Jump Start # 2880

1 Kings 12:28-29 “So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.”

We continue our Jump Start series on lessons I learned from a trip to Israel. One of the places we went to was the area of Dan. Rich in Biblical history, the possession of one of the tribes of Israel, Dan is more known for apostasy and departure from God.

After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel divided. Ten tribes to the North, under the leadership of Jeroboam and two tribes to the South, led by Rehoboam. Israel and Judah, is what they became known as. Both nations had about twenty different kings. All of the kings of Israel were apostate. Their hearts were not centered upon the Lord. King after king led the nation deeper into idolatry and trouble. Wars and prophets did little to turn the hearts of these godless people.

At Dan, archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be the very temple which Jeroboam built. Our passage in Kings tells the story. All Israel, that included the ten tribes that Jeroboam was leading, was required to go to Jerusalem for feast days. There they would worship in the temple, the law would be read and they would be reminded of the ways of the Lord. Sensing that the people would return to Rehoboam, Jeroboam built two alternative temples, one in Bethel and one in Dan. He made it convenient for his people. They did not have to travel all the way to Jerusalem. Not only that, Jeroboam, appointed priests from the other tribes. More people could be priests. Convenient. More opportunity. And, the wicked king placed idols in his new temple. More realistic. Rather than a God which the people could not see, now they had a visible image of a god.

Archaeologists found something interesting at the temple at Dan. When Daniel prayed at his window, he was facing towards Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish faith. When synagogues were later built, they faced towards Jerusalem. But here at Dan, walking up the steps to Jeroboam’s temple, one would have his back to Jerusalem and he would be walking away from Jerusalem. How insightful. How sad. To enter this ungodly temple, the people had to turn their backs on God. They walked away from the truth. They walked the wrong direction.

And, that simple, symbolic act, reminds us of the importance of direction. We either walk towards God or we walk away from Him. Consider this:

First, when a person walks out of their marriage, simply because they no longer want to be married, they are walking away from the promises they made and the vows they were supposed to keep. Maybe years of fighting and arguing killed the love that should have been there, but in walking out, they walk as Israel did, away from the Lord. This person may find happiness in the arms of another person, but how empty his promises must be if he broke them once, he could break them again.

Second, when a person leaves the truth of the N.T. they are turning their back on God and walking away from the Lord. The pop and fizzle of emotional and exciting religion appeals to many, especially the younger crowds. They like the lights. They look the food. They like the feel of church not being like church—whatever that is supposed to mean. Less doctrine and more fun. Less truth and more personal stories. Less substance and more feelings. Looks great. Feels great. Just as I expect those first worshippers who marched up the steps of Rehoboam’s new temple. How different that was. How exciting that was. All the rules discarded. Wrong now becomes right and no one is around to say anything is ever wrong again. Walking away from God. Walking the wrong direction. Right is not determined by how we feel or what something does to us. Right is based upon God and what He has said. One cannot be right with God and wrong with His word.

Third, when a person is walking in the right direction with the Lord, there is confidence, assurance and hope. And, these are not found simply in how one feels, but in the foundational truths in the word of God. One can know what is right. One can do what is right. Jesus promised His disciples that they could know the truth and the truth would make them free. And, when one embraces what is right, it becomes easy to recognize what is not right. A temple in Dan was not right. A temple with an idol in it was not right. Some today would call that judgmental, mean spirited and even unkind. But truth is narrow. Truth is exclusive rather than inclusive. Truth is measurable, observable and knowable. Error is very fluid. It changes with the person. It changes with the season. It changes with the times.

Fourth, Jeroboam’s temple today is a heap of rocks that for centuries was covered up with layers of dirt. It wasn’t an enduring or lasting monument. Today, it is ruins. Today, it looks nothing like it once did. God’s temple today is not in Jerusalem. His temple is abiding in the hearts of His followers. His temple is everlasting. His temple is spiritual. Time does not impact the temple of God. Nations come and go, but God’s temple is everlasting. Death itself does not change God’s eternal kingdom.

Walking up the steps towards God or walking away from God—Which is it for you?

Roger

Jump Start # 618

1 Kings 12:28-29 “So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.”

Rehoboam was the king of Israel. He had inherited that right from his father, Solomon. Although Solomon had layers of problems, his son was worse. He had no regard for the law of God. He did what he wanted to do. He sets about trying to please the people. The nation should have rioted against the things Rehoboam introduced. Instead, most of them embraced the changes.

