Why Mercy For Manasseh?

In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.Here’s this week’s question:Dear Dave and Tom:I’m rather puzzled about Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah.I get the impression that he was about as bad as they come, yet he later humbled himself and the Lord restored him.Could you comment on why God would show any mercy to such an evil person, one who completely reversed all the good his father had done?

Tom:

Yeah, Dave, I was recently on a panel, there was a Jewish Rabbi and a Muslim Imam and myself, and the Jewish Rabbi was rather liberal, I mean he was really liberal.And he was talking about sin, and how God forgives sin, and he said, But there are certain sins God can never forgive, like a murderer or like somebody who did such and such.So there were sins, as far as God was concerned, that were just off limits to His forgiveness.And you know, I’ve mentioned on this program probably a couple of times that when I thought about the Old Testament I had an idea of God that was, you know, I would say it was different than the God of the New Testament, and the problem for me was I had never read the Old Testament.But when you go through the Old Testament I’m surprised, delighted, excited about seeing the mercy of God, the grace of God, tender mercies, loving kindness, all these things, even with somebody like Manasseh.And I say that—I don’t even know why I say that, because I’m just as bad, my heart is just as deceitful and desperately wicked as Manasseh or anybody else’s.But when you do see these individuals who have caused so much destruction, have undermined the Word of God in ways, as the questioner writes, he just took what his father had done, King Hezekiah, and just like ripped it all out, just overturned all of it.

Dave:

Well, Tom, that’s what grace is all about.Christ paid the penalty for every sin, even of Hitler.He even said of those who were crucifying Him, Father, forgive them.Therefore, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven by God.It depends upon your heart if you are truly repentant.But let me give a couple of examples here.Here we are in Exodus 33 and 34. We are at the base of Mount Sinai.Well, of course now Moses has just smashed the table of stone because the people have broken the very first commandment while he has been up there.They have been into idolatry and immorality, and so forth, and God said, I am through with these people, and Moses pleads for them.So, God calls Moses back up.Moses says, in Exodus:33:18And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
See All..., “I beseech thee, show me thy glory.”Now this is Mount Sinai where the law is given.God doesn’t say, I’ll show you my wrath, and so forth.Verse 19: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”In other words, If you meet my requirements, I’ll do that.Now, when you get down to the next chapter, he’s actually up there now, and the Lord hides him in the cleft of the rock and the Lord passed by before him, verse 6, and proclaimed the Lord God merciful and gracious, long suffering in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin.Then adds, almost reluctantly, “and that will by no means clear the guilty.”In other words, this is according to justice and truth.Now if we went to 2 Chronicles, it does say, 2 Chronicles:33:12And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
See All..., “When he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the Lord God” and he prayed.So, 1 John:1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
See All..., “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There is no sin that Christ didn’t pay for on the cross, no sin that God cannot forgive, but it depends upon the heart, and God says:Look, I’m merciful, I’m loving, I’m kind, but I am not going to just whitewash wickedness.That’s what, I think, Manasseh illustrates for us.

Tom:

Dave, as I mentioned, this Rabbi, and maybe for many others who are thinking, Yeah, but Hitler, you know, this wouldn’t be fair and just if somehow Hitler was in heaven or whoever it might be.To some degree that’s not looking upon their hearts, you know, if we were given an insight into our own heart, I think it would scare us to death.

Dave:

Absolutely.

Tom:

So it isn’t just the grace—I mean it is the grace of God, but it’s a grace that demonstrates His love that it’s just unfathomable, Dave. That’s why we have trouble dealing with it.

Dave:

It was Moody who said, I believe, looking at a guy staggering down the street, a drunk, But for the grace of God there go I.Let me just give one more verse, Jeremiah:9:24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
See All..., “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, (God is speaking) that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, (then he says) judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in thee things I delight, saith the Lord.”