When the Israelites moved into the Promised Land they inherited the Canaanites' high places. These were open-air centers of worship found in the surrounding hills where people bowed down to the idols and false gods of the land. Israel rededicated them to the Lord God and sometimes brought their offerings there. After King Solomon built the Temple the high places were condemned. All worship was to be at the house of the Lord. However, Solomon himself was led away by his lust for foreign women. He built more high places so they could burn incense and sacrifice to their gods. 

All these "high places" are interwoven into the lives of the kings after Solomon. The ten northern tribes with nothing but evil kings had no problem worshipping false gods in the hills. In the south, king's Asa and Jehoshaphat tore many of the high places down. King's Jehoash, Amaziah, Azariah and Jotham are all described this way: "(He) did what was right in the sight of the Lord...but...however...except...however...the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places." The righteous king's, Hezekiah and his great grandson Josiah, completely eradicated the high places during their reigns. (I & II Kings)  

The ungodly kings comfortably kept high places everywhere. The good and righteous kings tore enough of them down to nullify their influence or wholly expunged them. The other four kings mentioned were good kings too; they were believers and did what was right before God - but... however...except...they allowed the high places to remain in their lives. By God's grace I'm not like the evil kings, but by my choices I'm also not like the good and righteous kings that pulled down the high places. I'm most like the four kings that followed God, but permitted idols and false gods to hang around and at times divert their thoughts and hearts away from the one True God. What about you? Which of these three kinds of kings best defines you?

High Places can be any number of things. Like Solomon, sexual lust way-lays many, as does the love of money and the pursuit of power, position and popularity. Even work and church service when done with self-centered motivations become high things exalting themselves against the Lord. We need to get honest with ourselves and call out into the open these high places. Then we need to tear them down. But how do we do this in light of our corrupted flesh, rebellious thoughts and vain imaginations pulling us so hard toward those hills?

These two Scriptures have been helpful to me : "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." And "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (II Cor 10:3-5; Titus 2:11-14) 

We really need to meditate on and live out these two life-building passages. Let it not be said of us - but...however...except...the high places were not taken away.