HEPHZIBAH (II Kings 21:1; Is. 62:4) Undoubtedly, David was the greatest king the twelve tribes of Israel ever had His legacy has remained unsurpassed, and in fact, the Jewish hope is that one from his lineage will once again rule over the land of Israel. After David came Solomon, who also was greatly blessed of the Lord, but his wives and concubines severely hampered his progress in the right direction, I Kings 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. Following him, came his son Rehoboam, during whose reign ten of the twelve tribes rebelled to follow Jeroboam who ruled from Samaria, in what was known as the northern kingdom, the kingdom of Israel. Altogether they amounted to nineteen kings, reigning from 925 to 721 BC (cf. II Kings 18). The two tribes who remained with King Rehoboam were known as the southern kingdom, the kingdom of Judah. Altogether, they lasted from 925 to 586 BC, and amounted to twenty kings. All of the Kings of Israel, - who followed after Jeroboam, - are described as doing evil. Of the Kings of Judah, six are described as doing right, - Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah. In II Kings 21 King Manasseh is introduced. His father was Hezekiah and Josiah was his grandson Now, in Judah, the southern kingdom centred round Jerusalem. King Hezekiah s great-grandfather was Uzziah, and his grandfather was Jotham (c. 250 years after David), - they were both Godly men whose reigns were blessed with stability and prosperity. Indeed, the nation had not enjoyed such good times since the reigns of David and Solomon. However, Jotham s son, - who was Hezekiah s father, - was Ahaz, and he was bad! Through evil practice Ahaz undid all his father (Jotham) and grandfather (Uzziah) had gained. In fact, in the twelfth year of King Ahaz s reign (721 BC) the Assyrians invaded the land and it became a vassal state of Assyria (cf. II Kings 17). When Hezekiah came to the throne in the wake of his father s (Ahaz s) disastrous reign, he could remember, - when he was a boy, - the days of God s blessings upon his grandfather King Jotham and his great-grandfather King
2 Uzziah. King Hezekiah was also blessed with the company of the prophet Isaiah. His ambition as king was to regain the territory his father, the evil King Ahaz, had lost. There was also a degree of revival during his reign because he restored the worship of Jehovah, II Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not. 8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. However, he became very seriously ill. He prayed for healing, and God restored him, promising him another fifteen years of life. Sadly, though, King Hezekiah s pride got in his way of obedience to the Lord, and during this time he became the father of Manasseh. When Manasseh became king at the young age of twelve, he inherited his father s pride and it served to encourage him in all kinds of sinful activities. He felt he could do whatever he liked, and there was none to stop him He was so easily drawn aside by seducers, and those who were glad to get rid of King Hezekiah s reforms. In next-to-no-time the nation returned to its evil ways. He (Manasseh) reigned longer than any other king of Judah, - fifty-five years, which means he died when he was sixty-seven Those were fifty-five years when badness corrupted every law, every attitude, every aspect, and almost every person in the land. Why does God allow evil to rise to such great heights? Why does He put governments in place that He knows beforehand will reject His law and oppose His righteousness?! Well, behind His reasons is His overall plan. Despite Manasseh being such an evil man, - he had a Godly father and a Godly mother, II Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. She is an interesting inclusion! We are not told much about her, but her name Hephzibah means my delight/pleasure is in her. That, in itself, is quite an accolade and the Holy Spirit certainly has a reason in including this information for us. Being the wife of King Hezekiah, she was Queen Hephzibah. She would have been at her husband s side. Her husband s God was her God. Both Hezekiah
3 and Hephzibah would have worshipped in the temple together. She would have been an example for good to the people of Judea. She would have known and listened to Isaiah the prophet along with her husband, and she would have experienced the years of God s blessing upon the nation. She would have enjoyed a good relationship with God, as indeed her husband did. How sad it must have been, though, that her son rejected the God Whose blessing both her and her husband had known. In Old Testament times, names of people had great significance. Already in the Old Testament we have seen how, for example, Abram s name was changed to Abraham, Jacob s name was changed to Israel In the New Testament, Simon s name was changed to Peter, Saul s name was changed to Paul so, names had a special significance. And the name of Hephzibah is another example. Yes, it is a beautiful name, My delight is in her. You could imagine the father with her, - when she was a little baby in his arms, - and the name slipping so softly from his lips as he looked upon his newly-born daughter, Hephzibah, my delight is in her. As with many of the Hebrew names, they are made up of words that have different roots and the root, - the origin, - of the name of Hephzibah comes from a word (hafz) that means guarding or taking care of. And you could understand that She was not only someone you could delight in, and be privileged to be in her company, but she was also precious, beautiful and she was one whom you would protect, and guard, and take every care over. The words of the Song of Solomon come to mind, 6:3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine. That is Hephzibah, the treasured wife of King Hezekiah. Let s look again, though, at the young son who they produced, and who became king, II Kings 21:2 And he [Manasseh, causing to forget ] did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed [Manasseh took his people back to the days of idolatry during his grandfather Ahaz s reign]; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel [now, that was Ahab king of Israel and that is how bad Manasseh was]; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord [he desecrated the temple in Jerusalem]. 6 And he
