Solidifying the Kingdom

1 Kings, 1 Kings chapter 12 tonight as we continue looking at our series here talking about transitions.

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

And as the children of Israel we're experiencing a transition in leadership and as the kingdom

has been divided. And we see here that the people last week had made a decision

about who they were going to follow whether it was going to be Rehoboam or it was going to be Jeroboam.

And we saw that as they made that separation there we know that Rehoboam the king of Judah,

Solomon's son, had taken refuge there in Jerusalem and began to build his defenses. And the Bible tells

us that he fortified 15 cities throughout Judah and also used his wealth that his father had left

him because Solomon we know had great wealth and great means. And so Rehoboam had all sorts of means

to deal with that. And you can make a little note and read over in 2 Chronicles chapter 11 talks about

2 Chronicles 11 · chapter mention

those cities and what he did. But this evening we're going to look at Jeroboam because Jeroboam

goes about things on a little smaller scale. And we're going to see that the opportunity here though

before Jeroboam we're going to find was really a pretty remarkable offering that God made to him.

I mean when you consider what God did and what God said to him and what God declared,

Jeroboam was at a pivotal point of making a decision what was he going to do? What direction

was he going to take? And how was he going to do that? Because as we know Jeroboam here does

some fortification but only in two cities, Shechem and Penel. And we find here that God had made a

promise if you remember back in chapter 11 we talked about that, that God made a promise to him that he

would establish him a sure house, a sure lineage just like he had for David. I mean that's, when you

look in the scripture that's a pretty powerful promise from God. When God said that David, and he's

going to establish what he told David about an everlasting kingdom to say, I'm going to put something

and give you a kingdom much like it. That's a pretty powerful statement, pretty powerful opportunity

that he had before him. To make a decision of what direction he was going to go. And it was contingent

though on one thing and that was very clearly his willingness to walk in the ways of the Lord right

in God's sight. You know, the same is true for us today. If we expect God's blessing we need to be

doing the same. You know, we need to be following his commands and doing what's right in the sight of

the Lord and not others. So really it's the same command even to us, you know. If you want God's

blessing you need to do what God has instructed to get that blessing. And so we're going to see here

Jeroboam had great, quite a blessing available to him. And upon the establishment here of the northern

kingdom as Israel, he faced those normal decisions as a leader. You know, becomes a new nation. There were

some things that every nation needs. And you know, even if you watch that display last night, you know,

there's two things that they always kind of mention. And the two things every nation will talk about, one is

security. You know, how secure is the nation? And you talk about the economy. You know, those are two physical

needs of every nation. And we're going to find here that that's exactly what Jeroboam focuses upon first, is

establishing. Because these two cities, as we're going to be looking here tonight, he wanted that

protection, that security, and then the economy. Because those are the two things that help open the

door for a place to be successful. You know, when people feel secure and have a means of resources,

it leads to security and just feeling like you can make progress and that you move forward.

And so as we see Jeroboam was preparing for these things, the physical needs of the kingdom,

we're going to find that he also understood the importance of a religious and worship within a

kingdom or a nation. You know, and we're going to look at that a little bit tonight. Take a look over

here in 1 Kings chapter 12. Look down at verse 25. We're going to start here tonight in verse 25. And it

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

says, then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt therein and went out from thence and built

Penel. And so we see here, the first thing is the physical needs of the kingdom. You know,

he needed some things established to be able to move forward. The physical needs are that of any

nation. Like I said, economy and security. You know, you have to have a means of production,

a means of taking care of people, and a way to do it safely. And so he's, and to meet the needs

of the people in that. And so as we look here, Jeroboam recognized this importance. And that's

the reason he established and looked at these first in his kingdom. You know, we're told first

that he built Shechem as his capital city. You know, Shechem was a very strategic city along a major

trade route through which the economy things of the northern tribes would pass. But it was also

a place where the military traffic would flow. It was a means of getting military and security

where it might need to be in a quick format. And so as we see him working on that, but we notice also

it was located in Ephraim, and which made logical sense because what tribe was Jeroboam from?

