Nwsltr-091910-The American Tophet, Valley of Hinnom
“The Breath of the Lord like brimstone kindles it but amidst the judgment thereof, there is a place where the Lord causes me walk in, a place of provision and nourishment in him.”

Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

By The Watchman
Dana G Smith
Words: 4906
Keywords: tophet, valley hinnom, America, breath Lord, brimstone, judgment, Christian, Zion, Israel, nations, Jesus Christ, fire.

2 Samuel 22:34  He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places.

Psalms 18:33  He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places
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Habakkuk 3:19  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments

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Setting the Scene:
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For many years now I have been speaking of the “overcoming faith” that we find in Habakkuk during his time on this earth. He indeed as did his people faced a time of judgment. We will not focus, however, on that particular judgment. We will focus on the thing which he says at the end of his faith statement. Make note of this, for it is important.

When Habakkuk speaks of judgment in verse sixteen, it is that which he heard and understood to be. When the Lord judges a nation, any nation, there is nothing like it at all. He says of this upon hearing of this judgment, “my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself.” Now to be sure, he heard the Word of the Lord here. Upon being in the presence of the Lord, he could not stand up, for rottenness entered his bones. This is another way of saying, I could not stand straight. He literally trembled from the presence of the Lord, for he is flesh, his belly trembled as well and his lips quivered at the hearing of the voice. Mere flesh in the presence of the Lord God, who spoke to him. Habakkuk further says “that I might rest in the day of trouble.” This is the prophet speaking of the coming judgment to his land and the faith and hope that when that occurred, he would rest, not worry, and the Lord would take care of him. After all, Habakkuk did not forsake the Lord, but in the coming judgment, he would look to the Lord.

Habakkuk 3:16  ¶When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
17  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19  The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

He continues with the coming judgment and what would occur. First the Lord would invade with his troops, as he told Habakkuk he would do in chapter one. The result of this also would be the Fig trees would not blossom, nor fruit on the vines, and the labor of the olive would fail. In this we see, no olive oil, no wine [fruit] and no food [figs]. When war occurs and invasions as this whatever is there is taken by those who invade. The fields would be in empty as those who worked them would be fighting, dead, or carried away captive. The flocks would be removed by the conquering hordes and any left in the stalls would also be taken. In short, after such a nightmare, there would be nothing left!  This thought, would of been on the mind of this Prophet, knowing from other instances that this is the case. Yet, in spite of any worries, and or fleshly concerns, this Prophet made this statement, that even though, all is removed, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation”. He went on to say that he had a secret, which was the LORD. It would be the LORD who would “will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”

In the Prophets day there were two ‘high places’. One that the Lord walks upon and directs those who seek him to walk there with him. The other are the High places that follow other Gods and their ways. The same High places that Israel worshipped upon and forsook the Lord their God.

I want to point out here that in the section above where Habakkuk says “he will make me to walk upon mine high places” is a special word. One maybe you have heard of before. It is “High places” and the Hebrew word for “high place” is ‘bamah’, strong’s 1116. It has several different meanings; the “back of an animal or of a man”, the “incline or back of a mountain” or the “block of a stone or grave of a saint.”

This word is interesting because the word “bamah” is tied to a description many use of Satan and as a matter of record, it has also been used to related to Barack Obama.

“I will ascend above the heights [bamah] of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:14),

However, for our purposes, “bamah” in Hebraic expression, meaning God’s protection of his people. It is expressed in the exalted nature of Israel, whose God is the Lord. When we read “he made him to ride on the high places of the earth”, or read Habakkuk saying “He will make me to walk upon mine high places”, it directly reflects that the Lord God, during judgment, trouble, and chaos will lift him above and provide for him. It is here that the Prophet plainly states that although trouble was coming to his fellow countrymen, it would not destroy him. His lot was not their lot, because he walked in the ways of his God and knew this God was one who kept his covenant.

“He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock” (Deut. 32:13; cf. Isa. 58:14).

One final note here on ‘bamah’, which is an interesting word. We will see trouble in America during Obama’s reign, ‘bamah’, who may be the one that wants to rise above the clouds as recorded in Is 14. It is noteworthy here also to say that the same word noting the “rising above the heights”, is the same word “high places” used to describe Gods provision for his people who follow his Word in faith and obedience. Am I saying Obama is the type here, that is the Anti Christ, or just someone who has a desire to rise above the heights’ , no matter who he is, the ‘bamah’ Hebrew word here is clear. The coincidence is definitely there, is it a God point to make note of or just a mere interesting thought? Well, time will tell!  There is a provision God makes for his people and this is the point!

