2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)
High place in the Bible refers to a ‘place of worship’. King Hezekiah took efforts to abolish idolatry in Israel by destroying the high places. The evil high places were the hub of every demonic, occult activity where debauchery, deception, adultery and fornication were practiced. He got rid of the fertility shrines (Asherah poles), smashed the phallic stone monuments (sacred stones), and broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. Israel carried the bronze snake for almost 800 years and burnt incense to it. In (Numbers 21:5-9) the Lord commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent to ease the plague that was rampant in the camp of Israel because of their sin. It was a one-off solution to their rebellion but Israel turned it into an idol and started worshipping it. God hates idolatry, sorcery and necromancy (communicating to the dead).
Hezekiah removed everything that provoked Israel to sin. He smashed, cut down, broke and burnt down everything that incited them into idolatry. Hezekiah instead held fast to the Lord and did not stop following Him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses (vs6). He prompted the mislead throng to turn back to the Lord by living an exemplary life. He trusted the Lord and sought Him with all his heart. ‘A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way’ – John C Maxwell. Everything flows from the top. The future of a nation is in the decisions of the leaders but the future of our family is in our decision, influence and headship. Our actions and inactions can provoke or prompt our generation to draw near or fall away from the Lord. ‘Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.’ — W.E.B. DuBois.
Prompts or Provocations:
1. Incite: Hezekiah was a great leader who removed everything that provoked the people to fall into sin. If we want to be an influence of godliness and goodness we must remove everything that would incite and mislead others.
2. Influence: Hezekiah influenced the nation by leading by example. He fasted, prayed and practiced what he preached. The best way to teach our children to follow the Lord is by tenaciously following the Lord. Our prayer routine and righteous lifestyle is the best advice we can give our children. Your life is the greatest influence that leaves footprints for future generations to follow.
3. Increase: What we foster multiplies. Good habits, discipline and godliness multiplies godly richness in our bloodline. Secret sins, covetousness and callousness promote ungodly ties, idiocy and idolatry.
Remove everything that incites ungodliness and instill godly influence into your bloodline.
1 Corinthians 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything.
Prayer: Dearest Holy Spirit, show me everything that has ungodly influence and give me the boldness to remove ungodly ties, influences and habits from my life. Help me to lead by example. Amen.
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