2 Kings 18:1–6 (NKJV)
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.
He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.
He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.
Hezekiah’s Holy Rebellion
When Hezekiah rose to the throne, the nation of Judah was saturated with idolatry. The people had turned the very hills that once echoed with the worship of Yahweh into high places dedicated to false gods. These weren’t harmless traditions—they were demonic footholds that corrupted the land and hearts of God’s people.
But Hezekiah refused to tolerate it. He ascended the high places and tore down the altars. He broke the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles that represented fertility and idol worship. Then, in a shocking act of reform, he broke in pieces the bronze serpent—the very one Moses had made in the wilderness.
The Bronze Serpent Becomes Nehushtan
That bronze serpent had once been a holy symbol. In Numbers 21:4–9, when the Israelites were bitten by fiery serpents, God told Moses to raise a bronze serpent on a pole so that whoever looked upon it in faith would be healed. It was a picture of Christ lifted up on the cross (John 3:14–15).
But over time, the people began to worship the object rather than the God it represented. They even gave it a name—Nehushtan—which means “a piece of bronze.”
Hezekiah discerned what few others could: even something once anointed can become an idol if it replaces the living presence of God. So he broke it apart, declaring, “This is just metal—it cannot save!”
By doing so, he not only destroyed foreign altars but also confronted religious idolatry—the counterfeit worship that hides behind the appearance of holiness.
From Judah’s Hills to Spiritual High Places
Centuries later, the Apostle Paul revealed the spiritual reality behind such battles:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
— Ephesians 6:12
The high places of Hezekiah’s day were literal hills. Today, they represent spiritual territories—strongholds of thought, culture, and atmosphere where demonic influence tries to reign. The call to “tear down the high places” now points to a spiritual mission: reclaiming the realms the enemy has occupied.
We ascend not by climbing mountains, but by entering the heavenly realms through prayer, worship, and obedience.
How We Go Up to the High Places
- Through Worship: Every time we exalt Jesus, we dethrone false gods. Worship reestablishes who truly reigns.
- Through Intercession: Prayer is the battleground where principalities are bound and God’s purposes are loosed.
- Through Obedience: Every act of surrender removes the enemy’s foothold in our lives.
- Through Truth: Declaring God’s Word pulls down every lie that exalts itself against Christ.
Hezekiah tore down idols of stone. We are called to tear down idols of thought—fear, pride, compromise, and self-worship. We must also be willing to break the bronze serpents in our lives: religious habits, traditions, or even past experiences with God that we’ve turned into substitutes for His living presence.
Reclaiming the High Ground
After Hezekiah’s cleansing, revival broke out. The people themselves went through the land, smashing idols and restoring true worship. In the same way, when the Church walks in authority and holiness, revival becomes contagious. Regions shift, families are restored, and demonic influence loses its grip.
God is calling His people once again to go up to the high places—not with physical weapons, but with the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13). Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God are our spiritual weapons.
When we ascend in the Spirit and stand firm in our authority, we tear down the devil’s kingdom and make room for the fire of God to fall again.
Final Word
Hezekiah’s legacy wasn’t just reform—it was spiritual warfare. He refused to let anything, not even something once holy, stand between God and His people.
May we have that same boldness today—to discern the high places, confront every counterfeit, and restore the worship of the One True King.
Leave a comment