New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-08-03
INTERNATIONAL
LESSON
(By REV. p. b. FITZWATER. D. D..
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible institute OF Chicago.)
Downright. 1917, Western Newspaper Unionl
LESSON FOR AUGUST 5.
MANASSEH'S SIN AND REPENT
ANCE.

LESSON TEXT-ll Chronicles S'l-D
GOLDEN TEXT-Let the wicked for
sake his way. and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the
Lord, and he will have mercy upon him.
and to our God, for he will abundantiy
pardon. Isaiah 55:7.
The reign of Manasseh was the long
est of any of the kings of Judah. II Is
strange that n wicked king should
have the distinction of the longest
reign. This can be accounted Tor, per-
haps, by the fact that the nation was
in such a state that their idolatrous
corruption needed to go to its fuliest
development. 1t seems to be heces-
sary in Il world of free beings, mat
their actions must go to Il certain
stage Of development. 1t was 50 Win
the inhabitants of Canaan before hat
land was possessed by Israel. lsraei
was kept in Egypt until II inquiry
of that nation was full. In this case
doubtless the Lord permitted this to
90 on until the idolatrous pracliceS
would become extremely obnoxious.
Another reason why this is done is to
show Gods long forhearance. He ~
not willing that any should perish, Dnt
that all should come to repentance
Oh Peter 800. And finally, we can
account for it on the ground that Goa
permits these things to go on long in
order to vindicate his justice when he
judges. He does not strike In )uug-
ment until all hope of repentance IL
past.
|. Manasseh's Sin wv. 1-9). Though
he had the example of Il good fnther'
he with passionate endeavor gave him.
self up to the imitation of the heather
about him. This shows that grace Is
not inherited n good father may have
a bad son. 1t also teaches us thai II
is absolutely necessary to bring tho
grace of God into vital touch with our
children, for that grace Is absolutely
essential to their salvation. Only his
grace can counterfeit the downward
pull of sin.
1. He restored the high places which
had Deer destroyed by his father
", 81. 1t is thus seen that he sought
to undo the good work done by his
father.
9. He erected affairs to Baal ". 3D.
The idols worshiped on these hltars
seem to have been images of licen-
tious appearance, provoking the fhdui-
gencc of the human passion. There
fore, with this worship was coupled
the grosscst RIGHTEOUSNESS.
3. He introduced the star worship
Of the Chuldeans and Assyrians ". -.
He even erected these affairs in The
house of the Lord. placing them on IA
level with God himself.
4. He set up Moloch in the vale o:
Hinnon (v. O.. lie not only encour-
aged this worship on the part of oth-
ers. but he even caused his own chill
dren to pass through the fire.
s.. He practiced magic, witchcraft.
and dealt with Il familiar spirit ". 90.
So gross were these practices that
they did ever worse than the heathen
whom God had destroyed before the
Children of Israel came into the n
II seems to be true always that when
those who profess to worship God turn
away from him. they indulge in SIN
in excess of the unAelievers- =
6, He rejected the Lords testimony
". 10Y. Doubtless the prophets had
again and again admoniShed him, hut
he seems to have turned entirely aside
from such remonstrances.
u. Manasseh's Chastisement wv. H.
13). The Lord in grace used the AS
syrians to chastise Manasseh. so rs to
bring him to see his evil ways. He
was captured, perhaps while hiding
among the thicket of thorns ". ID,
bound in chains and carried to Baby
lon. This was most humiliating. His
hands were manacled, his ankles fas-
tened together with rings and Il bar.
III. Manasseh's Repentance. wv. T..
49,. Fortunately, the chastisemanr
: had its desired effect. Manassefi WAS
brought to his lenses and turned from
his evil ways. The steps in his re-
=, pentance are as follows:
!, 1. Ahliction ". 12). This was most
: severe. Bound with chains and dragged
r to Babylon. While this was severe. ii
I was light In comparison with the sins
which provoked it. Many today are
II Nv INV "'iSb WI wv -
chastisement who have moi vet come
to realize that the weight is light com
= pared with the offenSe. Affection Is
I Gods love token (IIcb. IL 90. Its pri-
mary design is to bring men back to-
i. God.
.. Supplication ". 1o). Manasseh
! had the good sense to cry out to God
l in this condition. II is the unmistak-
f able evidence thai Gods clastiscment
is accomplishing its purpose. We are
instructed in James 5:13 in time of af-
Fiction to pray.
3. Humility ". 12). This is a COM
: mon characteristic of penitent souls.
Those who come under the hand of
t God always recognize it in their hum
BILE walk.
4. Forgiveness ". 13). As soon as
God sees the signs of penitence, he
+, turns in mercy to the penitent ana
grants absolution for sin. No one
! needs to wait long to receive his for
g%iveness.
Manasseh not only was forgiven. but
T he was actually restored to his king
( dom. Those who truly repent, God
will not only forgive, but he will re-
store psa. 32:3-5).
6. Apprehension of God ". 49,.
Through this experience Manasseh
came to know God. He not only came