SUNDAY GOSPEL: “Taking Down the High Places”

Today’s Sunday message is titled,
Taking Down The High Places.

We all have idols in our lives that we put before the Lord. Today’s message we will focus on the spiritual principals of the Kidron Valley. This was a place below Jerusalem where all idols were destroyed by the Old Testament kings of Judah. It’s truly quite interesting to study. Please pray for President Trump and his staff. He really needs it, especially with the midterm elections coming very soon. Our country would be a mess if we lose it. I’m praying fervently for our elections.

Pastor Robb Goodman
Sr. Pastor of Zion Freedom Fellowship USA

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Pastor Robb Goodman:

Good morning everyone welcome to today’s live stream I am Pastor Robb Goodman I am the pastor here at Zion Freedom Fellowship in Maryland and it is a rainy rainy day today my goodness gracious it’s a pouring down.

Oh my it’s coming down I don’t know if you can hear it but I can hear it on my roof and it is really coming down well rain is a blessing right praise be to God so we receive the rain of Holy Spirit.

Lord let your power be poured out on your people today Lord as we gather today together on this live stream teaching Lord let your name be glorified thank you Lord may your name be glorified father I ask that you help me to speak forth this message today that you’ve given me.

And I thank you father to come forth boldly accurately and according to the Word of God Lord my tongue will not err.

And neither will my thoughts err in what you want me to speak today Lord I thank you and I praise you that your Holy Spirit is always with us Lord you’re always with us and I thank you.

And I praise you that you are the mighty God of Israel and you will never change Hallelujah Lord we bless your name we thank you and we praise you that you are there you are the righteous Holy God of Israel.

And we praise you and we thank you in the mighty name of Jesus Hallelujah and amen amen.

Well I’ll share with you the title of today’s message.

And the title of today’s message is bringing down the high places let’s turn to Second Chronicles chapter 15 and we’re going to start at verse 1.

Second Chronicles chapter 15 verse 1.

And I will start reading at verse 1 I’m reading out of the New King James Version now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded and he went out to meet Asa and said to him hear me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin the Lord is with you while you are with him.

If you seek him he will be found by you but if you forsake him he will forsake you for a long time Israel has been without the true God without a teaching priest and without a law.

But when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel and sought Him he was found by them and in those times there was no peace to the one who went out nor to the one who came in but great turmoil was all the inhabitants of the land.

Wow so this was really a very difficult period and we read here in scripture that a prophet by the name of Oded came and spoke to King Asa and said hear me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin the Lord is with you while you are with him.

See that’s the main thing as long as you and I are walking with the Lord the Lord is always with us he’s promised to never leave us or forsake us we’re not under the law.

We’re not under the law of Moses anymore and we’re not under any kind of condemnation but there are some essential basics that we need to know to walk in before the Lord and that is that we must obey him.

And we must follow him our hearts need to be drawn close to him no matter what we’re going through no matter what the circumstances are like no matter what situation you’re faced with.

You must obey the voice of the Lord your God and if you obey him he will always be with you no matter how bad things look no matter how tumultuous the situation may seem.

You know 10,000 enemies might be coming against you but the Lord will raise up a standard against them I mean a real flood he’ll raise up and he will cause his spirit to overcome the enemy on your behalf.

And don’t forget that he is the the Lord God of Sabaoth the Lord God of army angels angel armies and that’s just an amazing thing to think about you know that the millions of angels that are at his beck and call.

So you and I are held safe in the father’s hand in fact our our our names are inscribed in the palms of God’s hands and that just is amazing to me.

Truly fascinating and truly amazing so let’s continue reading on.

Verse four but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel and sought Him he was found by them and in those times there was no peace to the one who went out nor to the one who came in but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands.

And that word is plural land so all the lands of Israel were under literally a curse when they wouldn’t obey God so nation was destroyed by nation and city by city for God troubled them with every adversity.

But you be strong and do not let your hands be weak for your work shall be rewarded that is fascinating isn’t it what a great promise so we are to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.

And trust in him and when Asa heard these words of the prophecy of Oded the prophet he took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim and he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord so.