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High Places:
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When we speak of High Places before the temple was built, there were High places where Israel was able to build an altar and sacrifice to their God. We find that during the Book of Judges, Israel adopted the pagan custom of offering sacrifices at high places [elevated hilltops]. The pagan nations who did this believed the closer to heaven they were, the better chances their gods would hear them. The trouble was many of the places Israel took to do this were former baal sites where pagan worship occurred. Therefore this practice became forbidden. But at certain times the Lord gave his approval to Israel to worship him at these high places.

1 Samuel 9:12  And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
13  As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14  And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

Let us make note that  Solomon worshiped the Lord at the great bamah ‘high place’ of Gideon (1 Kings 3:4). This was permissible until the temple was built and finished.
There is no doubt as well that Israel soon forsook the Lord God and used the very pagan high places to worship their gods. All manner of evil was practiced upon these mounds and they soon became a snare to Israel and brought Judgment upon both Israel and Judah. Even Solomon in his later years forsook the Lord and sacrificed upon the high places to other gods.

We find ‘bamah’, “high places” in the cities of Samaria (2 Kings 23:19), in Judah (2 Chronicles 21:11), and in Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:13). Amos is just one place that records the sins and trouble this brought.

Amos 2:6  Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
7  That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:
8  And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

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Tophet:
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Jeremiah 7:31  And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
32  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
33  And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
34  Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

One of the most infamous “high places” was known as Tophet. Topeth, strong’s 8612 means “place of fire”. It is located on the southeast end of the valley of the son of hinnom south of Jerusalem.  Here the ‘place of fire’ was located in the valley of hinnom, known as “lamentation”.

It is a valley, a deep and narrow ravine, with steep rocky sides located southwest of Jerusalem, separating Mount Zion to the north from the hill of evil counsel and the sloping rocky plateau of the plain of Rephaim to the south.[Libronix, digital library system, Strong's]

Sacrificing to other gods, Israel left the God of their forefathers. They served gods that even their forefathers never knew. Sounds like America today.  In this they made their sons and daughters pass through fire. We make special note here that Tophet is related in text and warning to the valley of Hinnom but the Judgment of the Lord will bring it to be called, the valley of Slaughter, for they will bury there till there is not one place left to do so. It would become a cemetery.  Jeremiah further specifies that Israel “have forsaken me” and “have estranged this place”. That is through their seeking of other gods and leaving the God of their fathers, they separated both themselves and the land from their God and his blessing. Jeremiah also makes firm note that in this land and among this people was sin so horrible that they “filled this place with the blood of innocents.”  There is much we could say on this topic and in relation to Israel, but suffice it to say, that this God found in Israel a people who had forsaken him, the God of Life. Their forefathers had known him, but now generations of Israelites were doing sins that even the nations around them did not do. They had become separated from their God and would not listen anymore.

Jeremiah 19:3  And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
4  Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;
5  They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spoke it, neither came it into my mind:

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The Stream of Brimstone:
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Jeremiah pointedly tells them that “evil” which had been pronounced against them would occur. It would happen “because they have hardened their necks that they might not hear my words”. This judgment would come upon all in Judah, Jerusalem, and they would become as defiled as Tophet. The sins of the people were so bad that they even worshipped their foreign gods from their houses. All the land and the people had become defiled with rebellion, sin, iniquity, and blood guiltiness.

Jeremiah 19:12  Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:
13  And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
14  Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD’S house; and said to all the people,
15  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

Thus the judgment was set and the type was Tophet. For Judah and Jerusalem itself would become as Tophet, a place of wood, hay, and stubble. In it the Lord would send horrific judgment. A judgment that would be “deep and large, a pile thereof is fire and much wood”, this very fuel of wickedness would be kindled and the fire thereof would be like “a stream of brimstone”. In fact the “breath of the LORD” would kindle it. The judgment would seethe and burn all the contents thereof to remove iniquity and the sin upon the land.

Isaiah 30:33  For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

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Walking on high places:

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My friends the Lord is coming forth out of his place. It is he, the Lord who treads upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts is his name. He will tread down the high places of the nations, bringing their sin and iniquity to nothing. All the high places of idolatry, paganism, harlotry, greed, foreign gods, and all forms of rebellion will be trampled asunder.
Just as Jerusalem and Judah in the time of Jeremiah became as Tophet, and had become filled with wood, hay, and stubble, all in rebellion against the Lord God, so too, we find America and the nations. I speak warning to these nations who will be a sacrifice, a funeral pire, and it will be ignited by the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone upon it, so it will be burned.
The Lord will destroy the high places of America. It will begin with the church and then will engulf the whole of this land. America has been stiff necked, as has the church. Many people refuse to believe and hear these warnings. Yet it shall come.  With it shall burn the “high places” of greed, wealth, usury, produce, food, provision, precious things, and all treasures that are contained in this modern Babylon. Make no mistake it shall come to this nation and you will see it. Yet, the nations are not to be left out, for it shall encompass the nations and shall come to them as the Lord moves to shake all things.

