2 Chronicles 20:33
Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 20:33 (KJV)
Context
This verse closes the account of King Jehoshaphat, the fourth king of Judah after the kingdom divided. His reign included a great crisis when a large coalition of nations came to fight. Jehoshaphat sought the Lord, led the people in prayer, and God gave them victory without their own battle. Yet this final note shows that his reforms were not complete. The king had earlier walked closely with God, and the nation experienced divine deliverance. Still, the record ends with a sobering detail about the people’s hearts.
Meaning
In the Old Testament, “high places” were raised sites where people offered sacrifices. Some were used for idol worship, while others were used for worship of the true God. The law required sacrifices only at the temple in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:5-7). Jehoshaphat had earlier removed the high places of idols (2 Chronicles 17:6), but those where people sacrificed to the Lord remained. The verse gives the reason: the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers. Their hearts were not fully set on seeking God alone. They followed outward worship but did not give Him complete devotion. The phrase “prepared their hearts” means they had not made a firm decision to obey God fully. Their worship was partial, and their loyalty was divided.
Biblical connections
This verse shows a key truth: God looks at the heart, not only at outward actions. The people kept some religious practices, but their inner loyalty was divided. The same warning appears throughout Scripture. True worship requires a heart fully turned to God. External reforms, such as removing idols or attending services, are not enough if the heart remains unchanged. The people’s failure to prepare their hearts led to the continuation of these high places, showing that partial obedience is still disobedience. Even a good king’s efforts could not force the people to love God from within. This reminds us that genuine faith cannot be inherited or imposed; it must be personally embraced.
Application
We can examine our own lives for “high places” that remain because our hearts are not fully surrendered. These may be habits, comforts, or priorities that compete with God’s rightful place. The remedy is to prepare our hearts through repentance and wholehearted devotion. This means regularly examining our motives, confessing sin, and asking God to align our desires with His will. It also means actively removing anything that hinders our love for Him. Preparing the heart is not a one-time event but a daily discipline. We must choose, again and again, to put God first in every area of life.
Ask God to reveal any area where your heart is divided.
Confess and turn from practices that compete with His authority.
Commit daily to seek Him with sincerity, not just outward routine.
Reflection
God desires hearts fully prepared to seek Him. Without this, even good leaders’ reforms fall short. The people of Judah had seen God’s power and mercy, yet their hearts remained unprepared. This verse calls us to go deeper than external religion. It invites us to give God not only our actions but our inner loyalty. When we prepare our hearts, our worship becomes true, and our lives reflect His rule fully. The high places in our lives are not just physical locations; they are any place where we hold back from total surrender. Let us learn from Judah’s failure and ask God to make our hearts wholly His.