Who's awake?

From Ephraim. You know, so it kind of makes sense. You're going to, a king is going to get around

where he's going to have the most security for himself too. And so we're going to see here this

city that he built here. And but the other thing, city he built is Penel, located on the east side of

the Jordan. Now if we remember, if you remember back in Numbers chapter 32, you'll find it there in

Numbers 32 · chapter mention

Numbers 32, that the other side of the Jordan, there was two and a half tribes that stayed on the

east side of the Jordan. You had Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh, and those were part of

the ten that went with Jeroboam. And so Penel is located over there. It was a city that served the

same purpose. It was on an economic and a place of military that he could defend for the people. It was

that same thing, an economy and security for the people on the other side of Jordan. So these two

cities made sense for this. And, you know, it was a gesture towards those on the other side of the

Jordan. But the fortification of these two cities solidified the tribes together in the new kingdom.

You know, remember I said earlier that how many cities did Rehoboam fortify? He did what? Fifteen.

Jeroboam does two. Now that goes back, I think, to what happened earlier. Because remember,

what caused the kingdom to split? What was the argument that led to the division? Taxes.

So I think he only fortified two cities because he didn't want to do what? Put a heavy levy or tax on

the people to do the rest. It's, you know, if you just saw a revolt because of it, it's probably pretty

smart not to say, hey guys, I know you just revolted for this, but I'm going to do the same thing and

increase the levy. You know, probably not a good move politically or even physically for him to be

able to do that. So I think he did the two cities as what was the minimum that was needed to do this.

And so Solomon would have left Rehoboam all these things to be able to do so much more there. And so

we see those physical needs of the nation. But you know, more importantly, even though those are things

are very important to have economy and to have security, the religious dynamic of a nation

has a great impact on both the economy and the security of a nation.

Because, you know, when we realize that God is the one who promises to provide for our needs,

God's the one that promises to take care of us. We need to understand the importance here as we're

going to look at the religious needs of the nation. Because every nation will have a religious system

that it gives, that it has to give direction and connection among the people. You know, one person

basically said it this way, he says, religiously unified people are politically unified.

What somebody believes religiously will impact how they connect with somebody else politically.

I think we see that in our nation today too, don't we?

You see that directly dynamic of what somebody thinks of God or who they worship or what they

worship impacts the political dynamic. And so we're going to see here that Rehoboam understood this,

the importance of the who and the what and the how a nation worships along with where they worship

will draw people together. And so we're going to see here this evening, we're going to look at Jeroboam

because Jeroboam had some considerations that he had to do. You know, Jeroboam's consideration,

we're going to look at first. What did he have to consider in this when it came to the religious

dynamic within Israel?

You know, look here at verse 26.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, now shall the kingdom return to the house of David?

If this people go up and do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of

this people turn again unto their Lord, even unto Rehoboam, king of Judah, and they shall kill me and go

again to Rehoboam, king of Judah. And so I want you to see here, he began making some consideration.

And he made this consideration, I want you to see here first within itself. Because as we look here,

remember we talked about God's promise that God had sent the prophet to Jeroboam and told him,

God said, I will give you these 10 tribes and establish you. He had a direct promise from God of what God

said he was going to do. In light of all these other elements and factors, Jeroboam had a promise

from God to say, this is what God said he would do if I'll follow him and walk with him.

That was the consideration that God had given.

But now Jeroboam here, when he's in the position, the responsibility of this position

had set in causing what we might say,

we refer to today as Jeroboam's here and he has some insecurities that are coming to the surface.

You know, all this stuff had been happening and all these things had established him.

The kingdom was starting to be established. The cities were getting built.

And now he had some insecurities about what was happening.

