Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

We enter in this chapter upon the history of the reign of Manasseh; and a most wicked reign it proved. He is carried into Babylon. In prison his heart is changed. He is liberated from prison. At his death he is succeeded by Ammon his son. He dies also, and Josiah his son becomes his successor.

We had this history of Manasseh before, and with so little variety, that I think it unnecessary to dwell upon it. See 2Ki 21. Never, surely, was there a record more painful to go over. What an awful picture doth this man hold forth of the desperately wicked state of the human heart?

The most remarkable circumstance here related is, that the change wrought upon Manasseh is not so much as mentioned in the parallel history in Kings. It hath afforded great comfort, and no doubt encouragement, to many a sinner. And therefore probably the Holy Ghost thought proper to have it recorded. Reader! let you and I make this use of it, and behold in it what grace can do; what mercy there is in God; what efficacy in the blood and righteousness of Jesus; and what power in the work of God the Holy Ghost. Here, surely, that sweet scripture was fully proved, where sin abounded grace did much more abound. Romans 5:20. And however high and aggravated the transgressions of our nature are, almighty grace will yet as infinitely transcend our offences as the heavens are higher than the earth.

There is a prayer among, the books of the apocrypha said to be this prayer of Manasseh. But the matter is questionable. Happy is it to observe, that a life which begun so unpromising, did yet find mercy from the Lord.

The short, sinful, and unworthy life of Ammon, terminating as it did by a violent death, opens but little subject for meditation. Alas! how wretched and hopeless for the most part are all such men. How hath the Psalmist marked them, and how true a portrait hath he drawn. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. Psalms 37:10.

REFLECTIONS

MY soul! in the contemplation of such characters as are here represented, behold the awful situation of the wicked. How by sin they destroy themselves, ruin their friends, involve their dearest connections in evil, and beginning in sin, for the most part terminate their existence in vanity and vexation of spirit. But think, my soul, what a miracle of grace must it be, when any, like Manasseh are delivered out of the snare of the devil, who were taken captive by him at his will. Surely none will venture to dispute here the sovereignty of grace, or to put that down to man's free will which can belong to _ none but the undeserved; unsought for, unexpected, mercy of God in Christ. And hast thou, Lord, brought my soul out of the prison house, out of Satan's empire; and washed me from my sins in thy blood! Hast thou made me a rich partaker of the grace which is in Christ Jesus! Oh! blessed, forever blessed, be the means in affliction like Manasseh's, and yet more blessed be the God of the means, who remembered me in my low estate, for his mercy endureth forever.