The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-07-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY 80.
Subject, Manasseh's Sin and Repentsncc,
IL. Chron. xxxiii., t-i3-Goiden Text,
Prov. XIV. 34--Memory Verses. 1918
documentary on the Days Lesson.


documentary on the Days Lesson.
l. Manasseh's excessive idoatries
Tvs. 1-9). /. "Manasseh" The thir-
teenth King OF Judah mot counting
Athaliah. the usurper). son of Heze-
kiah and Hephzibah. who was tradi.
tionally the daughter of Isaiah.
Twelve years old" He was born
three years after Hezekiah was mlrac-
ulously restored to health. He rcigned
longer than any other King of Judah
or Israel. 2. "Did-evil" He fol-
lowed oil the abominnble practices of
the nations of Canaan. but his sin was
greater than theirs because he had
light and knew about the true God. 3.
'Baalim." The plural form for Baal.
Made grooves" Made Ashcroft"
X. V. Ashcroft is one of the plural
forms of Ashrah, heather goddess.
Baal was male and Asherah female
divinity. An Asherah was probably a
wooden pole which was planted be.
side an altar as a symbol of a deity
Host Of heaven" The sun moon aud
stars. 4. "Altars in the house" He
placed the heather affairs even in the
temple "Shall my name be-" See
chapter I: 10.
.. I'm the two courts" Professor
Lumby thinks this verse explains the
preceding verse. and that the idola-
trous affairs were erected in the courts
of the temple and not in the holy place.
&. Through the fire" There Is rea-
son to believe that In certain clrcum.
stances the children offered to Molocb
were actually burnt to death or were
first slain and then burnt. See psa.
1O8 3S; Jer. Z: 81; Kings II: 81
"Valley-of Hlnnom." This was ia.
vine on the south and west Of .Ierusa-
lem, the southeast extremity of which
had the name of Tophet. observed
times" See X. " "practiced divlna-
tion by the clouds" "Enchantments."
He used incantations and charms. "Fa-
milar spirit" See l Sam 2S: s. He
had In his service those who pretended
to raise the spirits Wizards" Wise
or Knowing ones who claimed to reveal
secrets. Many of these impostors came
from Chaldea to pursue their occupa-
tions and practice their deceptions. and
Manasseh was their liberal patron.
much evil" The heather rites and
ceremonies which Manasseh observed
were often of the foulest character. Z
"Set-image" The setting up the Ash
erah within the sacred precincts is
= = IL
outrage of this wicked king. s.
Neither will l." etc. God had prom
ised that this land should be theirs
forever q Sam. 7: 10l. IF only" lR
W All of Gods promises are condi-
tional. This condition was expressed
at the very first. Had they obeyed
God they would never have gone into
captivity. but would still have been in
possession of the promised land o.
ITO do worse" Through the perni-
cious influence of AIanasseh they were
led into worse forms of sin than were
even practiced by the original Canaan
ties Tradition says that under Man
asseh Isaiah was sawn asunder.
III. Manassehs punishment Tvs. 10,
| ID. 10. "The Lord spake" We can
imagine the bitter grief and burning
indignation of those who loved the
God of Israel And they were not ST.
| lent. In Kings 21 1915 we see un-
named prophets denouncing the apos-
tasy and threatening judgment in most
striking language.
II. "Klng of Assyria" Assyrla was
at that time under Esarhaddon
Among the thorns" "In chains" K.
! V. The sharp. thornlke nook by
which prisoners were caught ana held
| like fish. "Fetters" Probably mana
cles for the hands and fetters for the
feet "To Babylon" With this event
Judah was added to the Assyrian EN-
pire.
III. Manasseh's repentance ". 12l
12 "Besought the Lord" In the soll.
tude of exile and Imprisonment Man
asseh had leisure for reflection The
cnlamities forced on him n review OF
his past life, convincing him that tile
miseries of his dethronement and cap
tlvlty were owing TO his awful and nm
precedented apostasy from the God OF
his fathers. "Humbed himself great
| ly." Affections are our best friends
we should never from upon them. Ii
their midst we see our nOthingness.
". Manasseh's restoration ". 13)
13. "He was entreated." 1t is impos
sible that any sinner who desires tC
forsake sin and turn to God will be re
fused mercy, after the record of par
don from God to man like Manasseh
Does this not explain why Manassel
was permitted to live the life he did
Would the Bible be the book 1t is If sir
were not personified by such charac
ters. and grace personfied in Jesus
Christ to meet their need? Heard.
lHOupn HllllcllOn arrives us 10 hOu lit
will not therefore reject us If we sin
cerely seek Him, for atilictons ere sem
to bring us to Him. brought Eim-tC
Jerusalem" When Manasseh is brough
back TO God and his duty he shall soor
be brought back TO his kingdom. SCI
how readily God is to accept and wei
come returning sinners. and how swif
to show mercy. Let not great sinner
despair when Manasseh himself. on re
pentance. found favor with God; II
him God showed forth long SUFFERING
Il Tim. /: 16; lisa. L. 1S). "Manassel
knew-God." No precepts of his faith
err no teaching OF priests and LIevites
no net of ceremonial circumcision no
engaging in forms of religion; no list
ening to sermons nor reading tn
Scriptures brought him this knowl
edge. He had TO be brought TO a posi-
ton where nothing but the almight.
power of God could deliver him. w
will bless God through all eternity 70
the days OF trouble that lead us t
obey (Psa. 80: 15). But how much bet
ter 1t is to obey at once, thus making
such affiictions unnecessary.