Remove the high places

“[Jotham] He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord.” 2 Kings 15, 34-35 (NIV)

Jotham was one of the kings of Judah. After the reign of king Solomon, Israel split into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom called Israel and southern kingdom called Judah.

By the opening Scripture, God testifies of Jotham that he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD during his time. However, the “high places” were not removed. These high places were places where idol worship took place, sacrifices were offered and rituals done. The way this Scripture is phrased, it is as though, the emphasis was not to blame king Jotham. It didn’t say Jotham did not remove the high places. But, it was still mentioned nonetheless.

Later, in the following verses, we see a report of Jotham’s son who succeeded him: “Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God” (2 Kings 16,2).

Ahaz, Jotham’s son, engaged in detestable practices of pagan gods and even sacrificed his son in the fire.

When the Bible recounts of kings who reigned in Israel, a link to David is often made. As though, king David was a standard. King David loved God. In addition to leading and shepherding Israel as one nation, he took it upon himself to bring back the ark of the covenant in Israel, a symbol of God’s presence. He wanted to build the Lord’s temple. He wanted the nation to be truly devoted to their God. And He led by example, his worship to God was never a private affair nor nonchalant one.

Maybe king Jotham wanted to remove these high places but did not succeed. Maybe, just maybe, his son would not have been so heart hardened toward God.

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” Revelation 2,18-20 (NKJV) 

Sexual immorality in the Bible is used both in the literal sense and figurative sense.

In the figurative sense, more words are used: adultery, harlotry, fornication, all these allude to an interaction or transaction with an idol, a thing or person that has taken the place of God. Something that has been so elevated above God in someone’s life. Or loving the world and forsaking God.

The relationship God has with his people is like a love relationship where two lovers are bound to be faithful to each other and be each one’s number one.

There is always this warning to every believer: so many things war for our hearts. And that's exactly what God desires: our hearts!

In the portion of Scripture above, Jesus goes further to talk about “eating things sacrificed to idols”. Metaphorically speaking, eating things sacrificed to idols is participating in activities that worship other gods (false gods, idols, things highly esteemed by men above God); passively taking in.

This article is a call to remove high places. We may not be worshiping idols but anything that can recall us back to where we have been in terms of sin must go, anything that can bring temptation to fall for the deception of the world. Why should we create loopholes for the devil in his attempt to taking us down?

May God reveal those things that must leave our lives, our closet, our screens, our phone book, etc.

May we receive wisdom and courage to let go of what once had our hearts to our detriment.

We move forward; we shall not look back.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3,7-8 (NKJV)