Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-07-29

T. ManaSseh's excessive kioiatries
tvs. 10 (. "Marasseh" The thir-
teensh King Of Judah tnot counting
Athaiian. the usnrperl. son OF Heze-
tionaliy the daughter % Isaiah
Twelve years old He was BORN
three years after Hezekiah was m!rac-
ul0uSiy restored 90 health. He rcixaed
longer than any other klng o. Judah
or Israel - ~Did-evii7 He fot-
lowed all the sbominable practices OF
the nations OF Canasn. but his sin was
greater than theirs because he hs1
light and knew about the true God s.
"Baaiim.~ The plural form for Baai.
Made grooves. Made Asherosh~
r. v Ashcroft Is one % the plural
forms 81 Ashrah. a heather goddess
Baal was n male and Ashevah a female
divinity An Asherah was probably a
wooden pole which was planted b.
side an altar as a symool % a deity
+ Host Of heaven" The sun. moon ana
stars 4. Affairs in the house. ne
placed the heather affairs even In the
temple. shall ray name be- see
f chapter Z. rs.
2 In the two courts PROFESSOR
f Lumby thinks this verse explains the
f preceding verse. and that the idola-
. trous affairs were erected In the courts
of the temple and not ln the holy place.
.
son Co believe that In certain circum-
stances the children offered % Moiocn
were actually burnt 20 death. or wers
hrst slain and then burnt. See Fsa-
les. ls. Jer. Z. 81. = Kings 10. 81
valley H.unom.F This was n "a
vine on the south and west % Jcrusa-
lem. the southeast extremity OF which
had the name % Tnphet Observed
times" See r. y. ~Pracficei dlvlna-
b. e
Ue used lamentations ard charms pa
miiiar spirit" See a sam. -. 81 He
had in bis service those w ho pretended
90 raise the spirits Wizards" Wise
or Knowing ones who claimed GO reveal
secrets Many of these imnosfors came
from Chailea to pursue their occupa-
tions and practice their deceptions. ank
Mana sseh was their liberal patron.
"Much evil" The heather rites AMI
' ceremonies which Mauasseh observed
We're often 90 che f0ulcst character. =.
"Set-imagc." The setting up the Ash
eroh within fhe sacred precincts -
dwelt upon as fhe most aggravated
outrage ~ rh.s wIcked king s.
"Nelfher VIII T." cfr. God had PROM
ised that ih.s land should hc theirs
forever l- sam. q. lol. III only iR.
Nl All ~ Gods promises are conti-
uOnnL This condition was expressed
"
God they would never have gone Into
' captivity but would stni have been in
possession of tle promised land. o.
T, "Io TO worse" Through the perni-
cious influence Or Mauassoh they were
3 led into worse forms ~ sin than were
even prlctcet hv the original Canaan
p ites. Tradition says that under Man
asseh Isaiah was sawn asunder
[. H. Mauasseh's punishment Tvs 10.
u I..f
u imagine the bitter grief and burning
Indignation OF those who loved the
l' Cod 90 Israel And they were not ST.
lent In = Kings 81. 1913 We see un-
q named prophets denouncing the apos-
fnsy and threatening Judgment in most
striking language.
II. King OF Assyria-" Assyria was
ar that time under Esarhad&on
Among the thorns~ "In chains" X
81 The sharp. thornilke nook hy
'' which prisoners were caught ana held
Ike hsh. ~Fetters." Probably mana
N cles Tor the hands and fetters Tor fhs
i' feet "ro Babylon" With this even
Judah was added to the Assyrisn En-
pire.
III Mauasseh's repentance Nv. II
-. "Resourht the Lord" Tn the sos.
ID, ute 90 exile and imprisonment Man
go asseh had leisure for reflection. Tn
W. his pasc hfe. convincing him that IN
az miseries 81 his dethronemeut and car
~ tlviy were owing 20 his awful and ur
~. precedented apostasy from the God q
-,- his fathers "Humblet himself grea'
- ly.' Affections are our best friends
- We should never from upeu them. I
II thcir midst we see our n0thlngncss.
~. Mana sseh's restoration ". Il
-. He was entreatcd" ft Is imp0
- sihle that any sinner who desires
-. forsake sin aud turn % God win ~ r
fused mercy. after the record 81 pa
don from God To q man ike Manass
49, Does this not explain why Mana sse
was permitted % live che lie he al
Would the Bible be the book u Is II Al
ne were not pers0nlred by such chara
an tiers. AMI grace personlhed in Jesi
iel Christ 20 meet their need1 Heard
Tea Though affection drives Us 20 Cod +
ms viii not therefore reject us II we 81
re- cerely seek Him. FOR Affections are Sc
II 20 bring W. 20 Him Brought him
Jerusalem" when Manasseh Is broug
a back % God and his duty be shall so,
the be brought back To his SlngiOm. :
how readily God - 20 accept and VI
come returning sinners and how swl
20 show mercy Let not great slime
l. despair when ManasSeb himself. on
,rst pentance. found favor with God:
.f him God showed forth long suffsri
a Tim I: 10. lisa Z. Isl. ~Manass
t"o knew-C0d." No precepts OF his fai
lnd err. no teaching OF priests and Levitt,
fer- no acE OF ceremonial circumcision n
- engaging in forms OF religion. no "a
- ening TO sermons nor reading {
-, Scriptures brought him this know
as I a4foa "a had II ~ hroprhr n a M