2 Chronicles 17

The modern reader may wonder at the repeated references to the “high places.” Even godly kings like Jehoshaphat and his father Asa did not fully remove the high places (see 1 Kings 15:14; 2 Kings 12:2–3). They removed all other objects of pagan worship and followed the LAW faithfully in all other respects, but they neglected this one thing. These high places may have been on distant hills—out of sight and out of mind—yet they were not out of the sight and mind of God.

Many of us may have some “high places” in our lives—areas of disobedience, areas of our lives that we have not turned over to God. God notices; God cares. One day He is going to ask us why we have not removed these “high places.”

7–19 In these verses, the writer describes how the fear of the LORD⁶ fell upon the nations surrounding Judah (verses 10–11), and how, at the same time, the Lord made Jehoshaphat more and more powerful (verses 12–13). One reason the Lord blessed Jehoshaphat was this: he sent his officials—together with priests and Levites—to teach in the towns of Judah (verses 7–9); they taught from the Book of the Law⁷ (see Deuteronomy 31:24–26). Jehoshaphat’s action reminds us that spiritual renewal among people grows out of a knowledge of God’s word; any renewal or revival that is not based on God’s word will be short lived and have little lasting effect.