High Places

In my previous post, I told you about King Jehoash (or Joash) of Judah and how scripture gave him a favorable epitaph. However, it did mention something else about him. He did not tear down the high places. In 2 Kings 12:3, it says “the high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.” As I study Old Testament history, I find this same sentiment repeated over and over – a refusal to remove the high places - so I determined to learn what it meant.

Essentially, the high places were local places of worship. According to the Torah, sacrifices were supposed to be performed primarily in the tabernacle or – later – in the temple. The religious system established during the time of Moses was very clear about the ritual and methodology associated with the various offerings and sacrifices. Although other ancient near east cultures also performed sacrificial rituals, those established by the Mosaic law were somewhat unique. Other cultures performed sacrifices to appease their gods or to provide food and sustenance for their gods. The children of Israel did not perform sacrifices to appease Yahweh because he did not need to be appeased. The children of Israel did not perform sacrifices to provide food and sustenance for Yahweh because he is self-sustaining. Rather, the sacrificial system was a form of worship. Drink offerings and grain offerings and thanksgiving offerings were to show gratitude for Yahweh’s provisions. Even the sacrifice of atonement and the guilt and sin offerings were made not to appease Yahweh, but to atone for sins committed against Yahweh that were either unintentional or uncontrollable. In fact, the Mosaic sacrificial system contained no provisions at all for high-handed, blatant rebellion against Yahweh. In such cases – like David’s sin – one’s only hope of forgiveness was to repent and throw oneself on the mercy of Yahweh. Much like the gospel of the New Testament, since all men are sinners and have all performed such high-handed sinfulness, one was not deemed righteous by the sacrificial system, but by faith in the grace of God (see Romans 3).

This difference was intended to distinguish the pagan religions, which all sought to earn the favor of the Gods, from worship of Yahweh, which depended upon his grace, not mankind’s meritorious efforts. One of the ways in which the pagan religions sought to earn such favor was to worship on these high places. The high places, therefore, served two purposes. First, because they believed the gods were in the heavens (i.e., the physical heavens of the atmosphere and space), they worshipped on high places to both point them to the heavens and to physically bring them closer to the heavens. They believed their efforts to get closer to the god of their choice would be rewarded. Second, the high places were visible to all. Therefore, when one worshipped on the high places, one’s religious efforts were visible by all and such efforts brought about the approval of those who may have been watching. In other words, “look at me, I’m very religious”.

By setting up high places – even though those high places were used in the worship of Yahweh – Judah was mimicking the religious efforts of the pagans. They were ignoring the specific requirements of the law; they were seeking to obtain Yahweh’s favor by attempting to get closer to him; and they were setting themselves up before their peers so that their righteousness could be seen by all. Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of his life, but he did not tear down the high places. Therefore, his people were still sinning against God because even though they were being religious, they were not worshipping the way God had proscribed.

Have we also set up high places in our churches? When we worship, what are our motivations? Are we worshipping from a grateful heart? Are we worshipping out of repentance? Are we worshipping to earn God’s favor? Are we worshipping in such a way as to make ourselves appear righteous? Likewise, what are our motivations for our works such as helping the poor, teaching Sunday school, even being a deacon or a greeter? Why do we do what we do in the name of Christianity? Is it to put righteous acts in our holy bank? Isaiah 64:6 says they are all like filthy rags. Is it to make ourselves look good before men? Be careful, because Matthew 6:1 tells us that is its own reward and we will not receive a reward from God for such works. Everything we do should be from a heart of worship, contrition, and obedience. If it is not, then it is nothing more than another high place. When you go to church this next Sunday, think about tearing down your high places.

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV).