2 Kings 21 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

2 Kings 21 Short Summary:

2 Kings 21 gives us details about the reign of 2 wicked kings of Judah. Manasseh, the son of righteous Hezekiah, departed from the example of his father and welcomed all forms of evil into Judah. He established places of idol worship, brought idols into the Jerusalem Temple, and sacrificed his children to pagan gods. God was so angry He foretold of a day when Judah would be conquered by the enemies and decimated. After Manasseh’s death, Amon became king. He continued the policies of Manasseh but was assassinated after just 2 years on the throne.

2 Kings 21 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• Manasseh and Amon reigned in Jerusalem between approximately 700-635 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Manasseh – The son of Hezekiah. He became king of Judah after his father. He reigned 55 years.

• Amon – The son of Manasseh. He became king of Judah after his father. He reigned 2 years.

• Josiah – The son of Amon. He became king of Judah after his father. His reign is detailed in following chapters.

WHERE:

• As the capital of Judah, Jerusalem is the central point of 2 Kings 21.

OUTLINE:

• MANASSEH REIGNS AS KING IN JUDAH (21:1-18):

  • After King Hezekiah’s death, Manasseh took the throne of Israel.

  • He did not follow in the footsteps of his father, instead he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

  • In fact, Judah became so wicked during his reign, God said they were worse than the nations the Israelites had driven out of the Promised Land during Joshua’s day.

  • Manasseh rebuilt the high places his father tore down. He participated in the “despicable practices” of the pagan nations.

  • He “shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another” (21:16).

  • He rebuilt worship sites for idols like Baal and Asherah. He even dedicated altars to the “hosts of heaven” and put them inside the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem.

  • He welcomed fortune-tellers, mediums, and necromancers in Judah.

  • He took part in the horrible practice of sacrificing children, which was something God hated.

  • As judgement for Judah’s wickedness, God decreed He would bring terrible disaster upon Jerusalem.

  • “I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down” (21:13).

  • God said He was going to forsake Judah and give them over to their enemies, in similar fashion to what He did to Israel in 2 Kings 17.

  • But this judgement did not come during Manasseh’s lifetime. Manasseh died after reigning 55 years.

• AMON REIGNS IN JUDAH (21:19-26):

  • After Manasseh, Amon reigned for 2 years in Jerusalem.

  • He “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

  • “He abandoned the Lord, the God of his fathers.” (21:22).

  • Amon’s servants assassinated him.

  • Josiah, Amon’s son, was made king in his place.

APPLICATION:

• It only takes one generation for everything to fall apart and for people to forget God.

• There was only one generation between Hezekiah and Manasseh.

• We need to give every generation of children our best effort.

• We should never assume that, just because previous generations were faithful, our children will be faithful.

• Every generation of children needs to be poured into by loving, godly, committed parents who are intentional about instilling love for God in their children.

• The failure of just one generation can have devastating consequences.