Many of the kings in the bible ended their reign how they started it; if they did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, the Lord blessed them and gave them peace. And if they did evil and went against God, their reign tended to be short and ended in defeat. Though there are exceptions to each generalization, one story that stands out between both is the story of Manasseh, King of Judah.
Manasseh came into power at a young age and, for the first part of his reign, he rebelled against the Lord. He undid the work of his father (King Hezekiah) and rebuilt altars in high places, worshiped idols, and defiled the temple of the Lord. In that time, Manasseh led his people so far from God that they were described to have done more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before them.
Despite all that they did, the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, giving them a chance to repent and turn from their ways. Though they ignored his messages, when the Lord sent the Assyrian army, who captured Manasseh and brought him into Babylon, Manasseh humbled himself (greatly!) before God and sought the favor of the Lord. This alone is very rare to see from a king that did evil to the extent that Manasseh did, but when he repented, the Lord heard his prayer and restored him back in Jerusalem. And it was then that Manasseh knew that He is God. Manasseh turned from his ways and destroyed the foreign gods, restored and cleansed the temple, and led his people back to the Lord.
This story is not only an example of God’s love, grace and mercy for his people, but also of his redemptive power. That same love and mercy that God extends towards his people also extends to us.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10