What does Hezekiah's removal of high places teach about true worship? The Setting: Assyrian Challenge and Hezekiah’s Reform “ ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is He not the One whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?” (2 Kings 18:22) • Sennacherib’s field commander sneers at Judah’s faith because Hezekiah tore down the very sites many Israelites had come to associate with worship. • The taunt reveals a crucial issue: authentic worship vs. popular but unauthorized worship. The Meaning of “High Places” • Elevated outdoor sites where sacrifices were offered. • Often blended true Yahweh worship with Canaanite practices (syncretism). • Directly violated the command to worship only at the place the LORD chose (Deuteronomy 12:13-14). Why Hezekiah Removed Them 2 Kings 18:3-4: “He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.” • Obedience to revealed Scripture over tradition or convenience. • Purity: separated Israel from idolatry and religious mixture. • Centralization: directed the nation back to the temple, the God-appointed center (Deuteronomy 12:5-7). • Wholehearted devotion: “He trusted in the LORD… he held fast to the LORD” (2 Kings 18:5-6). Lessons About True Worship • Scripture, not culture, defines worship. • Location matters when God has spoken: the temple in Jerusalem then, Christ as the true temple now (John 2:19-21). • True worship demands exclusivity; shared altars dilute allegiance (Exodus 20:3-5). • Reform may appear radical or offensive to outsiders, yet pleases God (2 Chronicles 31:1; Romans 12:2). • Trust flows from obedience; Hezekiah’s confidence in God was inseparable from tearing down disobedient practices. Connections to New-Covenant Worship • John 4:23-24: “But an hour is coming… when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” High places foreshadowed the danger of spiritless or truthless worship. • Hebrews 10:19-22: believers now draw near through Christ’s blood, not through unauthorized rituals. • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: our bodies are temples, calling for personal holiness just as Hezekiah demanded national holiness. Practical Takeaways for Today • Evaluate worship practices by clear Scripture, not popularity or nostalgia. • Eliminate spiritual “high places” — anything competing with wholehearted devotion to Christ. • Gather with God’s people in the ways He prescribes, valuing Word, prayer, and sacraments over personal preference. • Confidence in the LORD grows as obedience deepens; reform and trust walk together, just as seen in Hezekiah’s day. |
    |