The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.” Amon did evil in the sight of the Lord as Manasseh his father had done.” 1
Only he didn’t humble himself like his dad did. What’s worse, he multiplied guilt.2 It wasn’t enough just to add guilt. “He sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them.” 3
But wait. Hadn’t Manasseh repented and gotten rid of all those? Well, yes he had.
But on closer inspection we find Manasseh “removed the foreign gods and the idol… as well as all the altars which he had built… and he threw them outside the city.” 4
Guess who found them. And decided to worship them.
If only, Manasseh, if only you had burned and ground them up… at least then your son would not have had your images to sacrifice and bow down to!
This might be a good time to ask ourselves, Are there discarded idols laying around from my former days? Potential stumbling blocks to my children or others whom I love? Are there carved images from my past that need to be ground up and destroyed? Books, music, art, movies? Hobbies, collections or novelties? How about old associations, activities, or stomping grounds?
After all, what could be worse than assisting the demise of a friend or loved one with relics from our own waywardness?
2 2 Chronicles 33:23
3 2 Chronicles 33:22
4 2 Chronicles 33:15