Returning this evening to that passage that we looked at in 2 Chronicles chapter 33 on the life of Manasseh. Let me ask you, are there ever times in your life when you feel a sense that you've done wrong and your conscience troubles you to such an extent that you feel that you could never be forgiven? We'll take hope for here in this chapter before us, we read of one of the most amazing conversions ever recorded in the Bible. In some ways, it eclipses even the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. For Saul, despite his sinfulness, acted out of a sense of misplaced loyalty to the religious leaders of his day. He acted, as he thought, out of duty toward God and to Judaism. Yes, his actions were certainly sinful, and his zeal was born out of human pride, making him headstrong and fierce in his persecution, because he was ignorant of the grace of God and misapplied the word of the Lord. However, with Manasseh, we find a deliberate wickedness, the like of which is seldom seen. And I wanted the Lord will help for us to consider first Manasseh's reign, secondly, his rebellion, thirdly, his repentance, and fourthly, his redemption. So first, his reign. He was one of the most, if not the most wicked king ever to sit on the throne in Jerusalem. Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to reign, and he ruled for 55 years. His father was the godly King Hezekiah, who earnestly sought to serve the Lord, trying to reverse the idolatry into which the nation had fallen at that time. We're told in 2 Kings 18 and verse four, he removed the high places and break the images and cut down the groves and break in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made. For unto those days, the children of Israel did burn incense to it, and he called it nehushtim. In other words, something made of copper or bronze. Now, of course, it took a great deal of courage on the part of Hezekiah, particularly to break in pieces the brazen serpent. But when the people of Israel sinned greatly, God sent fiery serpents to bite them, and many of them died. And they acknowledged their sins and pleaded with Moses to intervene and call upon the Lord. And God said to Moses, make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. Now Hezekiah destroyed this same brazen serpent because the people had forgotten about God and instead they had begun to worship the brazen serpent, thus making it a god. It is said of Hezekiah, he claimed to the Lord and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. So here was a very godly king who loved the Lord. Now it was into such a home that Manasseh was born. No doubt his father would have encouraged him to read the scriptures, to obey the law. Manasseh would have been warned of the folly of idolatry and the need to humble himself before God. Manasseh was born into many privileges, but surely the greatest was to be brought up by such a godly father. Yes, it is true that Manasseh was only 12 years old when his father died, but nonetheless, a firm basis would have been laid. Yet in spite of such a great privilege, Manasseh scorned it. He chose to deliberately destroy and to go against everything his father had taught him. And we're told in verses two to seven, 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 Balaam and made groves and worshipped all the hosts 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 forever. And he built altars for all the hosts of heaven. in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. Also he observed times and used enchantments and used witchcraft and dealt with a familiar spirit and with wizards. He wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger. And he set a carved image, the idol of which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, in this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever. So we see here, secondly, his rebellion. Here we see a determined wickedness. His sins multiplied, both in private and in public. There was an unhealthy energy and drive to do all that was abhorrent in the sight of the Lord. The extent of his wickedness was such that he overturned all of the righteous reforms of his father and increased idolatry far beyond what the nation had ever experienced before. Manasseh promoted soothsayers to dignified positions in his court. He filled the whole land with altars of Baal, And then in the depths of wickedness and to the utter dismay of true worshipers, he placed an image in the precincts of the very temple that Solomon had built and dedicated to the true worship of God. We have to say that Manasseh's wickedness was without precedent. He plumbed the depths of depravity. He practiced sorcery and necromancy, that is to say, communicating with the dead in order to predict the future. He was involved with magic and enchantment. His reign was one of terror. Even children were put into the flames as sacrifices to false gods. And we read in verse 10, and the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not hearken. Manasseh's wickedness was such that he would not heed the warnings from God. And we see a very sad truth, that when the children of godly parents reject the ways of the Lord and enter into sin and rebellion, they sometimes become worse than those in the world, those who have never had such privileges. We're told in verse nine, so Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err and to do worse than the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. Manasseh went even further than the heathen nations which surrounded him. And what makes this all the more terrible was that the heathen nations acted out of ignorance for they knew not the word of God. Yes, they were responsible for their sins because God reveals himself in his creation. And