“Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out and built Penuel. Jeroboam said in his heart, ‘Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me...’ So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. He said to the people, ‘You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’ He set one in Bethel, and the other in Dan. Then this thing became a sin... He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not Levites. And Jeroboam… offered sacrifices on the altar… to the calves that he made.” 1 Kings 12:25-32
“Put to death… greed, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5
Jeroboam had been promised the kingdom of Israel, all tribes but Judah, and God’s ongoing presence and favor if he would follow His ways. He had been warned against the folly of pursuing other gods. But an inkling of pride set in, sparked by the greed of control and fear of losing it, and this smallest slip away from God’s word began a descent from which he did not recover. One bit of questioning God’s ability to follow through here, one little self-directed tweak to ensure Israel’s fidelity there, now two golden calves to make worship outside Jerusalem accessible, and his weak foothold of faith crumbled. The small slide of wrong thinking and wayward ruling steepened toward full-blown idolatry and wickedness. His leading God’s people astray became a contagion and a new flawed standard by which every subsequent reign was measured. (1 Kings 11:31-38; 14:16; 15:34-16:3,18-19,25-26)
In our managing of daily responsibilities, we may be unaware of niggling doubts that set in and lead us astray. Good intentions easily warp into detrimental decisions. We profess to believe God’s sufficiency, but get torqued up making sure we have everything we need. We accept His assignments with big faith, yet let little doubts undermine our confidence to carry them out. We teach trust in all things, yet fail to apply it in small things. We claim God’s grace and Him as Lord, yet erect idols of works, proficiencies, and accolades to promote and protect ourselves in the world. Thus, we prepare our own slippery slopes without even recognizing their slow angle downward away from His highness.
Do we take time to assess the wholeness of our belief? Are we undivided in faith? If not, with whom and what do we share loyalty and trust? How well does our profession match our practice? Where do allegiances need redirecting, affections need retraining?
Where have we manufactured strange gods borne of doubt, fear, insecurity, even shame? Or of lust, selfish desert, arrogance, or gluttony? Identifying them is the first step to putting them away forever. Has a possession or position become more to us than God intends? Have we made idols of beauty, ease, security, control? Of children, a job, a banner of patriotism, or independence?
Father, establish me on the sure footing of all You are and promise, wholly committed to the praise of Your greatness and worth.
As the rain and snow 