How can we identify and remove "high places" in our personal lives today? Opening Scripture “He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He crushed the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it. It was called Nehushtan.” (2 Kings 18:4) What High Places Were Then • Elevated platforms or hills where people mixed worship of the true God with pagan rituals • Centers of compromise—shrines, pillars, Asherah poles, and even a bronze serpent that had become an object of veneration • Symbols of divided loyalty; God alone had prescribed worship at His chosen place (Deuteronomy 12:2-5) Why God Demanded Their Removal • They violated the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) • They opened Israel to the seductive pull of surrounding cultures (Psalm 106:35-36) • They distorted the purity of covenant worship and invited judgment (2 Kings 17:9-12) Recognizing Modern High Places Today’s “high places” may not be stone altars on hills, yet they function the same way—anything that rivals God’s rightful rule. Common examples: • Secret or celebrated sins we excuse (“just my weakness”) • Pursuits that consume time and affection—career, entertainment, social media, sports, hobbies • Relationships we elevate above obedience to Christ (Luke 14:26) • Dependence on wealth, status, or self-image for identity (Matthew 6:24) • Religious traditions or objects that displace heartfelt devotion (Colossians 2:18-19) Signs a high place is present: • Consistent disobedience in a particular area despite conviction • Bitterness when God says “no” to a desire • Anxiety when something we love is threatened (1 John 2:15-17) • Pride or moral superiority fed by performance or possessions Steps to Tear Them Down 1. Shine the light of Scripture. Let passages like Hebrews 4:12 expose motives and hidden strongholds. 2. Call the high place what God calls it—idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14). Name it specifically. 3. Repent decisively. Hezekiah “shattered” and “crushed” objects; partial measures invite relapse. 4. Replace, don’t just remove. Fill the cleared ground with deliberate worship—prayer, Word immersion, fellowship, service (Romans 12:1-2). 5. Guard the territory. Regularly examine heart and habits (Psalm 139:23-24). High places regrow when neglected (2 Chronicles 33:15-17). 6. Lean on the Spirit’s power. “Put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit” (Romans 8:13). Human resolve alone cannot sustain victory. The Fruit of Cleansed Heights • Undivided allegiance produces intimacy with God (James 4:8). • Freedom from enslaving desires (Galatians 5:1). • A witness marked by authenticity, not hypocrisy (Matthew 5:16). • Joy that springs from worshiping the Lord “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Looking Ahead Just as faithful kings removed Israel’s high places, Christ, the true King, claims every hilltop of the heart. Through His finished work and ongoing rule, He empowers believers to identify and topple every rival, so that “in everything He might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:18). |
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