kSAtYsEs OF THE LESSON.
l. Manassoh's great aud persistent
wickedncss
H. his capture aud punishment by
the Assyrians.
III dis repentance aud restoration
to his Kingdom.
~. His sincerity proved by bis sub
sequcnt works
The dreadful measure Of bis sin is
seen from verses Q Of this chapter,
and from 2 Kings xxi TO- The high
places were restored, Molek was again
set up il the valley Of tue son OF Hin
nom, aud Manasseh, as did bis grand
father that king Ahaz, gave his chill
dren to that base god in baptism of
FIRE He set heather affairs in the
Il
house Of God. worshiped the hosts Of
heaven as did the Babylonians, and
reared up affairs to Baal, and those who
protested against the impious sacrilege
were prosecuted unto death until Mem
asseh had shed innocent blood very
much, till he had filled Jerusalem from
one end to another. Then the prophet
Isaiah was sawn asunder between two
planks and the other prophets, except
those who fed, shared similar fate
till none we're left. The prophets were
their principal historians, but they
were all dead or driven away; which,
together with the disgrace of having
such a record left in the annals OF the
nation, may be the reason why SO brief
history was left of his long reign.
Nor was the place Of those slaughtered
messengers Of Jehovah soon filled for
not till near the end Of bis career did
another prophet appear. That perse.
cution was most sanguine, worse than
those under the horrid Nero and his
successors in Pagan Rome.
The king was not without warnings
/ ". 10; 2 Kings xxi: 1919. Jerusa-
lem should be emp tied Of her people
and her treasures as dish when it 10
wiped aud turned upside down, that
not a erumb may adhere or remain in
it. But the warnings were 10 vain,
and were answered with fresh slaugh.
ter Of the true worshipers. II was as
il devouring lion had been let loose
against tho saints. ,Jer. ii: 80.
Such sin in king and people could not
90 unrewarded Read 2 Kings xiv
A..
Now observe.
Manasseh's capture and punishment:
The Assyrian army was brought upon
Judah, not under the reign of SIENNA.
cherib, probably, but under that Of bis
son Esrr haddan, who succeeded his
father 3 G 6sl, and reigned not less
than thirteen years Manasseh was
captured among the thorns, having
hidden himself as in Sam. xiii OF
as more correct reading, with rings,
or with hooks, referring to a method Of
holding fish alive 10 the water by a
hook or ring IN the mouth upon the
end al a string Job. Xii 2, and Jer,
xvi lG where captives are compared
20 fish. The words here describe a
way ia which prisoners were sometimes
treated among the ancients, by putting
a ring or hook through the flesh on
through the cartilage Of the nose. aud
leading them by rope or cord fasten.
cd to ii. Compare lAmos iy; .
Kings XIX; IS SO the Assyrians
treated their distinguished prisoner,
who was also bound with letters, OF
maaacles, both Of which were placed
by those conqnerers on their captives
Of high rank. aud thus be was carried