2 Kings 21:10-18 - Homilies By J. Orr

Prophetic denunciations.

In all that he had done, Manasseh had not only sinned himself, but had "seduced" others to sin (verse 9). Persons in high positions have this great influence. They are the natural social leaders, and their example tells powerfully for good or evil. The prophets, however, though as it proved at the risk of their lives, did not fail to warn him. It was no doubt their faithful denunciations, and the terrible evils they predicted, which brought down upon them the king's wrath, and led to the great persecution.

I. MANASSEH MORE WICKED THAN THE CANAANITES . He had "done wickedly above all that the Amorites did." His deeds may have been the same, but his guilt was greater than theirs, inasmuch as:

1. His light was greater than theirs . The Canaanites had the light of nature, and that, indeed, sufficed to render them inexcusable ( Romans 1:18-32 ; Romans 2:14 , Romans 2:15 ). But Manasseh had the light of revelation. He was king of a nation to which God had made fully known the truth of his Being, character, and attributes; which had laws and statutes given to it such as no other nation possessed ( Deuteronomy 4:6-8 ); and which enjoyed the living ministry of holy prophets. He had also had the advantage of a pious father's example and training. For such a one to go back to the sins of the Amorites was a heinous offence. It made his wickedness greater than theirs. We shall be judged by the light we possess ( Luke 12:47 , Luke 12:48 ), and if our light is not improved it will be more tolerable for heathen nations than for us ( Matthew 11:21-24 ; Matthew 12:41 , Matthew 12:42 ).

2. He was guilty of apostasy ; they were not . If the Amorities did these abominations, and served these idols, it could at least be said that they had never lived under any other system. God had suffered them to walk in their own way ( Acts 14:16 ; Acts 17:30 ). But in his evil Manasseh was guilty of a direct act of apostasy. He was going back from past attainments. He was violating a covenant made at Sinai, and repeatedly renewed. It is a different thing for a heathen to commit the vile acts in which he has been brought up, and for a Christian to renounce Christian training and baptismal engagements, and do the same acts.

3. The corruption of the best is the worst . This is another principle which explains why Manasseh's abominations are represented as worse than those of the Amorites. A nation, being once enlightened, cannot sin as the semi-ignorant heathen do. It develops worse and more virulent evils. As a brute cannot sin in the same way as a man, or a child in the same way as an adult, so a nation enlightened by revelation can no longer sin as a nation does which has not this light. The higher consciousness reacts upon the sin and modifies it. There are evils possible under a Christian civilization which surpass anything known in heathenism. If our great cities show higher heights of virtue, they could also reveal lower depths of vice than Nineveh, Rome, Pekin, or Calcutta.

II. THE SEVERITY OF JERUSALEM 'S PUNISHMENT .

1. The grounds of the punishment . These are twofold:

2. The character of the punishment . It would be:

III. MANASSEH 'S DEATH . The reign of more than half a century came at length to a close, and, though the last years of it were marked by repentance, it left indelible traces of evil on the condition of the people. That by which Manasseh was specially remembered was "his sin that he sinned." He was buried in "the garden of his own house, the garden of Uzza." Amen also was buried in this garden (verse 26). There was another garden which had a sepulcher in it ( John 19:41 ); but how different the sleepers!—J.O.