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High Places
by Pastor Graham Cathers
I preached a message earlier this month called High Places
which I consider to be the most significant word of the year.
The first king of Israel was Saul and then David. David was a man
after God's heart and God promised him that he would always have an heir on the
throne. When he died his son Solomon took over and did well, but at the end of
his life his wives turned his heart after other gods and he wasn't fully
devoted to the Lord as his father David was.
Solomon's disobedience brought judgment and Israel was divided into two
kingdoms, Northern and Southern. Jeroboam, the leader of the Northern Kingdom, created high places of worship out of fear that his people would go down to Jerusalem (in the South) to worship (I Kings 12:24 - 31).
While I was reading through the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, one phrase continued to stand out to me that I'd never really explored. I noticed that in each account of the righteous kings the writer made mention of the "high places" and that's what led me on this journey. Here is one example:
"...Nevertheless the high places were not taken
away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places."
(1 Kings 22:43, NKJV)
The High Places
Why would the writer be inspired by the Holy Spirit to point out the failure to take down the high places? After the temple was built in Jerusalem, God ordained it as the place for worship. Worship was forbidden in the high places. This is where the occult, and the worship of false gods took place.
"Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants
of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy
all their metal images and demolish all their high places." (Numbers 33:52, ESV)
God hated the worship of idols because He didn't want this pagan worship polluting the heart of His people. There were six godly kings who experienced revival but failed to fully carry out the word of God and
take down the high places. Only two kings went all the way. Only two walked out
revival to its full potential.
That made me think, what is it about these two kings that
sets them apart from the other godly kings who walked with the Lord all the
days of their life and did what was right in his sight? What does it take to
remove the high places?
The Two
The first king to go all the way with revival and take out
the high places was Hezekiah. You can
read about his life and reign in 2 Kings 18-20.
He did what no king of Judah had ever done - he took out the
high places and walked in the fullness of what the Lord commanded. He trusted
in God all the days of his life and it says God prospered him and made
everything he did a success.
Josiah began to rule at the age of 8 and he was a godly king
who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He also destroyed the high
places and ushered in the greatest revival in the history of Israel. So why was all this possible? What set these two kings apart?
"No king before Josiah had turned to the LORD
with all his heart, soul, and strength, as directed in Moses' Teachings. No
other king was like Josiah."
(2 Kings 23:25, GWT)
Not one king had ever turned to the Lord with all his heart,
soul and strength. What command has those three elements in it? When Jesus was
asked what the greatest commandment was without hesitation he said,
"...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy
whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind, and thy whole strength." (Mark 12:30, MSNT)
As I was meditating on this it dawned on me that only those
who are 100% in love with God; who have given Him everything and live like the song
says "I can't hold my love back from you" can fully reach the potential of what God has for them.
And when I thought about this a word I'd heard before came to my mind. Pastor Mike Bickle says, "There are lovers and there are workers, and lovers get more work done
than do workers. A passionate lover will always outperform a good servant in
pleasing Him."
"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro
throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is
completely His."
(2 Chronicles 16:9, NASB)
Let me encourage you to fall completely in love with Jesus
all over again. Return to your first love. There are some high place in
life that only lovers can take.
- Pastor Graham
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