When the children of Israel were about to cross the river Jordan and enter into the good land, Moses, out of his deep concern for them, charged them to destroy the heathen places of worship and to come to the unique place of God's choice. He issued this charge because he realized that this matter of the unique place of God's choice and the destroying of the heathen places was closely related to their destiny before God. If they were faithful to destroy the pagan centers of worship and to come to the place of God's choice, they would be doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But if they failed to comply with this demand, they would be doing what was evil in His eyes. When they entered the good land, God's people did destroy the high places and the names of the idols. Eventually, they were victorious in their battle to subdue the land. Men like Samuel and David are examples of those who absolutely followed God's command given through Moses.

During the reign of Solomon the temple was built in Jerusalem. As we are told in 1 Kings 8, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The age of the building of the temple was a golden time in the history of the children of Israel. However, not long after the temple was built, Solomon, the one under whom it was constructed, began to rebuild the high places. As we have pointed out, he did this to please his wives and concubines. This indicates clearly that the rebuilding of the high places was related to Solomon's lust. Then, after the death of Solomon, Jeroboam, the rival of Rehoboam, king of Judah, built high places for the sake of his ambition. In both cases the building of the high places provoked God to wrath.

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, and it was written for our training. "For whatever was written before," says Paul in Romans 15:4, "was written for our instruction." Hence, what was written concerning Solomon and Jeroboam was written for our spiritual instruction today.

A number of important matters are not covered in the New Testament in a full way. I believe that the Lord intends for us to consider these matters in the light of the types and figures presented in the Old Testament. For example, concerning the damage and loss of the ground of oneness, the New Testament does not say a great deal. Regarding this, there is not much development. Only three brief portions of the Word are devoted to it: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13a; Romans 16:17-18; and Titus 3:10. However, in the types and pictures in the Old Testament, the matter of division is developed in a full and complete way. Just as we need to consult the record of the Passover in Exodus to receive a full understanding of Christ as the Lamb of God, so we need to consider the record in Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles to have a full understanding of division and of the damage and loss of the ground of oneness. According to the Old Testament record, division is caused by lust and ambition. Solomon is an example of the former, and Jeroboam is an example of the latter. The Old Testament also reveals that only the unique place of God's choice can deal with our lust and ambition. The reason so much emphasis is put on the matter of the place God has chosen is that only this place gives no opportunity for the indulgence of lust or the carrying out of ambition.