The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-07-28
MANASSEH'S SIN
and REPENTANCE
Sunday School Lesson Tor July 80. 1905
Specially Prepared Tor Thia Papsr


GOLDEN TEXT -' Rightoousress exc
slteth nation. but sin Is "a reproach 20
any people Prov I.34
TIME -Manaaseh became kine B C. 6s6
Anon came 20 the throne b c. 4l and
rcigned two years
PLACE.-Judah and Babylon
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES Manas-
seh's mother. Kings nj Isa "a Man
assehs early environment. lea. Eib-l9,
A.s-l6. 30I 9-N Read Chron 1855 and
compare 10 with ptut N.g-A References
10 idoiatry Ia Kings q ] Sam y Ezek 5.
zeDh ] and o, Jer 8 T. and 70. Compare
them with the picture ia CLT0n. 50 God
promises regarding the Temple. San.
ll0-lg. G-9, / Kings 80. e3-g. psa l5l
10. H. Compare Manassehs conversion
With Paurs. Acts 9I-20. 22.l-I 2G4-3
Comment and Suggestive Thought
v l. Twelve years, began
10 reign" In Judah q young man was
not OF age until he reached IS
years; during the young kings minor
ity regents held the relns OF power.
"Fifty-fve years" His was the long
est reign IN Judah The facts OF his
continued life and large measure Of
prosperity we're very perplexing to the
good people of his day. who knew only
Of rewards and punishments which can
be received IN this life We can re-
ioice that a patient heavenly Father
allowed him time that be might repent
V. 2. That which was evil" A set
phrase. meaning that this king did not
properly support Jehovah-worship. Il
Is also undoubtedly true that. IN per
sonal and national life he was guilty
| Of gross wickedness "AbOminauOn.
A strong word, but not too strong foi
the debaslng and licentious orgies
with which heather worship was con-
Quoted Heather. cast out.
The Canaanltes. whom Jehovah had
driven from the land IN establishing
His own people there
va. Built again" Rebuilt High
/ places broken down" II waH
base indeed for the young man 10 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 ldola-
/ trous rites soon came to be practiced
there "Baalim:" The plural for Baal,
| the name OF various deities OF the
Canaanitos Groves" Revised Yer
sion, "Asheroth:" 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. lie probably
brought II from Nineveh or Babylon.
vs.. 4. 5. Built altars IN the house
Of the Lord" Set up altars for the
worship Of various false gods in the
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 Ammonite god Molech. |
children we're placed IN tho arms Of q |
great image Of the god, which was
heated red hot The place for Molech- /
worship seems TO have been in the /
valley Of Hinnom.
W. "A carven image" The most /
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;1O-l3; Kings /
s:2e: Ps. 1928, a.
V. g. Neither. Of the /
land." II was Gods purpose to estab-
llsh the people of Israel permanently /
in the land of Canaan. but His covenant |
with them was conditional 80 that
they will take heed" Israelites must 1
be obedient to Gods commandments IN /
order TO maintain the position lie had /
assigned them
v 3. Made. err" Led and 1
encouraged them in the ldolatrous
practices above mentioned. Worse
than the heathen:" II was far worse
for Israelites 10 do these things than
for the heather nations Of whom they
learned them, for the Israelites sinned
against light and knowledge
V. 10 The Lord spake" He
spoke by the voice Of conscience. and
also sent prophets to warn them and
denounce their wicked ways The sub
stance OF these warnings is stated in
2 Kings 2l.iO-l5 II is thought tina.
most OF the prophecies Of Micah wera
messages to Man asseh They would
not hearkpn." They would not heed
the messages. but slew them.
V. H. The Lord brought upon
them" God permitted HIS people to
suffer this result Of their sin King
Of Assyria." Probably Esarhaddon.
See Persons. Among the thorns:"
Better, In chains
V. 19. "In afliction he be-
sought the Lord" The bitterness Of
the fruit Of sin made Manosseh sick
Of r.
V. 10. Prayed unto Him" The
Apocryphal book. The Prayer Of
Manasseh" is a model confession Of
sin. expression Of penitence. and ap-
probation of the forglving character
OF God
Practical Points
w. Let US set for the measure
ment Of our deeds no lower standard
than how they appear IN the sight Of
Cod Sam. 16.7
Va Where the light Of true re-
nglon fails 70 penetrate. we may ex-
pect grossest exhibitions Of cruelty
Ps. 1920.
VS.. God Who is love, cannot look
with complacency upon ain which Is
destroying His children-Rom l:1s.
V 7. We must take heed that no
idols Of the heart usurp the place that
Is due 10 God alone i John 5:21.
The pills that act a. tonic, and
not a. a drastic purge, are DeWitts
L