High Places

There are some very interesting objects that are found in the Old Testament, they are called High Places. These objects can be found first in the book of Joshua (best book if you ask me...haha). A High Place is defined as an elevated site, usually found on the top of a mountain or hill; most high places were Canaanite places of pagan worship. The average high place would have had an altar (2 Kings 21:3, 2 Chronicles 14:3), a carved wooden pole that depicted the female goddess of fertility (Asherah), a stone pillar symbolizing the male deity, other idols and some type of building. At these places of worship the people would sacrifice animal and sometimes children (Jer. 7:31). Incense would be burnt, sacrificial meals would take place and often rituals involving male and female prostitutes. Scripture speaks extremely in the negative about the high places though they played a huge role in the lives of most people who lived in Palestine before the land was conquered by Joshua and the Israelites.

When the Israelites enter Canaan, they were ordered to destroy all the high places so they would not be temped to worship the false gods (Numbers 33:52). There was a time where exceptions were made. The people were to worship God at Shiloh before the temple was built (Joshua 18:1-1Samuel 1:3). However Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines and construction of the temple did not take place till Solomons time. During that time scripture says that Samuel worship in the city of Ramah at a high place dedicated to the worship of the one true God. A group of prophets worshiped at the "hill of God". David and Solomon worship at a high place in Gibeon where the tabernacle and altar were located. But not too many chapters later we read that Solomon built new high places for the gods of his foreign wives. After that it pretty much goes down hill till we get to the exile. The kingdoms divided and Judah began to worship Baal, and Israel worshiped two golden calves located in Dan and Bethel. The kings in 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles were evaluated by what they did with the high places. King Josiah was considered one of the best kings in Judah because he went all Rambo on the high places and the priests of the false gods (1 Kings 22-24).

So I only have one question; what are the High Places in your life? I know that this might sound corny or a stretch, but I think the concept is legitimate. Are there things in your life that you know you should get rid of, just like the Israelites were told to destroy the worship places of Canaanites, but you just can't let go of; sins, addictions, etc.

Jesus died so we could be free of sin, he gives us the power to destroy those things in our lives. Why hold onto them or try and defeat them ourselves.

Francis Chan says in Crazy Love that Lukewarm Christians have a tendency to want to be free from the penalty of their sins, but not the sin itself. Just like the Israelites, being God's people they thought they could get by still having these places in the Holy Land. The sins we hold onto keep us from fully giving ourselves to the Savior.