2 Kings 15:1-7: a reflection

1In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. 2He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 3He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 4However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 5The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham, the king’s son, was over the household, judging the people of the land. 6Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 7Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Of King Azariah it is said that he did what was right in the LORD's eyes, as his father had done. But then comes a qualification: However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. His faithfulness, real as it was, was incomplete; he did right, but he left the high places standing, tolerating a compromise that he did not deal with. His obedience had a leftover, an area of compromise left unaddressed in an otherwise faithful reign.

Notice the incompleteness of Azariah's faithfulness: the high places were left. He did what was right in general; but he did not go so far as to remove the high places, the places of unauthorized worship, leaving them standing. His faithfulness stopped short of dealing with this compromise; he tolerated it, left it unaddressed, an exception in an otherwise good reign. The high places remained, a leftover area of compromise he did not touch. His obedience was real but incomplete, leaving something undealt with.

That incompleteness is worth taking to heart, for we too can be faithful in general while leaving some 'high place' standing, an area of compromise undealt with. We can do right in most things, follow God faithfully in general, while leaving some particular compromise standing, some area we do not deal with, some 'high place' we tolerate as an exception. But such incomplete faithfulness leaves something undealt with that ought to be removed. Do not leave your 'high places' standing, tolerating some area of compromise as an exception while being faithful in general; deal fully with what ought to be removed, rather than leaving it undealt with, as Azariah left the high places standing. Examine whether there is some 'high place' in your life, some tolerated compromise you have not dealt with, and deal with it fully, rather than leaving it standing as an exception in an otherwise faithful life, as Azariah did right but left the high places unremoved.

Lord, of King Azariah it is said that he did what was right in your eyes, as his father had done. But then comes a qualification: however, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. His faithfulness, real as it was, was incomplete; he did right, but he left the high places standing, tolerating a compromise that he did not deal with. Show me the incompleteness of Azariah's faithfulness: the high places were left. He did what was right in general; but he did not go so far as to remove the high places, leaving them standing. His faithfulness stopped short of dealing with this compromise; he tolerated it, an exception in an otherwise good reign. His obedience was real but incomplete. Take that to my heart, for I too can be faithful in general while leaving some high place standing, an area of compromise undealt with. I can do right in most things, follow you faithfully in general, while leaving some particular compromise standing, some area I do not deal with, some high place I tolerate as an exception. But such incomplete faithfulness leaves something undealt with that ought to be removed. Keep me from leaving my high places standing, tolerating some area of compromise as an exception while being faithful in general; help me deal fully with what ought to be removed. Help me examine whether there is some high place in my life, some tolerated compromise I have not dealt with, and deal with it fully, Lord, rather than leaving it standing.