You know, I want you to understand today, sometimes we can let our insecurities that come up

in life begin to direct us instead of what God has said direct us.

And we're going to see this in Jeroboam here tonight because when we understand earlier,

the prophet Ahijah there in 1 Kings chapter 11 had revealed that Jeroboam would roll over those

1 Kings 11 · chapter mention

10 tribes and liberty was given to him over there in 1 Kings chapter 11.

1 Kings 11 · chapter mention

Look over there in verse 37.

There in chapter 11, notice what it says,

I want you to see here, God basically gave him a blank check of direction as long as he followed the Lord.

He gave him a lot of liberty

of leadership,

a lot of liberty of things

as long as he put those things under the context of following the Lord.

He said, according to all your soul desires.

That's a pretty big blank check.

God gave him and offered him so much,

but the direction it would take

was placed upon him as king.

And we notice here

that while his kingdom

would not be the one through which Christ would come,

God had promised him a great kingdom

and lineage if he hearkened

under the Lord's commands.

You know, the Lord of God,

he was to walk in the Lord's ways

and do right in his sight.

This would be his choice

as to the outcome.

You know, the same choice we have today

about what God has told us to do.

God gives us a choice in the outcome.

He says,

if you do this,

Jeroboam and Israel

were not bound to turn from the Lord,

but I want you to see here

that they made a conscious choice to do so.

As we're going to look here a little later,

you're going to find that some,

as the choices were made,

some of the tribe,

ten tribes,

actually went to Judah

because they said,

these people are not following the Lord.

They made a choice

in the direction of where they were going.

And we're going to see what led to that,

but notice here with me

that Jeroboam's problem was

in his heart.

Notice back over here in verse 26,

and Jeroboam said in where?

His heart.

Now, when the Bible talks about your heart,

it's the center of feelings

and emotion and who you are.

And I want you to see here

and understand

because we do the same thing sometimes

because in our heart,

those feelings come up.

You know, we have feelings and fears

that come about in life

as we walk through life.

There's things that scare you,

things that cause fears and insecurities.

You have feelings there

of different things.

And oftentimes we're going to see here

as he said in his heart,

now God knows

because God gave us emotions.

But I want you to understand,

we're going to see here tonight

the dangers of letting how you feel

outweigh what God has said

get you in trouble.

Because our reliance is not upon how we feel,

but it's by faith

in what God has promised to us.

To understand the importance

because as you read through

the prophet Jeremiah later on,

you'll find that Jeremiah

talks a lot about the heart.

You know, look over in Jeremiah chapter 9

Jeremiah 9 · chapter mention

for a moment.

Jeremiah chapter 9.

Jeremiah 9 · chapter mention

As we look here

in Jeremiah 9,

look down at verse 13.

Because you'll see here

that Jeremiah,

if you do a word search on heart,

it comes up a lot

in the book of Jeremiah.

Talking about the heart

and referencing the things

of a person's heart,

their center of feeling

and emotion.

It says in verse 13,

the Lord saith,

because they have forsaken

my law,

which I set before them

and not obeyed my voice,

neither walked therein,

but notice verse 14,

but they have walked

after the what?

Imagination of what?

Their own heart.

And after Balaam,

which their fathers taught them.

You know,

I want you to see here,

his heart was a problem

because you say,

why did he fear?

He feared the people

would leave him

and go back to Rehoboam.

He had a fear

that the people

were going to not only

go back to Rehoboam,

but they were going to kill him.

When they did it,

if he allowed them

to continue to go

to Jerusalem

to worship.

And so we're going to see here

that Jeroboam here,

he allowed his fears

and his feelings

to direct his choice,

you know.

And tonight,

I want you to consider

how often do we let

those things

direct our choices?

Our fears and feelings

sometimes overpower

trusting by faith

what God has said.

Instead of seeking out

and holding on

to the promises of God,

he let his fear

and his feelings

overwhelm

and he began

to take counsel.