so they were without excuse, but nonetheless, they were ignorant of the commands contained in the law of the Lord. However, Manasseh had been brought up by a godly father, albeit for only 12 years, but he was brought up to learn the law, to walk in the ways of the Lord. He had the godly example of his father. Now, it is sadly true that often we who are believers sometimes do not always set the examples that we ought to our children. But from what the scriptures declare of Hezekiah, He was an exceptionally godly man who would have given a fine example to his son of how he should live before the Lord. But Manasseh cast aside the word of God, took no notice of his father's walk with the Lord, and he refused to desist in his wickedness, even when God spoke to him and his people to warn them. Look again at verse 10. And the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not hearken. And the result of all this wickedness caused the Lord to punish Manasseh greatly. We read in verse 11 that because Manasseh refused to heed God, the Lord sent the king of Assyria to conquer Jerusalem. And Manasseh was carried away in chains to Babylon. It was a punishment justly deserved. Yet in this punishment, we see the wonderful mercy and grace of Almighty God. For we see thirdly, that the Lord used this situation to bring about Manasseh's repentance. We do not know the exact time that Manasseh spent in the Babylonian dungeon, but it was clearly long enough to bring him to his senses. And this account reveals something of the glory and the wonder of God's unparalleled mercy towards undeserving sinners. The Lord showed Manasseh that sin has an enslaving effect upon the heart. that binds us as tightly and as effectively as any chains or prison cells can. And Manasseh was brought to understand that only God could release him from the grip of sin. The Lord opened Manasseh's eyes and showed him that sin had serious consequences. And he showed him where all sin leads to. Not only does it hold us captive in this life, but it brings condemnation in the next. Manasseh failed to heed so many warnings, but God in his mercy brought him to an end of himself and to the point of despair where he could do nothing but cry out for mercy And this was a most blessed and gracious act of God toward Manasseh. And it surely brings hope that even the worst of sinners can be forgiven if they truly repent There may be someone here tonight or listening to this message who thinks to themselves, how can God ever forgive me after what I've done? Well, he forgave Manasseh when he truly repented of his sins. But let us observe from this passage the vital importance of heeding the warnings of God when they come. because we do not know how many warnings he will give to us. And it's the greatest mercy just to receive one warning. And if there's anyone here or listening to this message who has never come to that place of true repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and instead you have simply lived for yourself, with no thought of God, as Manasseh did, and you've rejected all of the warnings that God gives, let me say it is foolishness. Have you ever had a remarkable escape when you realize that your life could have been over? That was the Lord showing you just how fragile your life is. It was a warning for you to come to him and to repent. Do not assume that there will be plenty of opportunities to repent in the future. This message tonight may be your last warning, the last one you ever receive from God. We none of us know what a day may bring forth. We only have to listen to the news and the tragedies that occur to realize that life is but a vapor that soon passeth away. Let us therefore heed the one who is eternal. For the scripture says, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He shed his precious blood on Calvary's cross for all who would repent and turn to him in faith. He says, him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. God has been very gracious to you. He has warned you of your need of a savior. He has warned you that you are a sinner in need of repentance. He warns in his word that the way of the sinner leads to destruction and torment. But he also declares in his word that there is life and joy and peace and eternal security in Jesus Christ. Do you know there are countless numbers of souls who have passed from this life who regret with all their hearts that they did not heed the warnings of God. Will you be among them? Manasseh, when thrown in the dungeon in chains, was brought to see something of the despair which all must face. who enter into a lost eternity. And from this, we learn that Manasseh's suffering and despair in his life was used by God to bring him to his senses and to repentance. Are you experiencing hardship and despair at this present time? Perhaps your affliction has come upon you. so that God's, his works might be manifest in you. Manasseh had the presence of mind to realize that his wicked and foolish actions had brought him into a despair that he could not extricate himself from. And so he cried to God for mercy, repenting of his sins. He was like the prodigal son in the parable that Jesus told, who said, I will arise and go to my father. Could your despair also be a warning from God to show you the folly of your sin and of the need for you to repent? We read in verse 12, and when he was in affliction, He besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. Manasseh's repentance was real. There was a true sincerity in it. He saw the utter vileness of his actions and the evil of his heart. His prayer was earnest. because there was a change of heart. He humbly sought God for pardon. There was a genuine sorrow for sin and a desire to put things right with God. And