The provision that despite the reformation, the people still sacrificed at the high places, though only to the Lord their God, indicates an incomplete removal of alternative worship centers. The tolerance of the high places, while requiring sacrifice only to the Lord, represents a compromise between complete removal and continued idolatry. The specification that worship was directed toward the Lord alone establishes that the reformed practice, though not meeting the standard of exclusive centralization, remained focused on the covenant God. The incomplete nature of the reformation suggests that popular practice retained traditional elements even as it reformed in commitment. The high places' continued existence, while relegated to worship of the Lord alone, indicates the persistence of popular religious practice alongside official reform.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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