HIGH PLACES 3 | MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE (1)

1. High Places

a) During Bible History, high places were usually natural (e.g. hills and mountains) but sometimes man-made (e.g. towers) places where people worshiped or made sacrifices. 

b) The only True God often appeared, or was sometimes worshiped, atop mountains (e.g. Mount Sinai) or hills (1 Samuel 9:19).

c) The Canaanite "high places" were notorious for pagan worship where various heathenistic idols, altars or buildings were located, and where some of the most wicked and horrendous behavior imaginable went on. As such, when the Israelites entered the Promised Land they were commanded by God not only to have nothing to do with high places, but to destroy them because they would be corrupted by their presence - a command that was largely disobeyed, to their regret.

2. Mentioned in the Bible

a) Gibeon.

1 Kings 3:4 
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

b) Arnon.

Numbers 21:28 
For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.

c) Baal.

Numbers 22:41 
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

d) Tophet.

Jeremiah 7:31 
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.