I Kings 12:28
‘After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”’
This is a bad idea. Jeroboam is now king of the northern tribes. He fears that if the people take pilgrimages to Jerusalem to go to the temple, their hearts will be brought back to the house of David. To prevent that he makes these two idols and claims they are their gods. This is one man swaying an entire nation, so he can keep his kingdom. Extreme selfishness.
He is most likely damning his sole and possibly those who fall for this new religion. This reminds me of what Jesus said in Luke 17:2, “It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.”
Jeroboam is seeking to keep his power. There are many reasons people do this. Money is another big one. There is some motive that inspires them. It could be fame.
There is no fear of God in them. To ignore God’s warning, is scary. I don’t think they realize the gravity of their actions. Romans 1:21 says, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.” A few verses later it says that they are aware that they were doing wrong. So, they aren’t excused, but due to their tainted reasoning, they don’t have the dread in them to oppose God.
It says their hearts are senseless. Meaning they don’t have the natural feelings. They don’t have the natural compassion of the gravity of their deeds. All to keep their power. The pharisees had also strayed far from the truth and they were leading the people away from God. Jesus was a threat to them. He was loudly proclaiming the truth and pointing out their error. Instead of listening and repenting, they opposed Jesus and sought to kill Him.
How do we keep ourselves in the truth? Jude says it like this, “keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life”, (1:21). A few verses earlier, he says to follow the teachings of the apostles, which means the bible. A second action is to obey it. That was the issue in Romans 1. They didn’t obey or honor God, so they were given up to delusions and their own lusts.
God will help if we ask Him. It doesn’t rest all on us. He is a shield to us. Psalm 3:3 says, “But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” He helps much. We can rest in Him to do so.
It’s good to pray for Him to cleanse us. Psalm 139:23, 24 says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts, And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” We may have some blindspots that are harmful. Ask God to do a diagnostic.
Lord, keep us in Your ways. Thank You for the fear You put in us. It keeps us close to You. Thank You for all You do to keep us. Expose those secrets sins. Thank You, God.