This is a time and Israel was very guilty we read in Judges they walked with the Lord for a period of time they went back they walked with the Lord for a period of time and then they went back it was a constant.

You know upheaval of the peace that they had and they would forsake it and God would give them over to their enemies then again the cycle happened they cry out to God and then God would deliver them and answer them so.

This is a serious time that we’re living in we must be sold out to the Lord wholeheartedly we must be concretely settled in the Lord our God that we will not be moved no matter what comes our way we will not be moved.

Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those who dwell with them from Ephraim Manasseh and Simeon for they came over to him in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

So they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month and in the 15th year of the reign of Asa and they offered to the Lord at that time 700 bulls and 7000 sheep from the spoil that they had brought.

Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul they entered into a covenant now you and I can establish a covenant with the Lord and it’s up to us to keep that covenant amen it’s up to us to obey and to keep it keep him and put our trust and faith in him.

Thank you everybody for your comments I’ll read them later before I turn my computer off thank you so much we love you guys and appreciate all of you who are joining with us and watching us.

Today and who so ever would not seek the Lord God of Israel was to be put to death.

Whether small or great whether man or woman man I’m telling you what that’s some serious stuff then they took an oath before the Lord with a loud voice with shouting and trumpets and ram’s horns and all of Judah rejoiced at the oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with all their soul and he was found by them and the Lord gave them rest all around wow.

You know there were many battles in the Old Covenant many battles in the Old Testament that took place Israel had constant battles and you know even today it’s still the same isn’t it still the same.

Still the same.

And he removed he and he removed Maachah the mother.

Of Asa the king from being Queen mother because she had made an obscene image of Asherah.

And Asa cut down her obscene image and crushed it and burned it by the Brook of Kidron we’re going to talk a good bit about the Brook of Kidron and spiritual significance.

But the high places were not removed from Israel nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all of his days he also brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated that he himself that had dedicated silver and gold and utensils.

And there was no war until 35th year of the reign of Asa so there was quite a time of peace amen God is so good and he’s so so kind so.

And just didn’t mention about this this image that the mother it was an image set up to Baal and also it was a it was a phallic symbol which was totally obscene so King Asa tore it down and and destroyed it by the Brook of Kidron and like I said earlier in a little bit we’re going to talk quite a bit about the Brook of Kidron and what it actually means.

So chapter 15 it begins with a prophet by the name of Oded speaking a word to King Asa the prophet speaks to him about having teaching priests.

Priests of the Lord were called to teach God’s people the law and how to live righteous before the Lord so you know back in those days people were not born again.

So there was no way that they could keep the law but there were certain people just like Zachariah and Elizabeth said they were blameless in keeping of the law that to me is phenomenal because there are so many so many.

Parts of the law and the priest had to obey but it says that they were they were perfect I mean it’s just it’s just pretty wild to understand that because keeping the Old Covenant law was not an easy thing to do.

God was always faithful to hear Israel when she cried out for help he would forgive them and show them his grace and mercy he would deliver them from their enemies the Lord allowed adversity to draw them back and closer to him.

He does the same to us today he tells them to be strong and they will be rewarded when Asa heard these words he responded in faithful action he removed the abominable idols from the land and restored the altar of the Lord and true worship was brought back.

When the people saw that God was working through Asa the people came to see and join in together the same will happen in our day.

People want to see the works of the Lord they will join in with what the Lord is doing our churches will be filled with folks hungry for the power of the Word of God let’s go back to Second Chronicles and let’s look at verse 15.

I’m sorry verse verse 9 I apologize.

Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those who dwell with them from Ephraim Manasseh and Simeon for they came over in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

So what I’m saying is when people see when they literally see the signs and the wonders.

That we are doing in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I remember what Bobby Jean Merc said to me many times she spoke to this to me over the phone we had you know every couple of weeks we would speak or every month and she would always tell me.

Pastor Robb.

People are going to come from all over once the Lord starts moving in your church they’re going to come and they’re going to carry back to their state and their countries.

The glory of the Lord that was revealed to them in your place and I was like wow Lord and you know we have a very small church right now very small.

