Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-07-28
| THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY 80.

documentary on the Days Lesson.
l. Manasseh's excessive idolatries
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 borr
three years after Hezekiah was mirac.
ulously restored to health. He reigned
longer than any other King of Judah
or Israel. 2. "Did-evil." He fol.
lowed all the abominable practices OF
the nations Of Canaan, but his sin was
greater than theirs because he had
light and knew about the true God. 8
"Baalim." The plural form for Baal.
"Made grooves" Made Ashcroft"
r. V. Ashcroft is one Of the plural
forms of Ashrah, a heather goddess.
Baal was male and Asherah female
divinity. An Asherah was probably a
wooden pole which was planted be-
side an altar as symbol of deity.
"Host of heaven" The sun, moon and
stars. 4. "Altars in the house." He
placed the heather affairs even in the
temple. "Shall my name be-" See
chapter Z: 16.
8. 'In 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.
6. Through the fire." There is rea'
son to believe that in certain circum-
stances the children offered to Molocb
were actually burnt to death, or were
first slain and then burnt. See Pisa,
106: 3S; Jer. Z: 81; 2 Kings II: 81.
"Valley-of Hinnom." This was ra.
vine on the south and west Of Jerusa-
lem, the southeast extremity of which
had the name of Tophet. observed
times" See r. V. 'Practiced divina-
ton by the clouds" Entertainments"
He used incantatiOns and charms. ia
miliar spirit" See / Sam. %: 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-
tons and practice their receptions, 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
dwelt upon as the most aggravated
outrage of this wicked king. s.
"Neither will l." etc. God had prom
ised that this land should be theirs
forever ~ Sam. Z: 10). IF only" Or.
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
possession of the promised land. 3.
ITO do worse" Through the perni-
cious influence of Manasseh 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.
II. Manasseh's punishment Tvs. TO-,
~. TO- "The Lord spake." We can
imagine the bitter grief and burning
Indignation of those who loved the
God of Israel And they were not 81
lent. In 2 Kings 81: 1915 we see I'M
named prophets denouncing the apos-
tasy and threatening judgment IN most
striking language.
II. "King of Assyria." Assyria was
at that time under Esarhaddon
among the thorns." "In chains" r..
V. The sharp, thornlike nook by
which prisoners were caught and held
like fish. "Fetters." Probably mana
cles for the hands and letters for the
feet. "To Babylon" With this event
Judah was added to the Assyrian En-
pire.
III. MaDasseh's repentance ". 10
IL. "Besought the Lord" In the soil
tude of exile and imprisonment Man
asseh had leisure for reflection. The
calamities forced on him a review Of
his past life. convincing him that the
miseries of his dethronement and cap
tivity were owing to his awful and I'M
precedented apostasy from the God OF
his fathers. "HumbIed himself great
ly." Affections are our best friends;
we should never from upon them. In
their midst we see our nothingness.
Nv. Manasseh's restoration ". 13).
13. "He was entreated." 1t Is impos-
sible that any sinner who desires to
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 Manasseh
was permitted to live the life he did?
Would the Bible be the book 1t is IL sin
were not personif1ed by such charac-
tiers. and grace pers0nified in Jesus
Christ to meet their need? Heard"
Though affliction drives liz to God He
will not therefore reject us if we sin
cerely seek Him. for Affections are sent
to bring us to Him. Brought him-to
Jerusalem" When Manasseh is brought
back to God and his duty he shall soon
be brought back to his kingdom. See
how readily God is to accept and wei
come returning sinners, and how swift
to show mercy. Let not great sinners
despair when Manasseh himself. on re-
pentance. found favor with God; I'm
him God showed forth long suffering
Il Tim. !: 16; lisa. /: 18). "Manasseh
knew-God" No precepts of his faith
er; no teaching Of priests and LIevites;
no act of ceremonial circumcision nor
engaging in forms Of religion; no list
ening to sermons nor reading the
Scriptures brought him this knowl-
edge. He had to be brought to posi-
ton where nothing but the almighty
power Of God could deliver him. We
will bless God through all eternity for
the days Of trouble that lead us to
obey (Psa. so: 15). But how much bet.
ter it is to obey at once, thus making
such Affections unnecessary.
When Gunpowder Was New.
A curious discovery has been made
in the course of some excavations
that have been in progress in st.