King Hezekiah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan…Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses. 2 Kings 18
While the northern tribes of Israel were being conquered by the mighty Assyrians as punishment for their idolatry, Hezekiah was leading Judah in reforms not seen since the time of David. He tore down the high places that no other king had done, and he even destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses used to heal those bitten by venomous snakes in the wilderness because it was being used as an object of worship! There was not king like Hezekiah before or after his reign as he trusted in the Lord and was faithful in obeying His commands. Hezekiah took a brave and righteous stand against the idolatry in Judah. He purged pagan worship beyond the walls of Jerusalem into every hamlet and village of his kingdom. He was serious about restoring worship to the God of heaven with nothing between. What is between you and heart-felt worship with the Lord today? What distractions are turning into idols or replacements of God. It is so easy to get sidetracked in this world filled with “things” that are accessed with a click of a button. Social media, online shopping, Hollywood, and even home improvement shows can suck the spiritual life from us. Commit to the Lord like Hezekiah and ask for strength to tear down those high places, the walls that separate you from dynamic and vibrant worship of the God of Heaven. May the Lord bless us as we tear down the walls of idolatry and build up our faith through worship in prayer, Bible study, and songs of praise. AMEN.
