2 Kings 21:1-18
Hezekiah had been the most faithful of all the kings since David. His son Manasseh is to be the most wicked. "He wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD" (v. 6). And, to add to all the other crimes, there is the added responsibility of being the son of the godly Hezekiah, who had said formerly: "the father shall make known thy truth to the children" (Isaiah 38:19). If we had only been given this chapter on the subject, we would surely say that such a man is lost for eternity. But 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, which gives us the end of Manasseh’s story, teaches us that the grace of God had the last word. Who would ever have believed that such a man could repent, pray, and be granted pardon? Truly God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. Our salvation does not depend on the way in which we have behaved, be it respectable or otherwise. It is the outcome of the incomparable grace of the God of love. But what we have done before our conversion should in every way be viewed as abominable towards God. Paul called himself the chief of sinners, because he had persecuted the church. "Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy" he adds, "that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering . . ." (1 Timothy 1:16).