But you know what we have faithful members who have been faithful to give faithful to support and we’ve been able to help others in other nations at different times so God is faithful and God is good.

Praise be to God he is wonderful and he is worthy of our praise let me get a sip of my mint tea this morning here wet my whistle.

Boy that rain is really coming down.

Alright thank you Jesus.

Old Testament revivals often characterized by repentance.

Destruction of idols and a return to God’s law are frequent in scripture.

Key examples include Samuel’s leadership.

First Samuel chapter 7.

In fact let’s go there First Samuel chapter 7.

What’s going on here?

Thank you Lord First Samuel chapter 7.

Start at verse 1.

The men of Kirjath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill and consecrated Eliezer his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath-jearim a long time.

It was there 20 years in all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel saying if you return to the Lord with all your heart.

Then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you and prepare your heart for the Lord.

Prepare your heart for the Lord and serve him only he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.

So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths and they served the Lord only.

And Samuel said gather all Israel to Mizpah and I will pray to the Lord for you.

So they gathered together at Mizpah through water and poured it out before the Lord.

And they fasted that day and said there we have sinned against the Lord and Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah the.

Lords of the Philistines went up against Israel and when the children Israel heard of it they.

Were afraid of the Philistines. So the children of Israel said to Samuel do not cease to cry out.

To the Lord our God for us that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines. And Samuel.

Took a suckling lamb and offered it a suckling lamb and offered it before the whole burnt offering.

To the Lord. Then Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel and the Lord answered him. Wow isn’t that.

Amazing. God answers us. When we cry out to him he answers us. Whatever we ask him in the name of Jesus.

Jesus told us that the Father will honor those prayers. Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt.

Offering the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel but the Lord thundered with a loud.

Thunder upon all the Philistines that day and so confused them that they were overthrown before.

Israel. You know God’s got a plan I’m telling you. He’s always got a plan that will outsmart man.

And out outdo all evil. You got nothing to fear. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah.

And pursued the Philistines and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. Then Samuel took a stone.

And set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer saying thus for the Lord has.

Helped us and that’s exactly what the name Ebenezer means in Hebrew. Thus far the Lord has helped.

Us. So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel.

And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. Then the.

Cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel from Ekron to Gath and.

Israel recovered its territory from the land of the Philistine and there was peace between Israel.

And the Amorites. Isn’t that amazing? It’s so amazing what the Lord promised to do for us.

I mean it’s just absolutely amazing and you remember what happened with Elijah on Mount.

Carmel in 1 Kings chapter 18. I’m not going to go there and read all that because we’re very.

Familiar with that that portion of scripture but Elijah met the prophets of Baal who were.

Belonged to Queen Jezebel, nasty woman, and she was involved in witchcraft and all kinds of.

Things that she wanted to kill Elijah. She wanted to have him dead so lo and behold he gathered.

Before the Lord and asked all the prophets of Baal, 450 of them I believe it was,.

And he asked them all right build yourself an altar and cry out to your God and whoever answers.

By fire he is the true Lord God of Israel. They danced, they sang, they cut themselves, they did.

Everything imaginable and yet no fire came. So it comes Elijah’s turn right? Elijah not only doused.

His offering with buckets of water so everything was wet that almost made it impossible for a flame.

To burn it up. He called out to God and God answered by fire amen and burned up the sacrifice.

And licked up all the water just licked it up. I love that story I love it because it’s so powerful.

You know when you think about it and I’m telling you that’s why it’s important for us to read the.

Old Covenant as well because the Old Covenant reminds us of how great our God is how mighty he is.

And how great he is he’s a great and mighty God full of power and wonder and awesome deeds.

No man can stand before him all the days of their life he will stand with us and he will proclaim.

His greatness right before our eyes amen. Do you believe that? I sure do. Praise be to God. God is.

Faithful and he is good. So we know what happened on Mount Carmel amen and what Elijah had done.

To accomplish also there were reforms that came under King Hezekiah Second Chronicles 29 through.

