Desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense

2 Kings 23:1-14

He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts.

Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the gateway at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which was on the left of the city gate. Although the priests of the high places did not serve at the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.

The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the people of Ammon. Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.

Josiah loses no time in acting on God's message through the prophet Huldah. Public reading of God's law is followed by renewal of the covenant pact with God. Then comes a purge of public places, ridding the land of objects associated with pagan worship.

Why?

Renew the covenant between the people of Judah and the Lord by reading the word of the Lord to the public.

Josiah is the only king who desecrated the high places. Josiah removed all idols, Asherah poles... Josiah has enthusiasm for the Lord.

We also need enthusiasm for the Lord. For God is good. Even many things we don't understand, trust in the Lord!

How?

Remove all idols from my heart, and honor the Holy Name of the Lord.