Since the days of David, the tabernacle had been parked in Jerusalem. That became the city of God. It was in Jerusalem that the nation offered sacrifices and worshipped God. This practice continued on through Solomon’s forty years as king. Solomon was dead. Rehoboam isn’t too concerned about what his dad did. He sets forth an agenda of change. Instead of worshipping in Jerusalem, he offers the nation a choice of two places, Bethel and Dan—one in the North and one in the South.

Two statements stand out:

First, “So the king consulted and made two golden calves…” He consulted? He consulted with who? Not with God. Not with godly men who would have killed this idea. Not men of God who understand the law of God. Certainly not. He most likely consulted with those of a similar nature to his. He found those that agreed with his way of seeing things.

It’s great to seek advice and help from others, but who are they? What is their background and their agenda? Talking to a broke person about finances is the wrong person to talk to. Talking to a divorced person about saving your marriage, isn’t the right person to talk to. Talking to a drunk about addiction—not the right one to talk to. Talking to someone who is mad and upset with the church about the church, is the wrong person to talk to. The king got his advice. They consulted with him to build idols. Not just one, but TWO idols. Then they proclaimed that those idols delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. Dumb advice. Even if it comes from a friend, if it takes you away from God, throw it out the window. The king listened and followed the dumb advice.

Second, “It’s too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.” The king seems to care. He feels the nation’s pain, borrowing a common expression today. He didn’t. He just wanted to change things. He used them as a way to introduce his changes. It’s too much to go up to Jerusalem. Israel had been doing that for 70 years. It seemed to be working. What the king offered, is the same message that many offer today, a gospel of convenience. It’s easy this way. There are not so many rules going this direction. Convenient. Easy. No waiting. No lines. How nice of the king to think of this. One must wonder why God didn’t think of this?

That message is appealing today. A convenient God. An easier way. A nice gospel. One that says, you don’t have to go to church. A message that shaves the ten commandments down to four. Nothing too much. Nothing too hard. Be nice—we all can do that. You don’t even have to change, says the nice gospel. Just smile and be nice.

The thing is, we don’t find Jesus promoting that message. His was different. He talked about the world hating you. He said that if you love father or mother more than Me, you cannot be my disciple. He told a rich ruler to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. The man who wanted to go bury his father was told “No.” Jesus talked about sacrifice, commitment and dedication. He became the example of the servant. Wash other feet as He did. He became the example of suffering. Utter no threats when threatened, like Jesus. It wasn’t a soft gospel that Jesus offered, it was a holy gospel. The apostles  would be baptized in fire. They would travel the world preaching. Jesus expects us to bear one another’s burdens, forgive up to seventy times seven, go and do what the good Samaritan did. When the woman caught in adultery was brought to Him, He told her to sin no more. Tough stuff. Certainly not the message that attracts thousands. When the multitudes wanted more free food, Jesus refused. They walked away. He didn’t chase after them, changing His mind. He let them go.

Convenience works great in a store, kitchen or banking. It doesn’t work with the gospel. Can you go the extra mile, as Jesus said? Can you turn the other cheek after you have been slapped? Can you let your light shine, even when it is hard?

Don’t listen to the Rehoboam’s that peddle a smooth, tame and colorless gospel of fun and happiness. They’ll have you dancing with the wolves, picking flowers and just having a great day in the neighborhood. The gospel isn’t about us. It’s about God. Holiness comes with a price. The world hates Jesus. The world hates what Jesus stands for. The world hates those who stand with Jesus. Watering down the message will not change that. It only makes those who swallow that gospel look foolish. They stand for nothing and fall for everything.

It’s time for some backboned Christians. The who stand with Jesus and not the message of convenience. It’s time for some to draw the line in the sand. Jesus said some tough things about discipleship, divorce and sin. Are you standing with Jesus on these things? Have you wiggled a bit? Have you found ways to make the gospel less offensive and more tolerable for the world? Are you listening to the friends of Rehoboam?

Nehemiah threw the enemies out of the temple. Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple. Are you ready to drive the false messages out of your heart? That’s where it starts. Be a disciple of Jesus. Stand where He stands. Don’t be afraid. Don’t soften the message. Don’t build other places to make things convenient. Stick with God’s way.

Roger