Sins of Jeroboam

The sin(s) of Jeroboam (or its variation) appeared about 25 times in scripture in the NIV translation. Typically it is used like this:

"He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them."(2King 13:6)

What did he do that was so bad that he continued to have influences on the people of Israel for generations to come?

In my reading of  1King 12-13 today I came across the story that described the first "sin" of Jeroboam. This sermon summarizes it quite well. Firstly, Jeroboam was a man who had been tremendously blessed by God. God, through the prophet Ahijah, gave him his own kingdom made up of 10 tribes of Israel as a punishment for Solomon's sins (1King 11:26-40). God also promised him the same promise he gave to King David: "If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you." (verse 38). But instead of living by God's promise, Jeroboam relied on his political wisdom to keep his kingdom. He made two golden calves, one he put in Bethel (which means House of God) and another one in Dan. He did this to keep his people from worshiping the true God in Jerusalem. He built "shrines" in high places (more idols in convenient locations!) and installed his own priests who were not from the tribe of Levi (whom God had set aside to perform religious duties). He even instituted his own religious festival (the fifteenth day of the eighth month, instead of the Passover which happened on the fifteenth day of the first month on the Jewish calendar) to keep his people focusing on the entire religious experience outside of what Jehovah has established with the people of Israel!

So what does this "sin of Jeroboam" look like today? I can think of churches or religious organizations which provide an entire religious experience without drawing anyone closer to the true God. In fact I can think of even "evangelical" churches doing the same thing! My pastor Bruxy Cavey wrote a book to address this issue:"The End of Religion".  The Meeting House is a church for people who aren't into church. I am well aware that there is no perfect churches. I take responsibility in making sure that my relationship is with the true living God. It takes intentional effort to learn who the true God is and build deep and lasting relationship with Him. The "sins of Jeroboam" serve as a warning...

The story concerning "A Man of God from Judah" in chapter 13 is troublesome. After a quick read, I come up with a number of questions:

• I know that King Jeroboam was entirely corrupt and God needed to intervene to save his people, but the man of god from Judah did not exactly accomplish the purpose. Then what was the purpose for his trip and the prophecy?
• He kept his intention to obey the Lord's command to him (not to eat and drink in Israel and return via another road), but why was the punishment so severe (killed by a lion) after he was fooled by a lying old prophet?

I won't have time to go deeper into this except to accept that he had an important role in sending an incredible prophecy to Jeroboam (which would be fulfilled some 350 years later!). He obviously was not without fault - he succumbed to temptations (food, drink and honour). Aren't we all guilty of that? But praise be to God that his mercy through his son Jesus Christ has been covering us all from not only immediate punishment, but everlasting condemnation!