"High places" have always intrigued me. They become prominent in the Old Testament after Solomon's reign, during Israel's slow spiral downward with eventual enslavement and defeat. High places are the pagan tradition of worshiping idols on hills, getting as close as possible to their god's energy source.
Amazingly, there are kings during this time whom God clearly blesses IN SPITE of their incorporating high places into their lifestyle!
So I can't help but wonder what high places we've incorporated into our christian traditions nowadays. Two come to mind--war and capitalism.
Jesus tried to send us down a different path when he announced a new commandment in John 15. That we were to love one another. Wasn't that already in place? Apparently not. That's because wars once were necessary in order to gain possession of the Promised Land.
Then in Acts we learn that the new disciples were sharing their goods with each other. Unfortunately this idea never took hold, even being labeled "socialistic" in recent years.
So I'm afraid our supposedly "christian" nation has two prominent high places in its topology.
If the Old Testament serves as a model for what's to come, we have to conclude that God eventually loses his patience over such accepted pagan practices and down comes the hammer.