As you read through the history of the kings of Israel and Judah in scripture, the first thing said about most of them is whether or not they served God. The next thing you read is what they did about the high places in the land (2 Kings 18:4, 23:8; 2 Chronicles 14:3, 31:1). These high places were where the Canaanites worshipped their pagan gods before Israel took possession of the land God promised to Abraham. To keep these places of worship intact represented rebellion and a lack of faith in Yahweh.
Often the people would erect Asherah poles atop the high places to worship Asherah, the supposed god of fertility and nature. Both the high places and Asherah poles were detestable to God, so the best kings tore them down. Lesser kings let them stand and they became stumbling blocks for the nation. There is more than a history lesson in all this, but also a stark warning for each of our lives.
We all have high places in our lives, those pet pleasures, objects of pride, and even sinful habits we let remain year after year. Even while experiencing tremendous growth in our spiritual lives, we can feel like something is missing. We feel something is holding us back from experiencing more of God and being surrendered to Him. If that is your experience, then you probably need to look no further than the high places in your life. No matter how much we desire to seek and serve the Lord, as long as we permit these abominations to remain, we will never experience the deepest riches of our glorious King.
High places can come in many shapes and forms and will be different for all of us. Some common themes will be our entertainment choices, career ambitions, social status, and self-sufficiency (an oxymoron for those who understand our place before God). You can tithe above and beyond, spend considerable time each day in prayer and Bible study, and even serve countless hours each week in your local church. You won’t experience all God has for you until you deal with the high places in your life. The downfall of kings will be your downfall as well.
These high places are keeping you from a complete surrender to God. They are like little compartments we keep hidden away, places we go to worship when the pressure mounts or we allow our hands to become idle. Most have become so habitual we might struggle to even identify them, and when we do, it is easy to rationalize their continued existence. But God’s commands are explicit throughout history: tear them down (Deuteronomy 12:3)!
What are your high places? Are they the movies you watch, the music you listen to, or the books you read? Is it the pride in your success or the places in society you covet? Perhaps it’s that pet sin, the only one you can’t seem to conquer. Maybe it’s the way you neglect God by hoarding any free time for your selfish pleasures. Whatever it is, you’ve got to tear it down to experience the full blessings God intends for you. This isn’t about gaining health and wealth, it’s about putting God on the throne of your life where He belongs.
I implore you to spend fifteen minutes in prayer today, longer if you can, and ask the Lord to show you the high places in your life. Write them down as they come to mind and repent of each one. Ask Him to tear them down for you because we possess neither the strength nor discipline to destroy them on our own. But destroy them, we must. The Lord commands us to tear down the high places, to get rid of those evil things (Deuteronomy 12:3; Exodus 34:13). He demands we serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). The high places have remained too long. Today is the day to eradicate them from our lives.