The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets. Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive. (2 Kings 24:2-4)
Whose judgment is stated here? Is it the LORD’s judgment on Manasseh’s sins, as indicated, or is it the biblical writer’s opinion? On whose authority does the following quote rest, “...the LORD was not willing to forgive?” There is abundant biblical testimony to the LORD’s patience and forgiveness. Similarly, a repeated biblical teaching (Deuteronomy 24:16, for example) makes each one responsible for his or her own sin. Then why is punishment for the sins of Manasseh imposed on those belonging to the next generation and the next?
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