Readings for today: 1 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 11-12
“After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people. Any who would, he ordained to be priests of the high places. And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth.” (1 Kings 13:33-34)
“When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.” (2 Chronicles 12:1)
Following Jesus is hard. Jesus tells us as much. It is a costly life. A life of perpetual sacrifice. A life of constant self-denial. A life of service to the lost and least and underprivileged. Narrow is the way that leads to salvation and Jesus Himself is that way. As Christians, we exchange our lives for His life. Our ways for His way. Our loves for His love. And this is what makes it so hard. Jesus willingly and gladly for the joy set before Him gave up everything in order to save us. He refused to use political power to accomplish His goals. He refused to use military might to accomplish His aims. He loved His enemies. Prayed for those who persecuted Him. Forgave them with His dying breath. He refused to use violence. Refused to use the awesome power at His command. Over and over again, He met hatred with love. Anger with gentleness. Suffering and pain with empathy. Becoming a Christian means taking on His mantle. It means living according to His truth. Walking in His way. Receiving His life.
The same was true in the Old Testament as well. Over and over again, Yahweh calls His people to trust Him. To believe in Him. To walk in obedience to His ways. Over and over again, they make the same mistake we make. They place their trust in their own power. Their own strength. They make alliances with foreign nations in order to secure their territory. They marry foreign wives to shore up their political position. They lean on their own understanding, creating high places and shrines and temples to different gods. Hedging their bets. Covering all their bases. Compromising their faith. And God’s response? Judgment.
And what is God’s judgment? It is simply God honoring the choices we make. So when Jeroboam sets up idols in Dan and Bethel and calls his people to worship them, God gives them over to their foolishness. If they are going to place their trust in idols of metal, then they will have to live by the decisions they make. Rehoboam follows God for a period of time but then begins to trust in his own strength. He becomes prideful and arrogant. And God gives him over to his foolishness. If Rehoboam is going to trust in his own military power, then Rehoboam will have to fend for himself against the might of Egypt. It never goes well, does it?
I cannot tell you how many times I have sat in my office counseling Christians who find themselves in crisis. Almost every time they have abandoned God. Sure, they come to church occasionally. Sure, they still acknowledge His existence. Sure, they give a little money here or there. But they have left His ways far behind. They have chased after idols of their own making. It may be the youth sports they’ve allowed to dominate their family schedule. It may be their work they’ve allowed to take over their lives. It may be their pride that keeps them from ever truly connecting with a church or other believers. It may be money or success or professional achievement that they’re chasing. It may be affirmation or acceptance from others. It could be any number of things but they always end up crashing and burning because God honors the choices we make in this life. He holds us responsible for our sin. He will not be mocked or used or taken for granted. He is not sentimental, soft, or weak. At the end of the day, either we will say to Him - “Thy will be done” - or He will say to us - “thy will be done.”
And what is true for us as individuals is also true for us as a nation. The challenges we face are a direct consequence for the attitude we have towards God. We have abandoned Him. And I’m not talking about taking prayer out of schools here. I’m talking about our national arrogance. Our belief we are exceptional among all the nations of the earth. Our trust in our wealth and power and resources and ability. We have been far too proud for far too long and God has given us over to the consequences of the choices we have made. The idols of individualism, consumerism, materialism, racism, and classism have failed us. Our absolute hatred for those who are politically or socially different than us is tearing us apart. Our selfishness, greed, and arrogance is killing us. Our only hope is repentance. Humility. Learning to walk in the ways of love and compassion and generosity and grace once again.