Jeroboam’s Fear

And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. I Kings 12:26-30

Steps: 4, 5

Jeroboam was made king according to the prophecy of Ahijah – God’s messenger. But after becoming king Jeroboam began to reason with himself, rather than talking to and trusting in God. He reasoned that if Israel, the 10 northern tribe continued to go to Jerusalem to worship that they would turn on him and kill him. To protect himself, from his own fears, he discounted the counsel of God and made golden images to keep the hearts of Israel focused upon himself rather than to trust in God. He made images of calves, just as the calf that Israel worshipped at Sinai in Exodus 32. He caused Israel to sin thus incurring his own guilt and the sin of thousands of God’s people. Thus he turned Israel against their God.

Prayer for Today: God, You know how many times we have tried to outthink You, and You know how many times we have gotten into trouble because of our thinking. Help us today to read what You have written to us and to trust that You know what You are talking about. Help us to have faith in Your counsel rather than to have faith in our paranoid thinking. Help us to believe that You love us and You are fully able to care for us in all things – great or small. Thank You for not giving up on us.