The Courage to Repent

MANASSEH owed his life to a miracle from Jehovah. God miraculously extended the life of King Hezekiah, and that good king was thereafter able to father a son, Manasseh. Sadly, though, Hezekiah died when Manasseh was 12 years old. The boy became king, and he soon turned sharply away from his father’s good example.

Manasseh’s sins were terrible. Over the decades of his rule, he committed such vile deeds as apostasy, idolatry, sorcery, and even the murder of his own sons. Under his rule, violence abounded. He brought heavy bloodguilt upon Jerusalem, God’s own city, by committing violence and even promoting it. Jehovah sent prophets to warn him, yet he refused to listen. You might wonder, then, how Manasseh could be considered a good example of courage. Let us see.

Manasseh’s life changed suddenly one day. Because the king refused to listen to the warnings from Jehovah’s prophets, God allowed Assyrian army chiefs to invade Judah. We read: “They captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with two copper fetters and took him to Babylon.” It is hard to imagine how humiliated that proud king must have felt or what pain and hardships he suffered over a long and arduous journey.

As a captive in Babylon, in deep distress, Manasseh had time to ponder his life. Likely he had never felt so powerless, helpless, and alone. Where were all the false gods that he had worshipped, even sacrificing his own sons to them? He saw that he needed to change. To start with, he prayed to Jehovah. And he did not do so proudly. Rather, he “kept humbling himself greatly before the God of his forefathers.” Jehovah saw that change and responded. As Manasseh grew in humility, Jehovah surely drew closer to him. (Ps. 138:6) Manasseh prayed to “Jehovah his God,” begging for favor. In fact, “he kept praying” in that way.

How did Jehovah feel about those prayers? The account answers: “He was moved by his entreaty and heard his request for favor.” So the true God acted mercifully and did something remarkable for Manasseh. “He restored him to Jerusalem to his kingship.” Now, Manasseh had an opportunity to demonstrate fully how much his repentant attitude had changed him.

Back in Jerusalem, Manasseh faced what may have been the greatest test of his newfound faith. The land was full of people whom he had influenced to commit wicked acts for many years. How would they respond to his change of heart? If Manasseh had any such fears, he overcame them and set to work righting his wrongs. After he fortified Jerusalem against further invasions, he made a sweep through the city, getting rid of foreign gods and idols, including those in Jehovah’s temple. He prepared Jehovah’s altar and offered up sacrifices there. And, perhaps most difficult of all, he addressed his people. He openly contradicted what he had been saying for years, urging Judah “to serve Jehovah the God of Israel.” That hardened sinner had truly changed. And Jehovah was glorified, for He proved, once again, to be “good and ready to forgive.”​—Ps. 86:5.

Sadly, Manasseh could not undo all the evil that he had done. Jehovah forgave the king, but He could not ignore all the violence and bloodshed that afflicted his people during Manasseh’s reign. Unlike their king, they did not repent and change. Even Manasseh’s own son Amon refused to learn from his father’s repentance. Nonetheless, Manasseh surely tried to be a good influence on his little grandson Josiah. The boy doubtless remembered that his grandfather had shown the courage he needed in order to humble himself and repent. After years of wicked conduct, Manasseh had truly changed, and he went to the end of his days knowing that his loving Father had forgiven him.

Read the Bible account:

• 2 Kings 21:1-26

• 2 Chronicles 33:1-25

For discussion:

In what ways did Manasseh show courage?

Dig Deeper

1. 1. The Amorites previously inhabited the land of Canaan. Why is it significant that Manasseh “acted more wickedly than all the Amorites before him”? (2 Ki. 21:11; w00 10/15 16 ¶5-6; gl 10 ¶5, ftn.)

   Your answer

2. 2. What archaeological evidence supports the existence of Manasseh and the dominance of Assyria during his reign? (it “Manasseh” No. 4 ¶2) A

   Your answer

   

   © The Trustees of the British Museum. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Source

3. 3. What indicates that the Assyrians did indeed fasten hooks to their captives? (2 Chron. 33:11; it “Hook” ¶4) B

   Your answer

   

4. 4. How did Jehovah stretch out a “measuring line” and use a “leveling tool” on Jerusalem? (2 Ki. 21:13; it “Leveling Instrument” ¶2)

   Your answer

Reflect on the Lessons

• What do we learn about repentance from this account?

  Your answer

• Why can we conclude from Manasseh’s example that although Jehovah forgives repentant sinners, they may still have to live with the consequences of their sins? (Jer. 15:3-5) C

  Your answer

  

• In what ways might you imitate the courage of Manasseh in your life?

  Your answer

Meditate on the Bigger Picture

• What does this account teach me about Jehovah?

  Your answer

• How does the account tie in with Jehovah’s purposes?

  Your answer

• What would I like to ask Manasseh in the resurrection?

  Your answer

Learn More

See how the example of Manasseh helped a brother to return to Jehovah.

Imprisonment Brought Me Freedom (5:10)

If you have ever felt unworthy because of your past sins, how might this account encourage you?

“He Softened the Face of Jehovah” (w11 1/1 18)