The Columbus journal., 1911-07-12
Manasseh's Wickedness
and Penitenee
So1hg S<Assl lssssa f9 J15 l4 19ll
Specially Arranged for This Papse
LESSON TEXT-II Chronicles 33:l-:0
MEMORY XERSES-lS II

/ ~ W. vvuy oAO 0SOIACO VI OoO kUSAA
told In the Bible. such as the one in
this lesson? They are a warning.
They are pictures Of q character that
repels us, that urges us not to enter
any path that leads to that end.
During the long reign Of Manasseh
Jerusalem was at peace while the
neighboring lands were harried by A.
syrian armies. 50 that Jerusalem had
q large share Of the trade Of Palestine
The hing and his subjects benefited
in many ways from the immense in
crease Of traffic caused By the inclu-
sion Of Egypt and western Asia under
one empire. The political rank Of
jerusalem secured to her the chief
markets Of the internal commerce Of
Judah. as well as the gifts which II
was customary for foreign traders to
leave with the lords of the territories
they visited; and thus in spite Of the
disadvantages Of its site, the city
must have become a considerable en-
porium.
Manasseh was the son and heir of
Hezekiah. q great. and. on the whole.
good king. His mothers name was
Hepzibah. the delight of her husband.
He was only twelve years old when he
began to reign in form. But in Judah
king was not supposed to be Of age
until he was eighteen. For six years
Manasseh must have been to q great
extent under the influence Of his re-
gents and counselors. He was the SIX
teenth king of Judah. He reigned
fifty and five years. The longest reign
In the history Of Judah and Israel.
And he did that which was evil In the
sight Of the Lord. Manasseh was
king Of the Lords people. and his
business was to carry out Gods plan
Of peculiar people who should teach
the nations righteousness. and the
true way of living.
He was q mere boy, unable at first
to assert himself as a ruler. He doubt
less was waited on. petted. hattered.
courted, treated as a superior being,
whose will should never be checked.
nor fancy thwarted; with no regular
business. no hard tasks What Manas-
sch did was popular and fashionable:
following the ways Of the greatest.
most cultured, most influential nation
In the world, then the master of Judah.
The people were doing business with
the Assyrians. Trade demanded con-
formity. Society was dominated by
Assyrian influences. Moreover. many
doubtless used the same argument
Rabshakeh used to Hezekiah that the
prosperity under heather gods. and
their conquering power proved that
these gods were mightier than Jeho
yah the God Of the little Province of
Judah. (And yet the Assyrians were
really near to destruction since their
capital Nineveh was swept out Of ex-
istence in S06 B. c.
Mannasseh degraded true religion
that was meant for the comfort and
Of man. by leading his peo-
pie away from the one true God. the |
only source of help, into all manner Of
irrational. degrading enchant- !
ments by which the people sought for /
guidance and help. Thus these prac- |
tees were treason and disloyalty.
The Lord spake to Nanasseh. by
means of the prophets. Of whom Ma
hum may have been one; by means
Of his conscience, by the ex-
ample of his father. by means of his
by the written word. by
It is not known just when
Manasseh was made to pay the PEN
atty Of his sins. but it must have been
after many years Of idolatry.
Wherefore the Lord brought upon
them the captains of the host of the
king Of Assyria and Manasseh was
made captive. The records Of Assur-
oanipal record review Of the %
kings of whom Manasseh was one ap-
at Nineveh. Which took
Nanasseh among the tEOrEs. in
:hains," margin, with hooks" "As-
syrian kings sometimes thrust hook
nto the nostrils Of their captives. and
10 led them about.
He had been sailing down the
Niagara rapids carelessly. and now he
eels the tossing Of the waves, the
current swiftly flowing by the rocks.
le sees spray over the cataract, and
lears its roar. Why? In order that
le may stop ere it is too late. The
litter fruits Of his wrong doing
brought the desired effect. The prod
gal came to himself He besought
he Lord, Jehovah. not the heather
ODDS he had been worshfping, who
allied him in his trouble.
DIR. John Todd once represented the
Judgment day as our coming into q ;
reat hall whose walls were hung with ,,
ictures on which were painted all the
ins that We have ever committed. On
ne picture are painted all the bad .
lords that We have ever spoken: on =
mother all the jealousies We have .
yer felt; on another all the coverings
( our hearts. ell the wrong bargains :.
Ie have ever made, all the unkindness :
, our parents and friends OF which
'e have ever been guilty, all our
rayerless mornings and evenings. all
ur neglect Of Gods word, all our in
ratitude towards Our heavenly Fa-
her and our hard feelings towards
i'm, all our abuse Of the Sabbath and
he means of grace, all our neglect Of
ne Saviour and our grieving away the !.
Ioly Spirit. What pictures would our =
ns-open sins. secret sins. heart 9
ms. and lifelong sins-make! What
terrible hall that would be!
God showed Manasseh clearly that .
e forgave him. by the fact that he :,
eonzhf him again to Jerusalem. We