The meaning of the name Manasseh is “one who causes to forget.” Now, think of it, he lived Up to his name in a great manner, “one who causes to forget,” because if you’ll notice, we Find that Manasseh came from good stock. What are you talking about? He was a son of Hezekiah who was a godly king but I want to say very kindly and we understand that, just Because we were raised in a Christian home doesn’t make us a believer. Well, if you’ll study the Bible, you’ll find out that there were very few families in the Bible where all of them were converted. What are you talking about? Well, if you take Abraham, Ishmael wasn’t converted. You Take Esau, he wasn’t converted. Look at David’s family, they weren’t all converted. The Only two that we really read about that might stand out are these, it was Rahab the harlot, Her whole household and then the Philippian jailer and his whole household. But if you Look it up, very clearly you’ll find out that in the Bible that not very many families were Completely saved. When I hear people, they say, “Oh, so-and-so from the littlest one here To the biggest one, they’re all converted,” and then look at you and say, “you’re a Preacher and all your children aren’t converted? What’s wrong with you?” Nothing. It Only proved one thing, salvation isn’t inherited. Salvation is applied and every individual Has to have the new birth applied to their hearts. And Manasseh here, we see set forth with regard to the picture of the new birth, Manasseh is a rebellious sinner first of all by his name, “one who causes to forget.” The Second thing is this: he challenged God to do something. What are you talking about? Look at verse 2, “But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the Abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he Reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and Served them. Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.” Preacher, what in the world are you talking About? He challenged God to do something. What do you mean? Well, he’s disdained, First of all, his heritage and his family. He came from a godly family. Hezekiah, and I’ll Tell you very kindly and I don’t know if you knew that or not but Manasseh was a son of Hezekiah after Hezekiah had prayed and asked the Lord to give him a longer life. And The Lord said to him, “I’ll add another 15 years to you,” and during those 15 years Manasseh was born to the family of Hezekiah. Hezekiah, being the godly king that he was, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, he tried To teach his family the ways of God, but Manasseh didn’t listen and we find that today. He challenged God to do something because he disdained his family and his heritage. We Find, again, in verse 1, “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he Reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before The children of Israel.” He disdained his heritage and family.
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