this is evidenced in the fact that we read, he humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And as a result of his repentance, we see falsely his redemption. For we read in verse 13, and prayed unto him, And he was entreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem, into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord, he was God. When all seemed utterly hopeless, with no way of escape, God rescued and redeemed Manasseh. enabling him to leave the prison, no longer a captive. And that is what the Lord does for all who call upon him in sincerity and in truth. Manasseh's life was changed. We read in verses 15 and 16, he took away the strange gods and the idol out of the house of the Lord and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem and cast them out of the city. and he repaired the altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. Now it may well be that your sins never amount to the type or the number of Manassas. But it's no good thinking that you have little to repent of, that you're not too bad. This was the thought of that Pharisee that we read of in Luke chapter seven. The Pharisee named Simon. He imagined that his sins were nowhere near as bad as a certain woman who everybody regarded as a sinner. She came to Jesus while he was at Simon's house, truly sorrowful. Her tears washed his feet and then she wiped them with her hair and poured precious ointment on Jesus' feet. She was truly repentant for all that she had done wrong. But Simon the Pharisee was appalled because he said within himself regarding Jesus, this man, were he a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner. But Jesus, perceiving the thoughts in Simon's heart, said this. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors, The one owed 500 pence, the other 50. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? And the point of this parable was that Simon thought that he owed God little or nothing. He imagined that he was good enough in his religion. He saw no need of a savior and therefore he loved him little. But all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We all need a savior and our sins are far worse than we can ever imagine because all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in the sight of God. This woman recognized that she was a great sinner, and therefore when she repented, she loved the Savior much. We all of us, without exception, need to repent. It is not only the likes of Manasseh. All of us need to repent. We're all born in sin, from the highest to the lowest, from the king to the tramp, all must repent and be converted if they would be saved. We read in Proverbs 28 in verse 13, he that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but who so confesses and forsaketh them shall have mercy. The Apostle John writes, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So what about you? Have you come to Christ in true repentance? Have you felt the weight of your sin and longed to be rid of it? Have you cried out to the Lord and asked him to cleanse you in his precious blood? He will not turn any away who come to him in sincerity and in truth. No matter how sinful you feel yourself to be, God can save you through the Lord Jesus Christ. Look again at the wonderful display of God's mercy to Manasseh. If divine grace was extended to such a man as Manasseh, then no one is without hope if they repent. There is no limit to the mercy of God in this life. The chief of sinners is welcome to complete forgiveness. The door of mercy is still opened. So enter while it is so. God's heart is full of love and compassion toward all who earnestly seek after him while he may be found. But when the door is locked, it is locked forever, and nothing will open it. And if your soul passes from this life to the next, and you have not repented and trusted in Christ, then the door of salvation is shut and locked to you forever. And no matter how fervently you knock, no matter how much you plead, no matter how earnestly you desire to repent, it will be too late. Sorrow for sin must come in this life while the door is still open. When Jesus went to Calvary's cross and shed his precious blood, he paid the price to redeem all who trust in him. He bore all of his people's sins in his own body on the tree, that they might be released from the captivity of sin and know the joy of forgiveness with God. May the Lord in his mercy open your eyes to see your lost estate and your need of salvation in Christ. May you flee to him as Manasseh did, that you might experience a new communion with him, who is altogether lovely. Amen. Well, let us once more come unto the throne of grace. Our blessed and eternal God, how we thank thee for such portions of thy word as we have considered tonight. When we think of the person of Manasseh, a person with so many privileges of a godly father, and yet spurned it all, and would not heed thy voice. But, O heavenly Father, how we thank thee for thy mercy and thy grace, that thou didst bring him to an end of himself, and brought him to that place where he could do nothing else but cry unto thee. And our Heavenly Father, if there be any here tonight who have not come to that place where they have felt their sins, where their consciences have been pricked, Lord, we pray that thou would have mercy upon them, that thou would cause them to feel their sin before thee. that thou would bring them to that place of true repentance and faith, that they might put their trust in the Lord Jesus and feel the burden of their sin roll away, being washed in his precious blood. So, Heavenly Father, we plead with thee that if any hear this message who know thee not, that thou would be merciful to them. We ask it in Jesus' precious name. Amen.