Wrongly Worshiping the Symbol

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2 Kings 18

Hezekiah of Judah

 ^1-4 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz began his rule over Judah. He was twenty-five years old when he became king and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. In God's opinion he was a good king; he kept to the standards of his ancestor David. He got rid of the local fertility shrines, smashed the phallic stone monuments, and cut down the sex-and-religion Asherah groves. As a final stroke he pulverized the ancient bronze serpent that Moses had made; at that time the Israelites had taken up the practice of sacrificing to it—they had even dignified it with a name, Nehushtan (The Old Serpent). ^5-6 Hezekiah put his whole trust in the God of Israel. There was no king quite like him, either before or after. He held fast to God—never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter everything God had commanded Moses. And God, for his part, held fast to him through all his adventures.
 ^7-8 He revolted against the king of Assyria; he refused to serve him one more day. And he drove back the Philistines, whether in sentry outposts or fortress cities, all the way to Gaza and its borders.

For Reflection 

To discover what symbols of your faith take on symbol worship,  just try to change it!  Hezekiah not only destroyed the symbol of God's power, he also destroyed symbols of other gods.  Protestants removed the Catholic icons.  What symbols of your faith have taken on more significance than just a reminder of God? 

Pray

that you will recognize when you are placing too much emphasis on the symbols of your faith.  Pray that when you are surrounded by the corrupting influences of our time that you will return to the faith you have placed in God and obedience to his instruction.