And we find here

that Jeroboam

seeks counsel,

you know.

We talked about that

before.

You know,

counsel's a good thing.

As long as you're getting

the right counsel.

Because sometimes

we need to be careful

because just like

Rehoboam,

if you remember,

he sought counsel,

didn't like the counsel,

so he went and sought out

the counsel that he wanted

to hear.

You know?

When you seek counsel,

I encourage you

to go to somebody

who you know

are going to tell you

the truth

and not just

what you want to hear

to affirm your choices.

You might be making

the right choice,

but you want to know

that person's telling you

that yes,

this is the right,

proper choice

going this direction

not because they're trying

to make you feel good

but because it is

the right direction.

To understand,

and we see this picture

of the counsel,

Jeroboam's counsel.

Look here at verse 28.

It says,

Whereupon the king

took counsel

and so we see here

instead of listening

to the counsel

he'd received

from the prophet,

remember the prophet,

Ahijah had come

and told him

what God was going to do,

how God was going

to secure his kingdom.

All he had to do

was make a choice

to follow God.

To say,

I'm going to put God

and his way

as a priority.

To do the things

of God.

But the counsel

he received

was definitely

from those

who desired

something different

from what God wanted.

He wanted to look

and instead

he wanted a secular decision

instead of a divine decision.

You know,

oftentimes

we can get caught up

in that.

We want what the world wants

instead of what God wants.

To follow what God

would have

and we see here

and understand,

you know,

think about Psalm 1.

I mean,

the psalmist starts off

in Psalm 1 verse 1.

Psalms 1:1

He says,

Blessed is the man

that walketh not

in what?

The counsel of who?

The ungodly.

The two type of counsel

you'll receive

will either be

godly counsel

or ungodly counsel.

There's not a whole,

the Bible doesn't make

any other distinctions.

We need to understand

the importance

of godly counsel

because godly counsel

is what's going

to bring about

the right things

in your life.

Turn over to Psalm 33

for a moment.

Psalm 33,

we look here

at Psalm 33

in verse 10.

It says,

The Lord bringeth

the counsel

of the heathen

to not.

He maketh

the devices

of the people

of none effect.

The counsel

of the Lord

does what?

Standeth forever.

the thoughts

of his heart

to all generations.

You know,

the counsel

he received

was to keep

the people

from the heritage

that God

had given to them

to form a new

or modified religion

to take its place.

You know,

one of the things

we have today

that you'll hear about,

you'll see a term

floated around today

called deconstruction.

And you have Christians,

I'm deconstructing

my faith.

It's a very popular

thing right now.

There's a lot

of people chasing

after that.

This mindset

of deconstruction,

it's a modern movement

that really,

I want you to understand

that the first premise

of it is not necessarily

bad,

but the devil

is in the details.

Because I firmly believe

you ought to

break down

and say,

why do I believe

what I believe?

That's a good

godly thing.

The problem is

those that deconstruct

tear down everything

and reject everything

and they look at

the world's interpretation

instead of what God says.

That's where

they get in trouble.

They're trying to

filter their faith

through the world

instead of filtering

their faith

through the word of God.

And we see this,

it's a movement

though that seeks

to draw people

away from the Lord

by presenting

a new or modified

truth to follow.

In other words,

they kind of make things

up as they go along

if this is what God

really wants.

This is direction

God really wants

you to be here.

Those people are

oppressive by telling you

what God has said.

You know,

you'll find people

in this,

they go Bible shopping.

Find a verse

that agrees with me.

You know,

the problem is

we ought to just

take the book we have

and say,

do I agree with it?

That's the difference

and here we find

Jeroboam,

he's shopping

to say,

how do I remake,

how do I break down

what we've known

and make something new

that's different

that I can now

be in control of?

And deconstructionist,

a lot of that is

I want to be in control

of who I am.

Instead of saying

I want God

to be in control,

His Spirit to control

who I am.

