12 February 2022
Then Jeroboam said to himself, ‘Now the kingdom may well revert to the house of David. If this people continues to go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn again to their master, King Rehoboam of Judah; they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.’
From 1 Kings 12:26-32,13:33-34, NRSV
Jeroboam’s words demonstrate the insecurity of his position as the new king of the northern tribes of Israel. He had realised that if the people of his kingdom continued to see Israel as the place of pilgrimage, that they would no longer want to be subject to him as their king. Disregarding the promise that God had made to him through the prophet Ahijah, Jeroboam decided that the solution to his problem lay not in faithfulness to God but in setting up an alternative religion for his people. He had golden images made for the people to worship, built temples and appointed priests who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. Jeroboam’s decision led ultimately to ruin and the removal of his lineage from “the face of the earth”.
- Why do you think Jeroboam’s plan failed?
- What distinguishes worship of God from idolatry?
Pray today for leaders in our faith communities that they will faithfully carry out their responsibilities.
