2 Kings 21: Child of Mercy
- Kasaundra Scott
- Sep 14
- 2 min read
This chapter was hard to read. After all the work Hezekiah did to remove idol worship, evil was restored as soon as he was gone. For some reason, I looked up the meaning of Manasseh’s name—it means “making one forget.” And that’s exactly what happened. He led the people to forget the Lord and all He had done.
2 Kings 21:3 (NLT). “He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed. He constructed altars for Baal and set up an Asherah pole, just as King Ahab of Israel had done. He also bowed before all the powers of the heavens and worshiped them.”
What gets me is that Manasseh was only 12 when he became king. That means he was born during those extra 15 years God gave Hezekiah. He was literally a child of God’s mercy. And yet, instead of following in his father’s faithfulness, he turned completely the other way.
It makes me wonder—did Hezekiah teach him? Did he pass down the lessons of God’s deliverance? Or was it a “figure it out on your own” kind of parenting? Was he so busy serving God he failed to take care of those in his very own home? Scripture doesn’t tell us much about his mother, and I can’t help but wonder.
What a major reminder for the importance of our role as parents. It made me want to pour even more into my kids. To not assume they’ll catch faith just by being around me, but to intentionally teach, pray, and model it. Every generation has to choose for themselves, but I can do my part to make sure they know who God is and what He’s done In my life.
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