31 I’m not going to read that right now and of course Josiah Second Kings 22 through 23 I’m not.

Going to read that because that’s too much to read but think about Jonah’s preaching at Nineveh.

Jonah chapter 3. Think about what happened Jonah did not want to go and he did everything possible.

To escape God’s call you know what are you doing are you trying to escape God’s call in your life.

Think about it it’s really important that we obey him and follow him and honor him we must obey the.

Lord and God you know I’ve said this many times to my church members every member that is born again.

In the body of Christ has a call to ministry might be the ministry of helps might be the ministry.

You know behind the scene ministries and all kinds of different things but we all have a calling upon.

Us so let’s obey him let’s seek his face let’s honor him and let’s obey him amen it is very.

Important that you and I obey the Lord our God for he is good he’s so so good amen praise be to God.

Let’s go to Second Chronicles 29 Second Chronicles 29 and we’re going to start at verse 1.

Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem.

His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah and he did what was right in the sight.

Of the Lord according to all his father David had done in the first year of his reign in the first.

Month he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them then he brought in the priests.

And Levites and gathered them in the east square he said and said to them hear hear me Levites now.

Sanctify yourselves sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carry out the rubbish from.

The holy place for our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God for they.

Have forsaken him and have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord and turned.

Their backs on him they have also put up the door of the vestibule shut up the door of the vestibule.

And put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place.

To the God of Israel therefore the wrath of the Lord fell upon Judah and Jerusalem and he was.

Given them and he has given them up to trouble to desolation and to jeering as you see with your.

Eyes so when people don’t follow God and obey him you’re going to wind up an awful heap of trouble.

It’s just it’s God’s way of disciplining us you know if we we don’t want to be without chastisement.

The Word of God said that God will chastise us and it’s very necessary that we allow him to do that.

For indeed because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons our daughters.

And our wives are in captivity so when you’re not obeying the Lord captivity will come the devil will.

Hold you captive by his will and you know you get to the place where you get sick and tired of it.

You cry out to the Lord and you ask the Lord to deliver you amen trust me I know what I’m talking.

About now it is in my heart to make covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may.

Be turned away from us Hallelujah my sons do not be negligent now for the Lord has chosen you to.

Stand before him to serve him that you should minister to him and burn incense and these.

Levites arose Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah and the sons of the.

Kohathites and the sons of Merari Kish the son of oh boy here we go with these names again.

Lynn I don’t know if you’re watching it makes me think about.

You know what I’m talking about anyway let’s go down a little bit.

Let’s go down to verse 15 and they gathered their brethren sanctified themselves and went according.

To the commandment of the king at the words of the Lord to cleanse the house of the Lord.

Then the priest went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it and brought out.

All the debris that they had found in the temple of the Lord to the court of the house of the Lord.

And the Levites took it out and carried it to the brook of Kidron and we’re going to talk about that.

We will get to the Kidron Valley now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month.

On the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord so they sanctified the house.

Of the Lord in eight days and on the 16th day of the month they finished then they went into King.

Hezekiah and said we have cleansed all the house of the Lord the altar of burnt offerings with all.

Its articles and the table of showbread with all its articles moreover all the articles which King.

Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified there.

Before the altar of the Lord then King Hezekiah rose early and gathered the rulers of the city.

And went up to the house of the Lord and they brought 70 bulls seven rams seven lambs and seven.

Male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom the sanctuary and Judah then he commanded the priest.

The sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord so they killed the bulls and the priest.

Received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar likewise they killed the rams and sprinkled the.

Blood on the altar they also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar then they brought.

Out the male goats for the sin offering and before the king and the assembly and they laid their.

Hands on them and the priest killed them and they presented them their blood on the altar as a sin.

Offering and to make atonement for all Israel for the king commanded that the burnt offering.

And the sin offering be made for all Israel and he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord.

With cymbals and stringed instruments and with harps according to the commandment of David.

And Gad the king’s seer and of Nathan the prophet for thus was the commandment of the Lord by his.

Prophets the Levite stood with the instrument of David and the priest with the trumpets.

Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar and when the burnt offerings.

Began the song of the Lord also began with the trumpets and with the instruments to David.

