Reading Kings in the Old Testament there are many mentions of ‘High places’.
These ‘high places’ of old consisted of idols or special places on elevated ground that people worshipped or otherwise payed homage to, and got temporary satisfaction apart from God. These high places competed for and even replaced the worship that should have been reserved for the God of Israel. The high place at Dan was built when Israel was divided into the northern and southern kingdom. The northern kingdom worshipped the golden calf at Dan instead of making the trek to worship at the temple at Jerusalem.
There was even a high place placed on one side of the gates in Jerusalem that people payed notice as they passed through.
Although the Israelites were commanded to utterly destroy the high places, most of them Kings kept them and even built them up. The only two that take them down were Kings Hezekiah and Josiah.
So my thought is this, if they had these high places for many generations and God was obviously displeased, why did the Israelites display such a casual attitude towards them and what can we learn from them?
I’m sure there are many high places set up in our lives today that we have come used or accustomed to, much like those that existed in ancient Israel.
Places, things or idols that temporarily satisfy us along the way and hinder us from finding God.
There are also many other high places. Think of escapism through the news, novels and movies. And music, especially music. It seems the whole world has to have the constant barrage of music in their ears. Music is praise in itself and if not directed to God, worships whatever the songwriter had in mind.
If our heart is the temple of the most high God, then high places can be anything that competes with God for time, attention or worship in that temple.
I challenge you to think what the high places are in our life and time. What satisfies us that keeps us from searching ultimate satisfaction in God?
