The High Places..

"Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places." 2 Kings 15:35

What are these high places spoken of in Scripture? From Leviticus to Numbers, throughout 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, and spoken of by the prophets, the "high places" are spoken of very often in the Old Testament. The word usually translated "high places" is the Hebrew word Bamah (transliterated). Of its meaning Zodhiates (editor of the Hebrew/Greek Study Bible) writes of its meaning as "a high place which was destined for unauthorized worship." It is translated "high places" because the meaning is of a hill, or height, or some elevation.

"Pagan societies were fond of performing sacred rites on mountains and hills. They believed this was more acceptable to their gods. The Israelites began imitating the practice, not only to idols, but even offering sacrifices to God Himself," commented Zodhiates.

I have been studying through 1 and 2 Kings and noticed the saying over and over again, "But the high places were not taken away" "Howbeit the high places were not taken away" "Save that the high places were not taken away" "Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away" ! This certainly stands out in these books of the Old Covenant as they recount the reign of many kings of Israel and Judah. Some, like Ahab, are very wicked and evil kings who committed abominations against the Lord and did not walk as David did.

Others are said by God to have feared the Lord and walked in His ways...but the high places were not removed. It wasn't until Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz king of Judah, began to reign at the age of 25 that we learn, "And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to ALL that David his father did. He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan" 2 Kings 18:3-4 Hezekiah means "Jehovah is my Strength" and this king by God's grace showed great strength in the Lord.

Most Christians can see that it was wrong to make sacrifices to idols and to bow down to them, to burn incense to false gods, and to worship them. When we see this, we understand how the Israelites had forsaken the Lord in these "high places." But, as Zodhiates points out, Israel was also offering sacrifice and worship to the Lord on these "high places." As we see with Hezekiah's reformation, Israel was even burning incense to a relic, the brazen serpent that Moses made, which Hezekiah called Nehushtan, meaning "a thing of brass." What the people regarded as holy in the worship of the true God, God abhorred it, and Hezekiah called it for what it was: a piece of brass.

Considering these things I was struck with a clear application for our day and our times. As the Scripture says, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope." Romans 15:4

We should be careful and take the heart of David, as Hezekiah did, in our worship of the true and living God, Jesus Christ, to do "..that which was right in the sight of the Lord..." by trusting in the Lord God of Israel and to cleave to Him and not depart from following him, but keep his commandments. We can take a warning from the acts of many of these kings of Israel who either fell into gross idolatry or else worshipped the true and Living God as the pagans worshipped their gods.

How quickly we see this taking root in the early churches as it took root in Israel so often after God had given them rest and settled them. So soon after had God given rest to His people in the early days of the churches, do we see the brethren beginning to worship and serve the true and Living God after the manner of the gentiles and pagans. They incorporated icons and images and relics into their worship and burnt incense and candles and bowed themselves down before them.

And in both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics churches the practice continues and is defended. But alas! we now see this specter and these "high places" creeping into our evangelical churches and Protestant churches under the names of emergence, contemplative spirituality, centering prayer, spirituality, labyrinths or whatever mystical name they come clothed in or pagan practice. The practice of marketing and business are governing how we order the worship of our God. We have yoga classes being offered in our churches, candles are starting to be burned in our "sanctuaries" and now I hear of not only an ecumenism with the papacy, but a trialogue with Muslims and Jews!

Remove the high places! Break down the images! Cut down the groves! Do not burn incense at the relics of stone and wood and brass. Serve the Living and True God according to His Word and commandments! Jesus said, "God is spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:24

This kind of departure of the true worship of God speaks carnally and suggests that the communion with our Lord Jesus is a corporeal one and a physical one. Yet the Son of God whose Kingdom is not of this world speaks in this manner, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63 And also our Lord said, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." John 17:17

The Father is seeking such to worship him. Let us seek the Lord and cleave to Him and His Word so that we can be such worshippers as God seeks.