King of Israel so all the assembly worshiped the singer sang and the trumpeters sounded all this.

Continued until the burnt offering was finished and when they had finished offering the king and.

All who were present with them bowed and they worshiped so this is really awesome you know.

That when worship true worship is restored the house of God is right with the Lord.

Totally right and we are that same body praise be to God we are the same body that loves and.

Follows the Lord amen all right so now listen to this the Kidron Valley has surprisingly deep.

Spiritual significance in the bible east of Jerusalem between Jerusalem and the Mount of.

Olives it repeatedly appears at moments of judgment repentance cleansing mourning and.

Transition these revivals often occurred when God’s people were in a state of decay.

And was marked by a deep sense of sin and returned to scriptural standards and intense worship.

Became associated with the removal of idols and impurity several kings of Judah used the Kidron.

Valley as the place where objects associated with false worships were destroyed and removed.

For example King Asa destroyed the obscene image of his grandmother.

Makka and made and burned it by the Kidron brook that’s in First Kings 15 13 Hezekiah ordered the.

Priests and the Levites to cleanse the temple the uncleanness was carried out to the Kidron Valley.

We read that in Second Chronicles 29 Josiah destroyed pagan objects connected with Baal.

And Asherah and had them burned and disposed of in the Kidron area as well so spiritually the.

Kidron Valley became associated with cleansing Jerusalem and idolatry and returning to the Lord.

Wow David crossed it in a moment of humiliation and sorrow when Absalom rebelled against David.

David fled Jerusalem and crossed the Kidron Valley and all the country wept with a loud voice.

And all the people passed over you can read that verse in second Samuel 15 verse 23 David was.

Leaving Jerusalem as a rejected king weeping and barefoot and that’s in second Samuel 15 verse 30.

This creates an interesting biblical pattern a king crossing the Kidron in humiliation and sorrow.

Jesus let’s listen to this Jesus crossed the Kidron before his arrest this is perhaps the.

Most significant connection for Christians on the night before his crucifixion Jesus and his.

Disciples less left Jerusalem and crossed the Brook Kidron when Jesus spoke in these words this is.

John 18 1 when Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his disciples over the brook and.

The word is written Cedron but it means Kidron c-e-d-r-o-n Sedron and it means Kidron and there.

It was a garden it’s amazing isn’t it absolutely amazing great and large amounts of offerings.

The people brought and were given to the Lord and that’s in the first verse that we the first.

Verses that we read the the same will happen in our day and the body of Christ will have no lack.

It happened in the book of acts as well King Asa Jehoshaphat’s father was loyal to the Lord.

But he failed to take down the high places of worship worshiping idols and foreign gods.

That is really something else to think about so where are we today folks where are we at.

Where are we and the Lord knows exactly where we are so praise be to God he knows where we are.

And he is faithful amen so I want to ask you where are you at today with your walk in the Lord.

Are you putting out the high places in your life are you taking them to the Kidron Valley.

In your spiritual walk and and burning your idols and smashing them and breaking them before the Lord.

This is something that we all need to do we all need to obey the Lord and remain.

Faithful to him it is extremely important that we do this amen praise be to God let’s pray.

Heavenly father we thank you for this message today we thank you for this word father I ask.

That you would speak to your people in the mighty name of Jesus and discipline them appropriately.

Lord father you love your people oh my you love your your your you love Israel and you love the.

Saints of God those that are washed in the blood of Jesus you love us so much father your love is.

Immense it’s powerful Lord let us be humble before your presence let us forsake every sin.

Every high place that is exposed in our lives may we cast it down and cast it aside and put.

Jesus first in our lives thank you so much Lord we praise you and we thank you father in the name of.

Jesus cleanse your people from all sin cleanse us Lord and cause us to be united together in you.

That we will obey you and honor you all the days of our lives in Jesus holy name amen.

Well folks thank you so much for watching this message today I pray that you have gotten quite.

A bit out of it and may God truly bless you in a mighty powerful way in the mighty name of Jesus.

Christ amen and amen thank you so much God be with you all blessings in Jesus name.

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