High Places

I've been reading 1st and 2nd Chronicles recently and noticed a pattern. Over and over a king will be described as doing or not doing "right in the eyes of the LORD." However, most of the good kings are also criticised for not tearing down the "high places."

High places were hill tops, literal "high places," where sacrifices were made to gods or to God. The location of the Tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon (prior to the dedication of the temple) is called a great high place (2 Kings 3:4, 2 Chronicles 1:3-5), proving that the term can be used for places where the Lord was sought and worshipped. I'm assuming that a king who allowed the worship of idols at the high places around Jerusalem would not be called a good king. So what is being referred to in the passages referenced above would be the worship of Yahweh at locations other than the temple in Jerusalem. The Books of Chronicles were written after the rediscovery of the Book of the Law (Deuteronomy?) and Josiah's reforms, focusing on centralized worship at a purified temple, and that perspective controlled the writer's interpretation of their national past.

So, for present day application, what would be our equivalent of a high place? Obviously, any idolatry would be covered. Even though we don't tend to worship statues or pillars, any thing, person or object put ahead of God in our priorities becomes an idol. As Luther said, the human heart is an idol factory.

However, a more prevalent problem today, and for many people then, would be worshipping God in an unapproved way.

I've been thinking a lot about the two forms of religion; or I should say the contrast between religion and Gospel spirituality. Religion says "If I, then God." In other words I control, or try to control, my gods (God) by what I do or do not do. The Gospel says "God has, therefore I." All Gospel based spirituality is a response to what He has done and is doing. He has the initiative. We respond to Him. Religion says I live right to get God's blessing and approval. The Gospel says that God the Father has acted in Christ to save me, the Spirit is drawing me now, and I respond to the Triune God's initiative.

Maybe a high place in my life would be any way I worship God not in accord with the Gospel? What if any time I fall into the "if I then God" form of religion instead of "God has therefore I" faith, I am only creating a high place. I may be worshipping the God of the Bible, but doing so in an unapproved way.

What do you think?