Isaiah 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isaiah 2:19  And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
2 Thessalonians 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Those who are not prepared for the Lord, that is who are ‘sinners in Zion’, ‘do not know God’, and ‘do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ’, shall see this and fear. There are many today that do not fully understand this judgment and trouble coming. This is not the Great White Throne judgment nor the Judgment seat of Christ. It is a time of trouble where those who do not obey, who are in rebellion against the Lord, and have set up their own “high places” will find the Lord burning them down. He will work to bring mercy and deliverance to those amidst the judgment. Yet there will be many who will refuse to listen.  But let me tell you that there will be those who do know the Lord and do obey him. They have “overcome by the blood of the Lamb”, give their “word of testimony”, and “love their lives not unto death”, these keep the “commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ”. These are those who Jesus said “keep my sayings” and have “built their house upon the rock.”

In closing let me say that although the sinners are fearful, Isaiah asks a question saying this: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire [everlasting burnings]? He is referring to the judgment of Lord upon those in Zion, who thought they were fine. These in rebellion believed they were pleasing their God, even though, they did as they pleased. Who shall dwell when the “devouring fire of judgment” hits a nation? Who will be left standing after God judges the people that are stiff necked and will not hear? Those who will be left, will be those who do these things, which in Isaiah’s day was important and related to what God expected of his people.

Isaiah 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Listen closely to Isaiah:
1. He that walketh righteously
2. He that speaketh uprightly
3. He that despiseth gain of oppressions
4. He that shaketh his hands from holding bribes [does not accept rewards for wickedness]
5. He that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, [those who do enjoy hearing of it, despising evil]
6. He that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil [those who do not enjoy seeing it, despising evil]

Psalms 119:37  ¶Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

Now lets listen to warnings from the Apostles given to the church!
1. Lay the correct foundation, Jesus Christ!
1 Corinthians 3:11  ¶For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

2. Every mans work shall be made manifest, revealed by fire, trying every mans work:
wood – hay- stubble or gold – silver – precious stones!
1 Corinthians 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

3. You’re the temple of God, don’t defile it!
1 Corinthians 3:16  ¶Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

4. We are not to be patterned after the wisdom of this world but after Christ!
1 Corinthians 3:18  ¶Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21  ¶Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

5. You belong to and are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s
1 Corinthians 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

6. Follow to be Holy in all conversation and godliness
2 Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11  ¶Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

7. Put to death your members upon this earth and do them not: i.e.  fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Colossians 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5  ¶Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

8. The Children of disobedience do these things and the wrath of God comes on them, but you have put on the new man and have put off the old man with the deeds of the flesh!
Colossians 3:6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

9. Put off these as well: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication
Colossians 3:8  ¶But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

10. Christ is all, and in All!
Let us therefore Walk in the Light of God as his Son and our Lord Jesus Christ did. As he walked, therefore, let us do so as well! Then we have fellowship with each other. We have his blood cleansing us from all sin and our obedience, i.e. walking in the light.
Colossians 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

1 John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8  ¶If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

These above are given as examples. God expects us to walk in faith, obedience, and trust in him. The judgment comes and I remind you of the “high Places” where God has taken many of his saints during judgment. Yes they still saw the judgment, they experienced it, but in it all they overcame. God provided for those who not only had love for, but a love which produced faith and obedience to his will. To do those things that please him. When we do that, God will lift us up into the “high places” to walk with him and be taken care of.

Other scripture:

Ephesians 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Ephesians 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

2 Corinthians 5:11  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

1 John 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

In final notes let me say there is so much to speak on this issue. This newsletter is here to give you Spiritual input and to let you move forward in your own faith and life for the Lord. There is no way I can put all the things that must be said when speaking to this issue. May the Lord help you to walk in him, in faith, in obedience, unto the fullness of Christ and to his coming again.
Shalom, my friends;
The Watchman Is 21:6

Let us overcome, by Christ, in faith, in obedience, the Lord is calling us not to just make it through, but to be “more than conquerors in Christ Jesus who died for us and became an example to us. That is in doing this, we may win others into the Kingdom of our God and our Christ, our Savior, Jesus [Yeshua the Messiach]”