58 They angered him with their high places; they aroused his jealousy with their idols. Psalm 78:58

Have you ever wondered about these “high places?” What was the big deal?

Accodring to the Holman Bible Dictionary:

The average high place would have an altar, a carved wooden pole that depicted the female goddess of fertility (Asherah), a stone pillar symbolizing the male deity, other idols, and some type of building At these places of worship the people sacrificed animals (at some high places children were sacrificed according to Jeremiah 7:31), burned incense to their gods, prayed, ate sacrificial meals, and were involved with male or female cultic prostitutes. Although most high places were part of the worship of Baal, the Ammonite god Molech and the Moabite god Chemosh were also worshiped at similar high places.

It’s no wonder God was angered at His people worshiping at the high places! They were morally bankrupt, thinking good was evil and evil was good. How can we learn from their experiences?

The gods are different today but the intent of Satan-inspired gods is the same: to draw away from God, and if necessary, to destroy.

What then are these gods?

• Money
• Fame
• Sex
• Work
• Hedonism

All of those attributes listed were very much a part of the Old Testament high places in one form or another. I suspect throughout history that hedonism has reigned supreme around the world.

As Desk Sergeant Phil Esterhaus of the 80s television show Hill Street Blues used to say prior to the police going out into the streets, “And hey! Hey, lets be careful out there.”

You see, the Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan wants to destroy you and me. Anything he can entice you with in the course of your day is fair game for him.

However – however – greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). It’s truth that we can lean on 24/7/36.