Continuing to make my way through 2 Kings. This morning, it’s chapters 14 and 15. And the ominous back beats that characterize 1 and 2 Kings continue to pulse as king after king is introduced. The pattern is pretty obvious.

In the northern kingdom, Israel, while repeatedly reading of a new king after a new king taking the throne, it’s the same old, same old story concerning their reign.

And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

(2Kings 15:28 ESV)

Five introductions to kings of Israel this morning followed by five indictments of their doing evil in the sight of the LORD (14:24, 15:9, 15:18, 15:24, 15:28). Five royal refusals to depart from the sins of Jeroboam, the sin of openly and persistently and passionately worshiping idols, of bowing to golden calves as their god (1KIngs 12:25-33) while casting the true God behind their back (1Kings 14:9). And I know what’s coming. Judgment. Exile because of idolatry. The northern kingdom eventually overrun and carried away by the Assyrians (2Kings 17:6-23).

But there’s a counter back beat reverberating through these chapters, as well. A contrast highlighted as the kings of the southern kingdom, Judah, are chronicled. But not a complete contrast.

And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD . . . Nevertheless, the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.

(2Kings 15:34-35a ESV)

Three times it’s repeated in this morning’s reading (14:3-4, 15:3-4, 15:34-35), the kings of Judah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD . . . nevertheless . . .

And it’s that nevertheless that’s leaving a bitter taste in my mouth as I chew on it.

For, while the kings of Judah stand in contrast to the kings of Israel, I also know about the end of their line. The southern kingdom too will fall, Jerusalem will be destroyed, and God’s people will be led away into captivity by an enemy nation (2Kings 25:1-17). And how come the end is the same for those who did what was right as it was for those who did what was evil? Ultimately because of the nevertheless.

People! We gotta get rid of the high places! We need to deal with all the desires and all the things and all the practices which cause us to worship God mostly but not worship God wholly. Because, eventually, they are gonna trip us up and cause our fall.

Doing right in the eyes of the LORD is a good thing. But the nevertheless’s have a way of making that good thing eventually a lesser thing and ultimately a no thing at all. As the old southern gospel song puts it:

Sin will take you farther than you want to go,
Slowly, but wholly, taking control,
Sin will leave you longer than you want to stay,
Sin will cost you far more than you want to pay.
(The Cathedrals)

How this guy in this chair needs to keep dealing with the high places, the places of “good enough”, the places of compromise and “close enough.”

And yet, thank God that dealing with my high places is about my flourishing as a child of God and not about my freedom being dependent on my works. Praise Him, that my King, Jesus the King of Kings, did what was right in the eyes of the LORD with no hint of any nevertheless, and that my right standing before the Father is found fully in my union with the Son and that the realization of my redemption is sealed and guaranteed by the Spirit.

And that should be more than enough motivation to want to get rid of the high places. Amen?

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.