Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 12:25-33; 2 Chronicles 11:5-17
When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David. – 1 Kings 12:20
Jeroboam was pleased to lead the Israelites, but he was not confident that he would keep their allegiance if they went back to Jerusalem to offer the sacrifices. He did not trust the people and he did not trust God. After seeking what turned out to be bad advice, Jeroboam made two golden calves. And in order to keep the Israelites close to home, he set up two places of worship, putting one golden calf at each location — Bethel and Dan.
He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” – 1 Kings 12:28b
Jeroboam had the audacity to give these two man-made idols credit for all that God had done for the Israelites. He tried to rewrite history and override God’s truth. He built shrines on high places, and he installed priests who were not Levites. He created a new festival, and the Israelites came to these high places in Bethel and Dan to give their offerings to the idols Jeroboam had created. Once more, the people of Israel walked away from God, choosing false gods over the one true God.
BETHEL
If Bethel sounds familiar to you, let me take you back to Genesis 28. Jacob had left his family to visit his Uncle Laban. He had just tricked his father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn that was meant for his brother, Esau. His father, Isaac, sent him away to marry one of Laban’s daughters, and so he left the life he knew and traveled toward Haran. On his way, he found a place to set up camp and he stopped for the night. He was alone, and yet he wasn’t. While he slept, Jacob had a dream about a stairway and he heard the voice of the Lord renewing the same covenant He had made with Abraham and Isaac. That same special relationship was now available to Jacob.
“Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” – Genesis 28:14-15
Jacob named the place Bethel, which means House of God, because the Lord had spoken to him there (Genesis 35:15). This place was special — a place where God would now be worshiped because He had so faithfully made his presence known to Jacob. Generations later, King Jeroboam took this holy place that had been dedicated to the Lord and built a shrine to a golden calf in its place. He boldly desecrated a place that had been set aside for God.
DAN
The town of Dan was on the northern tip of Israel. It had once been known as Laish, that is, before the tribe of Dan arrived. The tribe had been allotted eighteen towns to claim as their territory in the land of Canaan. But they had trouble taking possession of the land, and so they chose an easier space to occupy. They captured the town of Laish, slaughtered all of the people who lived there, and made it their home. This place represented the weakness and laziness of a people who had been given so much by God, but who settled for less than all God wanted to give them.
With Dan on the northern edge of the land Israel occupied, and Bethel just north of Jerusalem, Jeroboam could provide easier access to places of worship than traveling to the city of Jerusalem, where God had commanded His people to make their offerings to Him. Jeroboam boldly offered God’s people the opportunity to worship false gods closer to home instead of worshiping the God of Israel in Jerusalem, and they gladly obliged him. He boldly sinned against God, more focused on beating Rehoboam than he was on glorifying God.
The position of king was an honored seat of authority. Jeroboam could have placed his trust in God, showing humility for this opportunity to reign as king, but instead he chose a competitive spirit. He created a new religion, new places of worship, and a new festival. He chased after the next shiny thing instead of following the traditions God had put into place.
HE WORKED HARD TO KEEP THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE ON HIM RATHER THAN FOCUSED ON GOD.
What false god is the church chasing after today because it is easier than doing it God’s way? Are we so caught up in trying to outdo other churches or leaders that we have lost sight of God’s calling? Are we worshiping the created over the Creator? Is God glorified when His people hop from one church to another in response to the churches’ gimmicks and marketing? Are we watering down the gospel and redefining righteousness in order to please others?
Father God, we give you our attention. May we serve you in the church to which you have called us; may you be glorified every day by our authentic desire to point others towards you. May our worship be authentic, and may we be used in the lives of others. Point out any false gods we have allowed to draw our attention away from you. May we make the most of this leadership opportunity you have given us by trusting in you every step of the way — whether the crowd is cheering us on or walking away. Amen.