2 Chronicles 33:11-17 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

Manasseh's repentance.

I. ITS IMPELLING CAUSE .

1 . The grace of God. That the regeneration and conversion of a soul is a work of Divine grace is taught hardly less clearly in the Old Testament ( Deuteronomy 30:6 ; 1 Kings 8:58 ; Psalms 110:3 ; Isaiah 26:12 ; Jeremiah 13:23 ; Jeremiah 24:7 ; Jeremiah 31:33 ; Ezekiel 11:19 ; Zechariah 12:10 ) than in the New ( John 1:13 ; John 3:3 ; John 6:44 , John 6:63 , John 6:65 ; Ephesians 2:1-10 ; Ephesians 5:14 ; Philippians 1:6 ).

2 . The judgments of Providence. "The Lord brought upon him and his people the captains of the host of the King of Assyria" (verse 11).

II. ITS ACCOMPANYING SIGNS .

1 . Humility. "He humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his fathers" (verse 12). This grace, beautiful in all who come before God ( Job 25:5 , Job 25:6 ; Ecclesiastes 5:2 ), is absolutely indispensable to a penitent ( Job 40:4 ; Isaiah 6:5 ; Romans 7:18 ), and is the certain highway to spiritual promotion ( Proverbs 15:33 ; Isaiah 66:2 ; Luke 18:13 , Luke 18:14 ).

2 . Prayer. "He besought the Lord his God" (verse 12); "he prayed unto him" (verse 13)—no doubt with the language and feeling of

III. ITS CONSEQUENT FRUITS .

1 . Acceptance. Jehovah "was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom" (verse 13). So God still listens to the cries of sincere penitents when they call upon him for forgiveness and salvation, for emancipation from the condemnation of the Law and the enslaving yoke of sin ( Job 33:27 , Job 33:28 ; Isaiah Iv. 6, 7; Isaiah 57:15 ; Jeremiah 3:12-14 ; Luke 18:14 ; James 4:8 ). That Manasseh should have been restored to his throne and kingdom harmonized well with the mild character of Esarhaddon, who appears from the monuments to have accorded similar treatment to a son of Meredach-Baladan, and to an Aramaean chief of the Gambalu, both of whom on submitting to his authority were forgiven and reinstated in their former positions. Like clemency was extended by Assur-bani-pal to the King of Arvad's Vakinlu's sons, who, on kissing the great king's feet after their father's death, were favourably received—Azibahal the eldest being appointed to the kingdom of Arvad, and the others presented with clothing of linen and bracelets of gold ('Records,' etc; 1:69). Tammaritu King of Elam likewise experienced the great king's favour on making humble submission and acknowledgment of his offence.

2 . Illumination. "Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah he was God" (verse 13).

3 . Reformation. "He took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord (verse 7), and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord,… and cast them out of the city" (verse 15). Compare the earlier reformations of Joash ( 2 Chronicles 23:17 ), and Hezekiah ( 2 Chronicles 31:1 ), and the later of Josiah ( 2 Chronicles 34:3 , 2 Chronicles 34:4 ). So in every case of true conversion there must be a putting away of known sin ( Isaiah 1:16 ; Isaiah 55:7 ; Matthew 3:8 ).

4 . Separation. The people continued to sacrifice on the high places, though only unto the Lord their God (verse 17). On their part it was a compromise. Willing to advance half-way on the path of reformation, they would not make a clean severance between themselves and idolatry. Manasseh did not so.

5 . Consecration. "He repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings" (verse 16). So far as he himself was concerned, he was done with the high places; and his regal authority, backed up by his personal example, he faithfully employed to induce his subjects to have done with them also.

LESSONS .

1 . The benefits and design of affliction.

2 . The value and use of prayer.

3 . The graciousness of God towards penitents.

4 . The marvellous illumination that comes with the new life.

5 . The certainty that holiness will flow from a personal experience of mercy.

6 . The intermixture of imperfection with the best services of saints.—W.