What does "high place" symbolize, and how can we identify them today? Opening Scripture 2 Kings 17:11: “They burned incense on all the high places, as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had done, and they did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger.” What Were the High Places? • Elevated sites—hilltops, ridges, man-made platforms—where altars, wooden poles, or stone pillars stood. • Centers for sacrifices, incense offerings, feasts, and immoral rituals (1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10). • Usually linked to the worship of Baal, Asherah, Molech, or a syncretistic mix that blended Yahweh-language with pagan practices (Jeremiah 7:9–10). • Persistent even during “good” kings; some removed idols yet “the high places were not taken away” (2 Kings 15:35). What Do High Places Symbolize? • Rival thrones—anything competing with the Lord’s exclusive right to rule our hearts (Exodus 20:3). • Compromise—blending God’s truth with cultural spirituality, assuming we can define worship on our own terms (Deuteronomy 12:2–4). • Convenience—worship that values ease and popularity over obedience; Israel chose local hills rather than the one altar God prescribed in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:13–14). • Control—human attempts to domesticate the divine, reducing God to a manageable deity who serves personal agendas (Isaiah 57:7–8). Tracing the Danger Through Israel’s History • Solomon built high places for foreign wives (1 Kings 11:7–8) – the rot began in the palace. • Jeroboam institutionalized them with golden calves at Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:31–33). • Prophets exposed them: Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:19–40), Hosea warned of calf-idols (Hosea 10:5–8), Micah decried hilltop shrines (Micah 1:3–5). • Hezekiah and Josiah stand out for tearing them down (2 Kings 18:4; 23:13–14). Spotting Today’s High Places • Personal high places – Secret sins we tolerate because they feel “harmless” or “normal.” – Self-reliance—career, savings, talents raised to untouchable status. – Pleasure or comfort that dictates choices, eclipsing obedience. • Cultural high places – Ideologies that redefine truth, morality, or human identity apart from Scripture (Colossians 2:8). – Entertainment and media shaping affections more than God’s Word (Psalm 101:3). – Consumerism—shopping malls and online carts functioning as temples of satisfaction (Matthew 6:24). • Religious high places – Worship methods driven by preference rather than reverence—“as long as I feel inspired.” – Doctrinal pick-and-choose attitudes that ignore uncomfortable passages (2 Timothy 4:3–4). – Rituals or traditions treasured above the gospel itself (Mark 7:8–9). Steps to Remove Modern High Places 1. Expose them with Scripture’s light (Hebrews 4:12). 2. Repent specifically—name the rival and renounce it (1 John 1:9). 3. Replace with wholehearted worship: regular, joyful submission to Jesus’ lordship (Romans 12:1–2). 4. Guard the cleared ground—ongoing vigilance through prayer, fellowship, and the Word (Ephesians 6:10–18). High places fell when kings and people chose full obedience; the same pattern stands today. Whenever we elevate anything above the Lord, we rebuild a shrine He has already condemned. Tearing it down keeps our worship pure, our witness clear, and our joy anchored in the One true God. |
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