QT 22 Dec 10

1 Kings 12:26-33 (NIV) Jeroboam thought to himself, "The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David. 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam."

28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt." 29 One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. 30 And this thing became a sin; the people went even as far as Dan to worship the one there.

31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. 32 He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. 33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.

NOTE: When it is all about me, the decisions made are usually not good ones. Even worse, Jeroboam repeats the worse sin of Israel (the golden calf) that occurred during the Exodus. For that sin, God was ready to abandon his people, except for the pleading of Moses. And even then, it appears that the tabernacle remained outside of the main camp, instead of in the middle. Now Jeroboam doubles down on the sin by creating two golden calves on opposite ends of the nation. Not only is God reduced to an image, but the one God is now two gods. And he creates a new festival for the eight month. Interestingly, the eight month had no festivals, the festivals occurred on the first, third, and seventh month. So, the eight month could properly be termed the month of the golden calf, and rebellion to doing it God's way. Lord, protect me from the sin of Jeroboam, the sin of making it all about me.