And so we see here,

it's not just rethinking

but we need to understand

that we need to rethink

things through

the lens of Scripture

and not through the lens

of feelings and fears.

Because oftentimes

that's where it gets brought.

We let our heart dictate

instead of the Word of God.

To understand the choice

because look at what he did,

Jeroboam's choice here

that he makes.

Look here at verse 28.

It says,

whereon the king took counsel

and notice what he did

after following the counsel.

And it says,

he made two calves of gold

and said unto them,

it is too much for you

to go up to Jerusalem.

Behold thy gods,

so is,

he brought thee up

out of the land of Egypt.

And he set the one

in Bethel

and the other

he put in Dan.

I want you to see

the decision here

was to prevent the people

from going up to Jerusalem.

Now what did God

command them?

At this time,

Solomon built what

in Jerusalem?

The temple.

The temple.

Where was all the focus

of the temple

or all the focus

of God's worship

supposed to be

from that point?

In Jerusalem,

in the temple.

It's where every Jewish male

was to go up

three times a year.

To worship the Lord,

to honor the Lord.

So what does Jeroboam do?

His decision was

to prevent the people

from going up

because he said

if they go up,

they're going to turn

against me.

That's a fear he had.

But remember

what God told him?

God said,

if you serve me,

God basically said,

don't worry about that

because if they're

worshiping me

and you're serving

the Lord,

I'm the one

that's giving security.

I'm the one

that's going to

take care of that.

It's not going

to be a problem.

But oftentimes,

we get caught up

in our fears

and our feelings

just like Jeroboam

and it gets us

in trouble.

And so we see here

that he makes

this decision

to go up there.

Jeroboam's choice

was just that,

to prevent the people

to go

and it would require

complete reworking

of the people's

understanding of God

and worship.

And we find

this same thing

happening

throughout history.

We see it

happening today.

People reconstructing

what they want

God to be

and how they want

to worship

and where they

want to worship

because Jeroboam's

choice,

first he changed

the focus

of worship

because our focus

of worship

is supposed to be

on who?

On Jesus.

On Christ.

On God himself.

What's he do?

He changes

the focus

of worship

because the focus

had been centered

around the temple

where there was

mercy seat

between the cherubs

there in the

tabernacle.

That was the focus.

When you go

to the tabernacle

or you go

to the temple,

the focus

of worship

was on the mercy

seat that had

the two angels

over it.

That was the seat

of judgment.

It was a place

on the day of atonement

that the high priest

would come in

and make atonement

for sin.

That was the focal

point.

That sin

would be covered.

That sin

would be taken

care of.

It was the focal

point of those

things.

But notice

what's the new

focal point?

Two calves.

Turn back with me

over to the book

of Exodus

for a moment.

Exodus chapter

Exodus 32 · chapter mention

32.

Some of you

might already

know what's

there.

Exodus 32,

24.

Excuse me,

verse 4.

I fat fingered

that one.

Verse 4.

Verse 4.

Stand up and

read that.

Joe, you

got that?

Exodus 32,

verse...

No, go down

to 24.

I think 24

is the one

I want.

Verse 24.

Verse 24.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

This is back

when Moses

and Joshua

were up on the

mountain and Aaron

was left in charge.

This is one of the

greatest tales you

ever find in the

Bible.

that Aaron says,

we just put the

gold in and the

calf jumped out.

You know?

But we find here

that Jeroboam had

two calves,

gold,

as their gods,

just as Aaron

declared.

Now read verse 4

for me.

Since you already

got it.

Huh.

Does that sound

familiar?

Scripture?

It's interesting

that Jeroboam

used the exact

same.

He quotes

Scripture.

Now, it's

recorded Scripture,

but it was

definitely not the

right Scripture

to be quoting.

Because he was

telling them what

they did.

He was quoting

what they did

wrong, not what

they did right.

You know?

