The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-07-28


DRY verses 1913, Read all the chapter
GOLDEN TEXT. -"Kighteousrcss ex-
alteth a nation but sin IL a reproach TO
any people Prov 1i4
TIME. -Manasseh became king b. c. e9s.
Anon came TO the throne IL. c. 64l and
relgned two years
PLACE-Judah and Babylon
SCRIPTURE REFERENCEs.-Man
sehs mother: Kings 2l:l; lisa G2a Nam
asseh's early environment: lisa. 2l5-ls;
I.lf-lc. @I. s-l4 Read Chron 1875 and
compare II with Deut le.9l4 References
70 idolatry In Kings q. Sam 2s Eek. .;
zeph. and 3. Jer. 5. Z. and -. Compare
them with the picture in Cbron. 80 Gods
promises regarding the Tempe. 2 Sam.
I.l0-lS: 25-2s, ] Kings $40, s.3-s; Psa. 1872:
is. Ia. Compare Manasseh conversion
with Psu!s; Acts 9l-20. 22l-2l; 2s.4-22
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. l. Twelve years, began
To reign" Ia Judah young man was
not OF age until he reached Is
years; during the young kings minor
ity regents held the reins OF power
"Fifty-aye years: His was the long
est reign in Judah. The facts of his
continued life and large measure OF
prosperity were very perplexing TO the
good people of his day, who knew only
of rewards and punishments which can
be received in this lie. We can re-
joice THAI a patient heavenly Father
allowed hin time that he might repent
". 2. That which was evil" A Sc;
phrase, meaning that this king did not
properly support Jehovah worship. II
is also undoubtedly true that, in per.
sonal and national life. he was guilty
of gross wickedness. "Abomination:"
strong word, but not too strong for
the debasing and licentious orgies
with which heather worship was con-
Quoted. Heather, cast OUT"
The Canaanites, whom Jehovah had
driven from the land in establishing
His own people there.
V. 3. Built again" Rebuilt. High
places, broken down" 1t was
base indeed for the young man To undo
his fathers good work. The most
popular places of worship were the
shrines set up in every village, com
monty in an elevated position. Idola,
trous rites soon came to be practiceo
there. "Baalim:" The plural for BaaI
the name OF various deities OF the
Canaanites Groves" Revised YER
sion, Ashcroft" Wooden posts or
images connected with the worship of
the Phoenician female deity. "All the
host of heaven" the sun. moon and
stars. This was a new form OF idola-
trous worship. II had been introduced
first by King Ahaz. He probably
brought it from Nineveh or Babylon.
VS.. 4, 5. Built affairs in the house
Of the Lord" Set up affairs for the
worship of various false gods in tn,
courts Of Jehovah's temple at Jeru
salem.
V. 6. He" Manasseh himself led
his people in the rites of idolatrous
worship. His children" His sons
ITO pass through fire." In the wor.
ship of the Ammonte god Molech,
children were placed in the arms of a
great image OF the god, which wa
heated red hot. The place for Molech.
worship seems to have been in tina
valley of Hinnom."
VI. "A carven image" The moa
obnoxious of all these groves" was
the carved image of the goddess which
Manasseh set up in the temple court
God had said to David Solo
mon" See ? Sam. 7:10-13; King
s:29; Ps. 1928. IA.
V. s. Neither, Of tn,
land" II was Gods purpose 70 estab
lish the people of Israel permanently
in the land of Canaan. but His covenant
with them was conditional. so that
they will take heed" Israelites must
be obedient TO Gods commandments ir
order to maintain the position He ha6
assigned them.
V. 9. Made. err" Led and
encouraged them IN the idoatrous
practices above mentioned. Worse
than the heathen:" IT. was far worse
for Israelites to do these things than
for the heather nations Of whom they
learned them. for the Israelites sinnec
against light and knowledge.
V. 20. THE Lord spake." lie
spoke by the voice of conscience, and
also sent prophets TO warn thcm and
denounce their wicked ways. TIE SUBJ
stance of these warnings is sttted in
= klDSS Il. iV-lO. III Is tuOuB u tnat
most OF the prophecies of Micah we're
messages to Manasseh "They would
not hearken:" They would nat heed
the messages. but slew them.
V. II. The Lord brough, upor
them" God permitted His people to
suffer this result of their sin King
of Assyre:" Probably EsarN.ddon.
See Persons. Among the t1nrns:"
Better, In chains"
V. II. I'm affliction he be-
sought the Lord" The bitterness OF
the fruit of sin made ManosssA SIGH
Of It.
V. Is. prayed unto Him. The
Apocryphal book. THE Prayer of
Manasseh" Is a model confession OF
sin, expression of penitence, and ap-
probation Of the forgiving character
o. God.
Practical Points.