Jeroboam's Golden Calves

 

1 Kings 12:25-33

 

June 2, 2021

 

Jeroboam's Golden Calves

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.   And 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 their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”   So, the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And 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.”   And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.   Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one.    He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites.   And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So, he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.   He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.

What do we know about how Jeroboam became the King of Israel's 10 tribes?  God sent His man to tell him all that God was going to do for him.  But the one Jesus called the thief, that comes only to kill, steal, and destroy, the devil, put fear into Jeroboam’s heart and He attempted to replace the God of Creation with his little gods, that could not see or hear.  The bottom line is Jeroboam did not put any faith in what God or his man had said.

How dangerous is fear?  I witness the control of fear on the Church of the living God, the God who states in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  And you may be saying that is Old Testament, does the New Testament speak on the issue of “Fear”?  I am so glad you ask that question, for both the New and Old Testaments are full of Scripture on fear.  “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”  (2Timothy 1:7)  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (2 John 4:18) “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”  

(Matthew 6:27).  

 

Yes, the Scriptures are full of teaching on fear, it is a powerful tool, and God is very clear in His Word on how fear will destroy a person, or Church, or Nation.  All during the China Virus, I ask the Lord who should I listen to.  This verse came to me, and it was my guide.  It is found in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  

I wish my report is I heard each week a sermon on “Fear Not”, but I do not recall any, but every time I got overwhelmed with the news telling me I had to lock myself in my house and not touch anyone and wear a mask if I did not want to die, this Scripture came into my mind.  And I put my trust not in science, but in the God who sent His only Son, to take my punishment for being a sinful man.  We obey the law, but we did not stop having people in our home, we hugged them when they came and when they left.

What did Jan and I learn from the China Virus, that faith in a big God will overcome fear?  No one was telling us at Church services to fear, but actions do speak lower than words.  The message coming from the Church of the living God was to close the door, stay locked up and don’t dare touch anyone, and listen to the science.  Yes, actions do speak loudly.

Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ”

 

Let us close with this thought, a wise person will repent and learn from his error, and never forget we serve a God of the second change, for if we confess, He will forgive and forget.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice