D
The record of the building of the high places under Solomon and Jeroboam has a spiritual significance; it was written for our spiritual instruction—Rom. 15:4-6:
１
The high places built by Solomon and Jeroboam seriously damaged the ground of oneness—1 Kings 11:7-8; 12:26-33.
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In the church life we should not have any high places; instead, we should all be on one level to exalt Christ—Col. 1:18; 3:10-11.
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Any high place, even those at which genuine sacrifices are offered, causes damage to the ground of oneness.
E
The destruction of the high places involved three main things: the places, the images, and the names—Deut. 12:2-3:
１
Spiritually speaking, we must destroy every place other than the church and every name other than the name of Christ; this means that we must destroy our culture, disposition, temperament, habits, natural characteristics, preferences, religious background with its influence—everything that damages the genuine oneness—Gal. 2:20; 5:24; 6:14.
２
In order to fulfill the word in Colossians 3:11, every other place must be utterly destroyed:
ａ
We must destroy everything that is not the church with Christ.
ｂ
We should simply be in the church life enjoying Christ as the riches of the good land—Deut. 8:7-9; Eph. 3:8.
３
The church life has been weakened because of the lack of willingness to destroy the high places—1 Kings 15:14; 22:43:
ａ
In our human life and culture there are many places that remain, which need to be destroyed; we must destroy them all and then go to the unique place of God’s choice, the church—Gal. 5:24; Matt. 16:18.
ｂ
In every place that is to be destroyed, there is a dedicated pillar, a symbol, or an image; in our character or disposition there may be such pillars, symbols, or images that must be destroyed.
ｃ
In the church there cannot be anything other than Christ; Christ must be all and in all—Col. 1:18, 27; 2:2; 3:11.
Morning Nourishment
Rom. 15:4 For the things that were written previously were written for our instruction, in order that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.Col. 3:11 Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all.
The account of the building of the high places under Solomon and Jeroboam is not merely a record of historical fact. This record has a spiritual significance... Hence, what was written concerning Solomon and Jeroboam was written for our spiritual instruction today [Rom. 15:4]. (CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, “The Genuine Ground of Oneness,” p. 316)
Today’s Reading
If you investigate the situation of today’s Christianity, you will learn that every division is an elevation of some kind. It is good to teach the Bible. But Bible study should not become an elevation that separates God’s people from one another... You may find pray-reading very helpful. However, you should not elevate it by insisting on the practice of pray-reading in the meetings. If you elevate pray-reading, you will make even pray-reading a cause of division. All of us, especially the young people, must learn not to elevate anything other than the Lord Jesus. He alone should be exalted. In the church life we should not have any high places. Instead, we should all be on one level to exalt Christ.The high places built by Solomon and Jeroboam seriously damaged the ground of oneness. If this matter of the high places were not of great significance, the Old Testament would not mention it repeatedly. Only the worship, the offerings, and the incense at the place of God’s unique choice were regarded as genuine... Any high place, even those at which genuine sacrifices are offered, causes damage to the ground of oneness. Those high places are used by people in their lust and ambition for the fulfillment of their own purpose.
Every place in which the heathen peoples had worshipped idols was to be destroyed, no matter whether such places were “on the high mountains and on the hills and under every flourishing tree” (Deut. 12:2). God’s people were to tear down their altars, crush their pillars, burn their Asherahs, and cut down the idols of their gods. Furthermore, they were to destroy the names of them from that place. Three main things were to be dealt with: the places, the idols, and the names. This reveals that the good land was to be thoroughly cleared of all the heathen centers of worship.
The ground of oneness is deeper, richer, higher, and fuller than [one city, one church]. We all must learn that in this universe God has chosen only one place, and that place is the church. God requires us to go to this place He has chosen. Spiritually speaking, we must destroy every place other than the church and every name other than the name of Christ. This means that we must destroy our culture and religious background... Perhaps you had a religious background in a particular denomination... The places that we must destroy include our disposition, temperament, and habits. We must destroy everything that damages the oneness of the one new man.
The church with Christ is the unique place of God’s choice. In order to fulfill the word of Colossians 3:11, every other place must be utterly destroyed. We must destroy everything that is not the church with Christ. Then we will simply be in the church life enjoying Christ as the riches of the good land. As we enjoy Him with God, we will be planted in the house of the Lord, we will grow, and we will flourish. This is the proper way to have the Christian life and the church life. This is the ground of oneness. (CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, “The Genuine Ground of Oneness,” pp. 318-320, 264, 288-289)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1979, vol. 2, “The Genuine Ground of Oneness,” chs. 4-5