4 made his son pass through the fire [i.e. the worship of Molech Lev. 18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. He mocked God], and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards [occultic]: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. [he turned his back on God] 7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever. 9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel. This is what the son of Hephzibah was doing, - he had turned so much against the God of his father and mother! II Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah [My delight is in her]. Prior to Manasseh becoming king, God s delight had been in His people during the reign of his father, King Hezekiah but not anymore. The land was under the cloud of God s wrath, and at this point God decided to intervene, 10 And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets [cf. Jer. 15:4 And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. 5 For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? 6 Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee], saying, 11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: 12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake [ Forsaken ] the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies [ Desolate ]. The same information is given in II Chron. 33. He is introduced in v.1-2, and his idolatry very similarly documented in v.3-10 and then in v.11 we read of the judgment of God coming to pass, 11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. God used the Assyrians to bring this evil king to account this son of Hephzibah,
5 whose name means My delight is in her. But there was no delight in Manasseh, or in the people of Judah over whom he reigned. And then something else happened Manasseh arrived at a realisation of what he had done and how he was in that predicament because he had offended God, II Chron. 33:12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. 14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. 15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. He tried to undo the spiritual mess he had made, but without much success 17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only. God was gracious, though, even to a sinner like Manasseh. He had led his people right straight into the throes of idolatry, as Isaiah prophesied, Is. 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. And that is where all down to Manasseh! As we focus on the Lord s Table, consider what God has done for us and how He took you from where you were to where you are today. Consider where he found you. You and I were no more deserving than Manasseh. We might not have plumbed to the depths he did, but nonetheless our foolishness, - because of our sinful nature, - had us in contention with God. Like Manasseh we had privileges, - he had a Godly father and a Godly mother, but he exchanged their God for a life of sin and that was us also before we came to Christ Is. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. There is nothing in any of us that deserves grace from God And how frightening it would be if God had left us and abandoned us if God had retreated from His people! When Israel and Judah were intent on travelling along their own paths, how terrifying if He would have left them and let them go! Jer. 3:6
6 The LORD said also unto me [Jeremiah] in the days of Josiah the king [two kings after Manasseh, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. Using our language, God gave a bill of divorce That is what happened How serious is that?! Divorced from God! Cut off from God Severed, cancelled, dissolved, nullified! Yes, but hold on a moment Is God s love for His people not eternal? Of course, it is so, look closer Is. 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. In its immediate context this verse relates to how God would never cast His people, - the Jews, - off permanently for it was only for a small moment He would forsake them Let s turn to Is. 62, and we shall see there how the name Hephzibah continues to be applied in a most beautiful way, Is. 62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. 2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. 3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. God had not cast them off forever, - it is impossible, for He had established an eternal and an unconditional covenant with the patriarchs, and through them, to the people of Israel and Judah. And there is the message of hope to God s people, - past and present, Jew and Gentile. God promises to change their name from Forsaken [azab, abandoned] and Desolate [shemamah, waste, devastation] to Hephzibah and Beulah My delight is in her and Married. He is married to His Church, and He will give her a name again that reflects His eternal love for them. She is His beloved Bride, and He will one day present her Eph. 5:27 a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be
7 holy and without blemish. He hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). He loves His people. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39). He promised the citizens of Zion, thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. Yes, she had wandered off but like the story of Hosea and Gomer, she would return, Hosea 14:4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. 5 I will be as the dew unto Israel. As we come to the Lord s Table we are once again in the place where we remember what the Lord has done for us. Like Israel, we were rightly Forsaken and Desolate. We had followed ways contrary to God, and yet He did a work of grace for He loved us and drew us unto Himself. He could have left Israel and Judah to become subsumed into the other nations after all, where are the Amalekites today, or the Hittites, or the Jebusites, or the Amorites, or any of the rest of the peoples in the Old Testament? They are not there anymore, but out of all those old civilizations,,, only Israel has survived, despite everything they have faced Does that not prove God s special and unique relationship of love for them, and does it also not point to the atoning love He has for all the Redeemed, including those of us who have been grafted in? God searched you out and found you, - as He did to Israel. He lifted you in His arms and brought you home, into the safety of the sheepfold, - as He did to Israel. He is your Shepherd, as He was and is theirs. Through Christ, the Good Shepherd, He has taken you from the wilderness of the Forsaken and the Desolate, and He has brought you through every type of terrain into the beautiful Hephzibah, for the LORD delighteth in thee. Jesus, my Lord will love me forever, From Him no power of evil can sever, He gave His life to ransom my soul; Now I belong to Him; Once I was lost in sin's degradation, Jesus came down to bring me salvation, Lifted me up from sorrow and shame, Now I belong to Him; Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me, Not for the years of time alone, But for eternity.