“So the king took counsel and made two calves of goldâ€
(1 Kings 12:28)
The story of Jeroboam’s golden calves is contained in 1 Kings 12. The Bible says that he put one of the golden calves in Bethel, and the other in Dan. 1 Kings 12:30 states that the people then went to these places to worship. The respected Hebrew scholar, F. Furman Kearley asks—“Was Jeroboam’s religion as good as the religion of God as revealed through Moses?†This question is very timely because people today are saying that one religion is as good as another; or, that one church is as good as any other (Is One Religion as Good as Another? Gospel Advocate (May, 2003): 20-21.
Jeroboam led this rebellion against Rehoboam and thereby divided the kingdom. He feared that if the people continued to worship according to the law at Jerusalem, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam. So, he simply started a new religious practice to satisfy his own feelings.
1. He rejected the law of the Lord (from Moses’ to his own).
2. He changed the manner of worship (from Yahweh to familiar calves of Egypt).
3. He changed the place of worship (from Jerusalem to Dan and Bethel)
4. He changed the time of worship (originally the 1st, 3rd and 7th mos. to the 8th mo.)
5. He changed the people authorized to offer worship (originally Levites).
There are many today who choose the golden calves of Bethel; leave Jerusalem, and go as far as Dan to worship in the glitter of Jeroboam. This was sin then, and it is sin today.
– Robert M. Housby
“And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How
long will you go limping between two different opinions?â€
(1 Kings 18:21, ESV)
The Bible teaches clearly that man is highly opinionated, even when those
personal opinions are not immediately forthcoming (see Job 32:6,10,17). We appreciate this aspect of the human experience, as given by God to man, which is sometimes referred to as free-will. A classic example of such free-will may be viewed in Joshua 24:15—“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.â€
When Elijah asked, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions?†(1 Kings 18:21), he was tapping into man’s ability to choose for himself. Surely, it was exasperating for Elijah to have to confront these religious wobblers, to say nothing about God’s own feelings on the matter. Of course, Elijah would be called a troublemaker for his efforts (1 Kings 18:17). But, his reply stands as a resilient model for all time: “I have not troubled Israel…but you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord†(1 Kings 18:18). He proceeded: “If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him†(1 Kings 18:21).
Jesus, himself, said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him†(John 12:26). If you’re not serving, you’re not following; and, if you’re not following…you’re limping theologically.
– Robert M. Housby