The one thing

you'll learn,

the devil always

deceives people

by Scripture

out of context.

So we need

to be careful.

We must be

careful not to

be deceived

by another

gospel.

What was

Jeroboam

presenting to

them?

He was

presenting to

them another

gospel, another

Jesus, another

Savior, another

way of redemption.

He was

presenting them a

falsehood that

countered the

one that God

would have.

Think over in

the New Testament

for a minute.

Look over to

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 11:3

chapter 11

verse 3.

We see over

this, it

says,

But I fear

lest by any

means as a

serpent be

godly Eve

through his

subtlety, so

your minds

should be

corrupted from

the simplicity

that is in

Christ.

For if he

that cometh

preaches,

notice this,

what?

Another

Jesus.

You know,

there's a lot

of false

religions that

preach another

Jesus.

It's not the

Jesus from the

Bible.

You'll find a

lot of people

today, they

promote a

Jesus that's a

climate Jesus.

You know, you

find him that

he's a Jesus

that just loves

everybody and

just accepts

everybody.

You'll find all

sorts of strange

Jesuses presented.

notice what it

says.

He says,

For if he that

cometh preaches

another Jesus

whom we have

not preached,

or if you

receive another

spirit which you

have not received,

or another gospel

which you have

not accepted,

ye might well

bear with him.

So understand

what he's talking

about here.

He's talking

about that we

can be deceived

if we're not

careful.

We live in the

world that people

get deceived by a

false gospel,

and you have

people like

Jeroboam run

around trying to

control, because I

want you to

understand, the

devil loves

religion because

religion controls

people.

That's the reason

that religion that

is of the

scripture, remember

Jesus gives

liberty.

The world likes

a religion that

keeps control.

There's a

difference.

we are set

free in Christ.

Not to be

entangled again,

you know, look

over to 1 John

for a moment,

1 John chapter

1 John 4 · chapter mention

4.

1 John chapter

1 John 4 · chapter mention

4, John here

writes here, he

says this,

beloved, believe

not every spirit.

You know?

Believe not every

spirit, but try the

spirits whether they

are of God, because

many false prophets

are gone out into

the world.

Hereby we know the

spirit of God.

Every spirit that

confesses that Jesus

Christ is come in the

flesh is of God.

And every spirit that

confesses not that

Jesus Christ is come

in the flesh is not

of God.

And this is that

spirit of

Antichrist, and you

have heard that it

should come, and even

now already is in the

world.

world.

You know, I want you

to understand that this

spirit that worketh in

the world is one that

can deceive people very

easily.

The devil's subtle.

Notice what Jeroboam did.

He took this and said,

here's your two new

gods, people.

Here's the gods that we

have.

He changed the focus.

A calf or bull is

symbolic of the gods

that they worshipped in

Egypt.

Now remember, where was

Jeroboam before he came

back up?

In Egypt.

He came back up with

this Egyptian idea, but

also that was within the

land because a bull also

was one that they used a

symbol to worship Baal.

The symbol of the bull was

a symbol of strength and

fertility.

That's the reason you'll

find, as we talked about

earlier, what did Solomon

get in trouble for?

Because he was

worshipping Baal.

And Ashtoreth.

It was a symbol here, and

we see here, so the first

thing he did, he said, we

need to change the focus.

We need to understand as

believers, and if you

understand the word of God,

Jesus is the focus.

He is the one.

But notice the second thing

they did here, because they

changed the place of

worship.

Changed the place of

worship.

Jeroboam was afraid that

the people would go up to

Jerusalem to worship, that

they'd be drawn back to

Rehoboam.

So he establishes two

places of worship, one in

Bethel and the other in

Dan.

Now, I want you to

understand here, it's

important to note that

these two places, why did

he choose them?

Well, both of them are

places of historical

places of religion taking

place.

Bethel, we know for

sure, if you look in

Genesis, Bethel has a lot

of things happen there

that were good things.

