Understanding 2 Kings 18:4-6 in Depth: Faith That Acts

Hezekiah’s Bold Reforms

Hezekiah’s sweeping religious reforms marked a turning point in Judah’s history, cutting through generations of spiritual compromise.

He removed the ‘high places,’ which were local hillside shrines where people offered sacrifices to God - or false gods - outside of Jerusalem’s temple. He also smashed the pillars and Asherah poles tied to Canaanite worship, showing that he wouldn’t tolerate the blending of true faith with pagan practices. Most striking was his destruction of the bronze serpent Moses had made, which by now had become an object of worship called Nehushtan, showing how even holy symbols can become idols over time.

By fully trusting the Lord and keeping His commands, Hezekiah proved that faithful obedience still matters, even when culture blurs the lines.

The Idol That Was Once Holy

The destruction of the bronze serpent, originally a symbol of God’s deliverance, reveals how even God-given things can become dangerous when turned into objects of worship.

Centuries earlier, in Numbers 21:4-9, the Lord commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole so that anyone who looked at it after being bitten by a venomous snake would live - a powerful picture of faith and healing. But over time, the people stopped seeing it as a reminder of God’s mercy and began burning incense to it, treating the serpent itself as a source of power. This shift from symbol to idol shows how easily reverence for God can slide into superstition, especially when religious objects are cherished more than the God they represent. Hezekiah’s act of smashing it wasn’t disrespect toward Moses’ legacy - it was loyalty to the God who forbids worshiping anything, even something holy in origin.

The name 'Nehushtan' - a term that likely means 'a piece of bronze' - was probably used by Hezekiah to strip the serpent of its sacred aura, reducing it to what it truly was: a man-made object. This small word carried a big message: no relic, no tradition, no matter how old or well-intentioned, should stand between us and direct faith in God. Hezekiah’s faith stood out because he refused to let sentimentality override obedience, choosing to follow the Lord completely, just as the commandments required.

His example challenges us to examine what we might be holding onto - good things, even God-ordained things - that have quietly taken the place of God Himself. When something takes priority over God, it’s time to obey again, as Hezekiah did.

Faith That Keeps God First

Hezekiah’s devotion stands as a clear example of what it means to trust God alone, just as the covenant required.

Deuteronomy 4:12 says, 'You heard no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Be careful, therefore, not to become corrupt and make for yourselves any idol, any image of any shape.' That passage warns against turning anything - even a religious experience - into a substitute for the invisible God. Hezekiah honored that truth by refusing to let even a miraculous object from Israel’s past become a rival to God’s rightful place.

His faith wasn’t about tradition or relics, but about loyalty to the living God who speaks and saves - setting a standard for all who follow.

The Bronze Serpent and the Cross

What makes Hezekiah’s destruction of the bronze serpent even more remarkable is that centuries later, Jesus Himself would point back to that very event as a picture of His own mission on the cross.

In John 3:14-15, Jesus says, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.' These words reveal a surprising connection: the bronze serpent, once a symbol of healing from God’s judgment on rebellious Israel, now becomes a foreshadowing of Christ’s crucifixion. Looking at the serpent gave physical life to the dying; looking to Jesus in faith gives spiritual life to those under sin’s penalty.

This link shows how God can redeem even the broken pieces of history. The serpent, originally a sign of mercy, had become an idol - but Jesus reclaims its meaning, not to honor the object, but to point beyond it. He becomes the true 'lifting up' that saves, fulfilling what the old symbol only hinted at. Where the bronze serpent failed to keep Israel faithful, Christ succeeds in drawing all people to Himself. This is grace: God doesn’t discard our failures, but redeems them to tell a greater story.

So while Hezekiah rightly destroyed Nehushtan to restore pure worship, Jesus transforms its memory into a promise of salvation. The same God who demanded obedience also provided the ultimate rescue - lifting up His Son so that no one who looks to Him in faith will perish.

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