The story of Solomon worshipping at a high place is found in 1 Kings chapter 3. To understand why he did this, we need to look at some background information.
First, it’s important to understand what a “high place” was. High places were open-air shrines, usually located on a hill or other elevated location. They were used for worship and sacrifice in ancient Israel before the temple was built. Even after the temple was constructed in Jerusalem, high places continued to be used by the people for worship.
Early in Solomon’s reign, the temple had not yet been built in Jerusalem. The tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant were located in Gibeon at this time (1 Kings 3:4). With no central place of worship, it was common for the people to worship at various high places throughout the land.
In 1 Kings 3:2-3 it states that “the people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.” This indicates that public worship at the high places was a normal part of religious life at this time, since the temple had not been constructed.
While Solomon was king in Gibeon, he “used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar” (1 Kings 3:4). This large number of offerings shows Solomon’s devotion to the Lord early in his reign. The worship at the high place was legitimate at the time, because the altar there had been built under King David’s orders (1 Chronicles 21:26-30).
The passage then states that one night God appeared to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon and told him “Ask what I shall give you” (1 Kings 3:5). This was a pivotal moment where Solomon humbly asked for wisdom to lead the people of Israel justly. God was pleased with the selfless request and granted Solomon immense wisdom.
It was also at Gibeon, this same high place, that God later appeared to Solomon again after the ark and the tabernacle had been moved there from Zion (2 Chronicles 1:2-6). Showing that the worship at that high place during those transitional times was acceptable to the Lord.
Once the temple was constructed in Jerusalem, high place worship was forbidden. In 1 Kings 3:2, a subtle distinction is made that Solomon “loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only…” This caveat is key because one statute of David was that the Ark of the Covenant could only be placed in one location, which became the temple (1 Chronicles 13:1-4; 17:1-5).
So in summary, Solomon worshipped at the high place in Gibeon early in his reign because:
- The temple had not yet been built in Jerusalem.
- The tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant were located at Gibeon.
- High place worship was a normal practice before the temple was constructed.
- The altar at Gibeon had been previously established under King David’s orders.
- God appeared to Solomon at Gibeon, showing his acceptance of worship at that place and time.
Once the temple was finished, Solomon only worshipped there according to God’s statutes. High place worship then became prohibited and improper. But before the temple’s completion, the worship at those open sanctuaries was legitimately allowed, as exemplified by Solomon early in his reign.
In 1 Kings 3 we see a righteous example from Solomon’s life. At the high place he sincerely worshipped the Lord by sacrificing to him and seeking him. God was pleased with Solomon’s humility, granted him wisdom, and appeared to him twice at the site. This shows that motives matter more than locations when worshipping God. Our heart’s desire should be to revere Him no matter the circumstance or surrounding.
Other Examples of Pre-Temple High Place Worship
There are other instances in the Bible when worship at a high place was acceptable to God:
- The judge Gideon built an altar and offered a sacrifice at the high place of Ophrah (Judges 6:24-27).
- Samuel offered sacrifices at the high place in Mizpah and Ramah before the temple was built (1 Samuel 7:17, 9:12-14).
- King Saul worshipped and built altars to the Lord at various high places early in his reign (1 Samuel 9:12-25, 10:5, 13).
- King David temporarily moved the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and offered sacrifices to God on a high place there (2 Samuel 6:17).
These examples show that before Israel had a centralized place of worship in the temple, it was common and permissible for religious ceremonies and sacrifices to be made to God on high places throughout the land. These acts of sincere worship brought blessings from the Lord during those transitional times.
Prohibition on High Places After the Temple
However, later in Israel’s history worship at high places became forbidden. Deuteronomy 12:1-7 declared that once God chose a single location for the temple, the people must only bring their offerings and sacrifices to that national worship center. Worship was no longer to occur at any other high places (1 Kings 3:2).
Unfortunately, many of the later kings of Israel and Judah disobeyed this command and continued worshipping at unauthorized high places:
- Jeroboam instituted idol worship at various high places, bringing judgment on the nation (1 Kings 12:31, 13:2).
- King Asa deposed Maacah because of her idolatrous high place worship (1 Kings 15:13).
- King Jehoshaphat failed to remove all the high places, so people still worshipped there (1 Kings 22:43).
- King Ahaz constructed pagan Damascus altars and high places of worship (2 Kings 16:4).
These unapproved shrines led to syncretism and corruption in Israel’s worship. The high places easily became associated with pagan practices unless they were strictly monitored. God desired a unified place of worship for purity of faith.
God sent prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea to condemn these unauthorized sacrificial sites that were violating His commands (Isaiah 16:12, Jeremiah 7:31, Hosea 10:8). The prophets proclaimed that only the temple was to be used for atoning sacrifices and offerings.
When righteous kings like Hezekiah and Josiah came to power, they destroyed the high places and reinstituted centralized worship in Jerusalem as God intended (2 Kings 18:4, 23:8-9). But ultimately, because the majority of Israel’s kings disobeyed and “built the high places” the nation was judged and sent into exile (1 Kings 14:23).
In summary, before the temple was built, worship at high places was acceptable and done by righteous leaders and prophets. But after its construction, God commanded exclusive use of the temple for sanctioned sacrifices. The high places easily became associated with idolatry and syncretism. But the heart motivation behind the worship still mattered most to God.
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The Heart Behind the Worship
While location and place were important in ancient Israelite worship according to God’s commands, what mattered most was each person’s heart condition and motivations in worship. The Bible emphasizes that internal attitudes and integrity are most important:
“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 ESV)
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22 ESV)
True worship focuses on loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). External actions alone without the right heart motivations are meaningless to God. Both Solomon and David worshipped at high place sanctuaries at key transitional times in Israel’s history, but they did so with hearts devoted to loving and obeying the Lord.
When Israel’s leaders later disobeyed God’s commands about high place worship, their hearts were far from Him. They adopted pagan practices and led people away from true worship, incurring God’s discipline. But when righteous kings like Hezekiah destroyed those shrines, they did so from a motivation of loving obedience to God and purifying the nation’s worship.
God desires holiness, undivided devotion, and sincere love from the heart above all. The attitude and spirit in which we worship matters even more than the location or method. While God commanded centralized worship in the temple for ancient Israel, what He ultimately wants from all believers in every age is a heart wholly His.
Principles for Worship Today
For Christians today, what principles can we take from Israel’s history of worship at the high places to apply to our corporate and personal worship?
- Worship should be grounded in God’s Word – Our worship forms, locations, and practices should adhere to biblical truths and commands to avoid straying.
- Purity of worship – We must remove any idolatrous or heretical influences that could corrupt sincere worship.
- Undivided devotion – God desires our full commitment versus being double-minded in worship.
- Proper heart motivations – The sincerity and spirit behind our worship matters most to God.
- Obedience – God values listening to and obeying His Word above all over outward acts of worship.
The place of worship is secondary to the condition of the worshipper’s heart. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, we must worship “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). When believers today worship God in obedience, humility, and single-minded devotion, we bring joy to our Father no matter the location or setting.
Conclusion
Solomon worshipping at the high place in Gibeon at the beginning of his reign was acceptable because the temple did not yet exist. God blessed his sincere worship there by appearing to him twice and promising wisdom. But later, exclusive worship at the temple became God’s command for Israel.
High places easily became associated with idolatry and improper worship after the temple was constructed in Jerusalem. But the true measure of worship for God has always been the heart motivation. As believers today, we should ensure our corporate and private worship adhere to biblical truths with the right heart condition.
Above all, God seeks those who will love and obey Him with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength. When our worship comes from a place of sincere devotion, it brings great glory to our Lord.
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