Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Chronicles
Book: 2 Chronicles
Chapter: 33
Overview:
Manasseh's wickedness and
Repentance.
(1-20) Amon's wicked reign in
Judah.
(21-25)
1-20 We have seen
Manasseh's wickedness; here we have his
Repentance, and a memorable instance it is of the riches of
God's pardoning
Mercy, and the power of his renewing
Grace.
Deprived of his liberty, separated from his evil counsellors and
companions, without any prospect but of ending his days in a
wretched
Prison,
Manasseh thought upon what had passed; he began
to cry for
Mercy and deliverance. He confessed his sins,
condemned himself, was humbled before
God, loathing himself as a
monster of impiety and wickedness. Yet he hoped to be pardoned
through the abundant
Mercy of the
Lord. Then
Manasseh knew that
Jehovah was
God, able to deliver. He knew him as a
God of
Salvation; he learned to fear, trust in,
Love, and obey him.
From this time he bore a new character, and walked in newness of
Life. Who can tell what tortures of
Conscience, what pangs of
grief, what fears of wrath, what agonizing remorse he endured,
when he looked back
On his many years of apostasy and rebellion
against
God;
On his having led
Thousands into
Sin and perdition;
and
On his
Blood-guiltiness in the
Persecution of a number of
God's children? And who can complain that the way of
Heaven is
blocked up, when he sees such a sinner enter? Say the worst
against thyself, here is one as bad who finds the way to
Repentance. Deny not to thyself that which
God hath not denied
to thee; it is not thy
Sin, but thy impenitence, that bars
Heaven against thee.
21-25 Amon's
Father did ill, but he did worse. Whatever
warnings or convictions he had, he never humbled himself. He was
soon cut off in his sins, and made a warning for all men not to
abuse the
Example of
God's patience and
Mercy to
Manasseh, as an
encouragement to continue in
Sin. May
God help us to be honest
to ourselves, and to think aright respecting our own character,
before
Death fixes us in an unchangeable state.