To set up a high place is to have a division. Hence, the significance of the high places is division. These places were a substitute and an alternative for the unique place chosen by God to preserve the oneness of His people (see note Deut. 12:51). In this book two kings — Solomon and Jeroboam — took the lead to set up the high places, the former because of the indulgence of lust (see note 1 Kings 11:71) and the latter because of ambition (see note 1 Kings 12:271). Thus, the high places were related to lust, ambition, and idolatry. All the divisions among God’s people are connected to these three evil things.
A high place is an elevation, something lifted above the common level. This indicates that a high place involves the exalting of something. In principle, every division in Christianity involves the uplifting, the exalting, of something other than Christ. Anything that is exalted above Christ, even biblical teachings and scriptural practices, can be used to set up a “high place” to cause division among God’s people. See note 1 Cor. 1:29f and note 1 Cor. 1:92.
The high places in the Old Testament are a matter of great significance, for they seriously damaged the ground of oneness among God’s elect. Once these places were set up, they were not easily removed, even by the good kings (1 Kings 15:14; 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; cf. 2 Kings 18:4; 23:8, 12, 15, 19).