053. Prayer Of Manasseh When In Affliction.

Prayer Of Manasseh When In Affliction. The Prayer as recorded.—2 Chronicles 33:12-13.

If we confine our attention strictly to the history of Manasseh as recorded in the book of Kings, we should infer that a career of wickedness had been followed out by him to the end of his long reign of fifty-five years; but in the second book of Chronicles we find a heart-broken, humble prayer from the lips of a man whose former life had been stained with every vice, for it is said of him, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, like the abominations of the heathen.” In the sixth verse of this chapter a sin of his is mentioned which caused the Lord to be angry with him; and we speak of it here because it is one that is prevalent in our own days, and is leading many away from the simple faith of the Bible; to all such we would call attention to the repentance and prayer of Manasseh. When Manasseh and his people became violent in their opposition to God, he brought upon them the Assyrians, and gave them success in their invasions, permitting them to follow out their own worldly ambition, in order to chastize Manasseh, who was taken prisoner, loaded with fetters, and sent to Babylon.

“High walls and huge the body may confine, And iron gates obstruct the prisoner’s gaze, The massive bolts may baffle his design, And vigilant keepers closely watch his ways;

Yet scorns the immortal mind this base control. No chains can bind it, and no cells inclose;

Swifter than light it flies from pole to pole, Or, in a prayer, from earth to heaven it goes!” By the especial grace of God solitude and affliction brought reflection to Manasseh—

“Through the shadowy past, Like a tomb-searcher Memory ran, Lifting each shroud that time had cast.”

Every act of sin seems like a serpent’s sting, and is imbued with fresh bitterness; there is a burden weighing down his stricken heart. He betakes himself to prayer in his extremities, and the soul that lay in darkness is lifted up to heaven; and at last, we trust, he found an entrance there. And this, my reader, is neither more nor less than “to be born again.” There are those who love to hang around this “change of heart,” a dark veil of mystery; heed it not, but read in this faith and repentant prayer the secret of your own salvation.