My Asherah Poles: Climbing Down From the Pedestal and Facing My Own High Places

Do you ever read the Bible while standing upon a pedestal? Because sometimes I do. I caught myself doing it again the other day.

I was reading in Kings at the time. Oh, how those kings fell short of the mark. No matter how often they were given signs or words from wise prophets, they continued on their evil paths. “How stupid they were,” I think (while standing upon my pedestal). Certainly I would never fall so far.

David did love the Lord and he tried to follow him in all that he did, but then he met Bathsheba and, well, need I say more? David’s son, Solomon began his reign by following in his father’s footsteps and trying to walk with God. But he married foreign women and was led astray. He even began worshipping at Asherah poles. “Solomon, how could you?” I yell down from my lofty perch. Once again, I am quite certain that I would never be that silly. David’s own son falling that far? Inconceivable.

And then Solomon’s son, Jeroboam, built golden calves to worship. Rehoboam had sacred stones and Asherah poles put in all the high places. “Well, that escalated quickly,” I think.

I always feel a thrill when I read about the kings who at least tried to “do what was right in the Lord’s eyes”. But, as I keep reading, I invariably come upon: “The high places, however, were not removed.” Come on, kings! What is wrong with you?

Asa, did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, he cut down the poles, got rid of the male shrine prostitutes and all the idols, “The high places, however, were not removed.” Jehoshaphat did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, “The high places, however, were not removed.” Joash, Amaiah, Azariah (and more) also tried to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But always the same words follow: “The high places, however, were not removed.”

“Fools!” I think. “Why didn’t you tear down the high places?” Such a simple last step to take and yet so many kings did not do it. And I stand upon MY high place and judge them.

And then it hit me. “What high places exist in my own life and why haven’t I taken them down?” And “What idols have I worshipped up there?”

We all have high places that we have refused to tear down. Others may look at us from their lofty perches and wonder why we don’t take down our high places. It’s so easy to judge from the outside. It’s not so easy when the high places are of our own making.

Maybe we search out websites that do not honor God. Or we watch movies that actually DIS-honor Him. We might laugh at a joke that disrespects our belief system, or we worship sports and pop stars who glorify horrible and sinful behavior. Perhaps we suffer from road rage or we disrespect our aging parents. We might drink too much or practice gluttonous behavior.

The list goes on and on. There are uncountable ways we all fall short of the mark. That is why we need a savior after all.

And so: “We try to do what is right in the Lord’s eyes, the high places, however, are not removed.”

I sheepishly have to climb down from my pedestal and admit the truth. I am not any different from the kings of old. How can I judge them when I need to remove my own high places and cut down my Asherah poles.

Now when I read about those who fell short of the mark, instead of feeling lofty, I ask myself, “Where am I failing and what can I do to destroy my high places and chop down my poles?”

I have a lot of work to do in those areas. So I have climbed down from my pedestal and taken up an axe instead. I head up the hill daily to chop down the Asherah poles that seem to appear out of nowhere when I’m not paying attention.

My smugness has left and that’s one less pole I have to destroy.

“The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.” 2 Kings 14:4