WHEN PARENTS GO ASTRAY

We often read about children that grow up in Christian homes where there was an influence of godliness yet, when they get older, turn from what they were taught, to seek pleasures that indulge their fleshly natures. But seldom do you ever hear about parents that walk after God, but in the end, turn from what they know to be truth to seek those same pleasures that indulge their fleshly natures. The Scriptures tell us about a King who just like that. The King was Hezekiah, one of Israel’s most righteous kings. Hezekiah’s son Manasseh on the other hand, was known for seducing God’s people into doing more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed, according to 2 King 21:9 and did evil in the sight of the Lord…II King 21:2. Why Hezekiah’s righteousness did not pass on to his son has been a thought to ponder throughout the ages. While the Scripture tells us that each man must work out his own salvation with fear and trembling, we know that many never bother to work it out, they simply refuse it altogether.

First let’s talk about Hezekiah and how he worked out his salvation. We know that he was a man of prayer. Scripture reveals that in Isaiah, Chapters 37-38. His life revealed his faith and his work for God. His devotion to God was undisputed in Isa 38:2-3 and was rewarded by God in Isa. 38:4-6. His witness and testimony was seen and heard throughout the land. However, Chronicles 32:25 comments on Hezekiah’s deteriorating attitude after God granted him his prayer to be healed and extended his life for an additional 15 years.

It’s as if at some point and time Hezekiah thought himself somehow invulnerable from harm after all the divine interventions that saved him in warfare and from his almost,  fatal illness. Soon after his healing, the king of Babylon heard that Hezekiah was sick and had been divinely healed, which indicates that the news of Hezekiah’s life was spreading far and wide to other nations. Having God kill 185,000 soldiers of the feared Assyrian empire outside his city walls surely made Hezekiah very famous during that time. The king of Babylon sent gifts by way of the ambassadors to Hezekiah. At that point, Hezekiah’s fame was attracting him some friends. Naively, and very unwisely Hezekiah welcomed his new found friends into his palace and his kingdom. He showed them the house of his special treasures, all  his silver and gold, the spices and the precious ointment, all of his armors and weaponry, as well as all that was in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show according to Isaiah 39:1-2. This was most foolish on Hezekiah’s part. He gave the Babylonian ambassadors a motive to come back and attack Judah.

Isaiah the prophet came to Hezekiah and told him not only were his actions foolish, but also that everything he had shown the Babylonians would be taken by the them and that his sons would become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

Hezekiah’s reaction was surprisingly selfish. His answer showed no concern either for the well-being of his nation or for his offspring. As long as the disaster was not to occur in his own lifetime, Hezekiah was unconcerned about it.. Isaiah 39:8. That verse must be one of the most blatant remarks in all scripture. There was no repentance on Hezekiah’s part. He did not fast or bother to seek the Lord’s mercy upon his nation or for his children, not even for his own foolishness. For most decent parents, when you mess with their children, you get their attention quickly. But not HeZie….no, he had reached a place in his life where it was all about him.

Now, let’s look at Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son. He began to reign when he was 12 years old II Kings 21:1. Since Hezekiah was granted 15 years of additional life by God  in Isaiah 38:5, Manasseh was born three years after Hezekiah was divinely healed and he grew up during those days and times when Hezekiah was selfishly enjoying the blessings that he had received from God, and in those 15 years, it appeared that he cared little or nothing for the future of his kingdom and children.  Manasseh would never have been born if Hezekiah had died on God’s original timetable Isaiah 38:1. There is no doubt, the stories of the his father’s deliverance of Jerusalem by God and the additional extension on his life were common stories told over and over again as Manasseh grew up. 
I’m sure that Manasseh also heard the stories about Hezekiah showing the Babylonians all the treasures of his kingdom, and about the prophet Isaiah having pronounced God’s curse on the nation and on Manasseh for Hezekiah’s foolishness. Manasseh also must have known that his father, Hezekiah, did nothing to prevent the judgment of his Father’s God upon the nation and upon Manasseh himself. Think about it. A boy growing up in a royal household and where he was repeatedly reminded that his father’s God had pronounced a divine curse upon him for his father’s sin. Manasseh was under a generational curse, and surely felt doomed and rejected by both God and his father. Realizing that God was going to punish him for his father’s sin, Manasseh likely grew to regard his father’s God as unfair and cruel. Apparently, Manasseh also saw his father, enjoying life throughout his boyhood for there is no record Hezekiah ever intervened with God in behalf of his son. It is not hard to see how Manasseh, as a boy, could grow to hate both his father and his father’s God.
One can only speculate that after becoming king, Manasseh figured that as long as he was cursed, he may as well live up to it. Anytime you tell a child over and over again that he is bad or ugly or whatever it may be….that child will do his best in most cases to live up to what he has been told he is. This young boy grew up seething at both his father and God, and at the age of 12, he immediately became King and began ruling in a manner which openly displayed his contempt and anger for both Hezekiah and God. He sought after other gods, implemented human sacrifices and dealt openly with demons in II Kings 21:2-9. Manasseh led his nation into such sins and abominations that Judah became more vile than the corrupt heathen nations which had lived in the Promised Land before the Israelites came into it. Try visualizing what could happen when a very angry and resentful 12 year-old boy is granted unlimited power over a nation. It seemed as if he was determined to show God just how angry and resentful he was of the generational curse that had been placed on him. It also appears that Manasseh never even considered repentance as an option to delay or end, the generational curse. His actions makes one wonder if Hezekiah had ever even bothered to teach his son about such an option. Manasseh’s life reflects a large amount of neglect on Hezekiah’s part. Manasseh was angry and was going to show God what pure unadulterated, open rebellion really was!
God noticed it too; for He pronounced increased judgments upon Judah and Jerusalem in II Kings 21:12-15. Manasseh then went on a cruel and massive killing spree as a result,  in verse 16. Manasseh must have watched the torture and killings of innocent people in the same  evil ways as those devised and watched by other cruel and unjust leaders. In the end, God brought an army of Assyrians who took Manasseh captive and brought him in chains to Babylon. Given Mansseh’s reign of terror, one can only think about those that were relieved as they saw the Assyrians taking him captive. It was while he was in the dungeon that Manasseh came to his senses. II Chronicles 33:12-13 we find that Manasseh humbled himself greatly before the God of this fathers and that God not only had mercy but also restored Manasseh to the throne of Judah! Manasseh’s repentance was lasting. He “knew that the Lord was God,” responsibly attended to matters of state, restored the defenses of Judah, removed all the idols, repaired God’s altar and Temple as well as other things. He reigned for 55 years, one of the longest reigns of any king mentioned in the Bible II Chronicles 33:1.
King Hezekiah started great, but ended his reign very badly. Manasseh started horribly, but ended better than his father. However, the sins of Manasseh in the beginning of his reign did lasting damage to the kingdom of Judah. His own son, Amon, was an evil king who was assassinated after two years. Josiah, Manasseh’s grandson, was a good king who obeyed the Lord, but according to Jeremiah 3:6-10 Judah only pretended to return to God’s ways. When Josiah died, the kingdom of Judah sunk fully into sin and ended a few decades later when its people were carried into captivity.
Never think for a moment that our sins do not find us out. Whatsoever we sow….that shall we also reap. Let it not be to our credit, that as parents we are led astray and leave our children spiritually helpless. But, to teach them the importance of obedience to God and to seek forgiveness and restoration over their sin by how we live.
Hold Fast to that which you have been taught and be sure to teach it to your children!
Loving you today,
Bren