Removing the high places

“He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.” - 2 Kings 18v4


What a refreshing account of a king of Judah. In the midst of a list of kings who turned against the Lord we read of Hezekiah who:

· did that which was right in the sight of the LORD
· removed the high places
· broke the images
· cut down the groves
· broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made
· trusted in the LORD God of Israel
· cleaved to the LORD
· departed not from following him
· kept his commandments

This king was serious about following God and as a result “the LORD was with him; and he prospered in all that he did.”

I think the most important thing that he did was to remove the “high places.” These were places where false gods were worshipped. Many other kings had broken down the idols, but he was the to remove the provision for these false gods. When he was done there was no place to go and build the shrines or set up the idols.

There is an important principle for us here. Often we allow the Lord to deal with sin in our lives, but we still make provision for the sin. Are there “high places” in our lives that we hold on to so that we can readily return to the sin? Lets start by breaking down those high places, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the desires thereof.