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New Religious System
1 Kings 14:16 “And He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin.”
This is know forever throughout history as “Jeroboam’s sin“.
Jeroboam primarily attempted to establish a new religious system in the newly formed northern kingdom of Israel, separate from the southern kingdom of Judah and its Temple in Jerusalem. This sin, rooted in political expediency, included the creation of golden calf idols for public worship, the appointment of non-Levite priests, and the alteration of the feast of the tabernacles. Essentially, Jeroboam sought to secure his kingdom’s independence and power by circumventing YHWH’s prescribed ways of worship.
His sin boils down to these two words : Unauthorized Innovation. Which is still a problem to this day. People appoint themselves as priests or prophets, they set up their own ways of worship, their own “holy days“, etc. But because of this great sin of leading people astray, it brings great judgement as well.
Golden Calf
Mentioned in Exodus 32 and I Kings 12 in the Old Testament, worship of the golden calf can be seen as a supreme act of apostasy, the rejection of a faith once confessed. Even though for some people, they would use the excuse they did it For YHWH. Reading from Aaron’s statement, it looks like he did it in the Name of YHWH, for Him.
Exo 32:1 “Come, make us gods that shall go before us;”, :5 “And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to YHWH”, :8 YHWH said, “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them.”
The golden calf, together with all and any idols and god worship methods just never seem to disappear. They were there since the days of Abraham. Jacob’s favorite wife Rachel also clung to her father’s idols (Gen 31:34-35). It is no wonder the very first two commandments given by YHWH states (1) You shall have no other gods (2) You shall not create and worship idols.
People have a need, a need to know there is a “God”, a need to worship, a need to be taken care off, to call on someone for help. But if that need is not fulfilled quick enough on their watch, they search for the answers somewhere else. People want to worship, but they want to be in control too. And if they really give up, or can’t believe because they can’t see or hear their “God”, then they believe in themselves rather.
In what little or big objects do we hold our faith too? Hosea 14:2 mentions “so will we render the calves of our lips“, meaning instead of seeking things to worship with, bring the sacrifice of your lips and heart. David also mentions this in Psalm 69:30-31 “I will praise the name of Elohim with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please YHWH better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.”
