High places in the OT are associated with worshipping idols, most often false gods. The Canaanites worshipped their gods on high places which were basically hills that were sometimes artificially made for that purpose. These hills would often have some sort of altar at the top, surrounded by groves of trees and Asherah poles, pillars, or standing stones. Their worship often consisted of burnt offerings, incense, feasts and festivals, cult prostitution, and child sacrifice.
God had often warned His people of imitating the heathen in these practises but only confine themselves at the prescribed places for worship. Even after the Tabernacle was built, where God met with the High Priest at the Ark of the Testimony, & later the building of the Temple by Solomon, people still through the years resorted to creating their own worship places.
Today, some religions still have their worship structures built at higher elevations. Some examples are: The great Pagoda atop Thailand's Doi Inthanon mountain; Taung Kalat Monastery in Myanmar (Burma); The Hanging Temple in Shanxi, China; The Roussanou Monastery in Greece; Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe Chapel in France. By building these, the structures not only become central & visible to all & a focus of veneration & worship, but also give the sense of being closer to God. All these things detract from knowing & worshipping the True God.
But to the child of God, the Lord desires that the 'high places' in our thoughts & deep in our hearts be removed. That is, anything that would substitute for the lordship of God in our lives, where we give Him equal or second place in how we think & behave, rather than the first place. The NT speaks against being 'high minded': Romans 11:20, 1 Timothy 6:17, 2 Timothy 3:4 all show that such a state of mind & behaviour are contrary to the desires of God for us. Rather, to be like His Son: Philippians 2:3-11.
God had often warned His people of imitating the heathen in these practises but only confine themselves at the prescribed places for worship. Even after the Tabernacle was built, where God met with the High Priest at the Ark of the Testimony, & later the building of the Temple by Solomon, people still through the years resorted to creating their own worship places.
Today, some religions still have their worship structures built at higher elevations. Some examples are: The great Pagoda atop Thailand's Doi Inthanon mountain; Taung Kalat Monastery in Myanmar (Burma); The Hanging Temple in Shanxi, China; The Roussanou Monastery in Greece; Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe Chapel in France. By building these, the structures not only become central & visible to all & a focus of veneration & worship, but also give the sense of being closer to God. All these things detract from knowing & worshipping the True God.
But to the child of God, the Lord desires that the 'high places' in our thoughts & deep in our hearts be removed. That is, anything that would substitute for the lordship of God in our lives, where we give Him equal or second place in how we think & behave, rather than the first place. The NT speaks against being 'high minded': Romans 11:20, 1 Timothy 6:17, 2 Timothy 3:4 all show that such a state of mind & behaviour are contrary to the desires of God for us. Rather, to be like His Son: Philippians 2:3-11.
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