Abraham and Isaac and

Jacob worshiped the Lord

in Bethel.

But I want you to

understand that there were

no longer, that was not

the, Bethel was not the

central part or the central

place.

Where was the place?

Jerusalem in the temple.

But Dan was also

interesting.

If you study that, you can

look a little later, you can

read there in Judges chapter

Judges 18 · chapter mention

18 and read about Dan

because Dan is where an

individual set up his own

priest and his own idol and

had his own little, hired a

couple of priests to come in,

you know, the priests of God

for hire and come in and set up

his own little worship center.

You know?

You might say he was the

first TV preacher, you know,

to get people drawn in.

You know, it's nothing new.

Notice what he tells us here in

our text though, as we go back

here to chapter 12.

Notice what he says and he

says in verse 29, and he said,

You know, the place of worship.

I want you to understand today

people do the same thing.

False religions take people

from the place they ought to be.

Take a look over in 1 Timothy

for a moment.

Because the place, as a believer,

we ought to be to worship

is very specific in the

scripture.

When we understand what God

says, look here in 1 Timothy

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3, look down at verse 15.

Notice what the word of God

tells us here.

He says,

But if I take long, that thou

mayest know how they ought to

behave thyself, where?

In the house of God, which is the

church of the living God.

Now, I want you to understand

because sometimes whenever we

read that, our mind goes to our

modern context of church.

Wherever you see the word church,

one thing that will help you if you

replace it with the word assembly.

It's ecclesia.

It's a physical called out

assembly.

It's a presence of people.

Church is not mystical.

Church is physical.

Church is physical.

Church is physical.

It's a gathering of people.

It's not the building.

It's not the fancy.

It's the gathering of baptized

believers together, serving God

where they are.

But notice what it says.

The church of who?

The living God.

Because you have assemblies for a

lot of reasons.

The pillar and ground of the

truth.

You know, consider what Hebrews

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10 tells us.

Verse 24 says this,

Let us consider one another to

provoke unto love and good works,

not forsaking the assembling of

ourselves together as the manner of

some is, but exhorting one another

so much more as you see the day

approaching.

The closer it comes to the Lord's

return, the more important it is

that we gather together because not

only does it keep us focused on

Christ, but it encourages one

another.

There's enough discouragement out

there already.

You know, there's enough things to

cause fear and feelings all over

the place.

But when we come together, we can

encourage and strengthen one

another.

Get our focus on the right things.

But notice that the third thing that

he did, he changed the priesthood.

The next change, look here in verse

31.

It says that he made the house of

high places and made priests of the

lowest of the people, which were not

of the sons of Levi.

He changed the priesthood.

He made the priesthood out of those

that were not qualified by blood to do

so because the Levites being the

priests was kind of a blood issue

because it had to do with them being

born into that tribe.

It was a family lineage.

You might say it's a good illustration

of a blood lineage.

You had to be born of one to carry

down that.

We often refer to that as a bloodline

of people.

And Jeroboam said, I don't care about

that.

I'm going to set up my own.

We see here that the Levites also

could not worship the Lord.

Notice this same parallel passage

you'll find over in 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11.

Take a look over there for a moment,

2 Chronicles chapter 11.

2 Chronicles 11 · chapter mention

Because I want you to understand that

chronicles and kings run parallel with

each other.

And one thing that will help you is

oftentimes when you read the book of

Kings, it's kind of looking from man's

view of what's happening.

Because you'll find things in Chronicles

is kind of like God's view of what's

happening.

You get different details.

If you want to see the picture of that,

you can read through and you'll understand.

It's interesting that in Chronicles,

never mentions the sin of David.

In Kings, it's mentioned as man see it,

but it's not seen in Chronicles.

I think a good reason for that,

because Jesus said he's in God's eyes,

that sin's been covered.

Right.

He says he doesn't bring those things up.

He moves as far as the east is from the

west.

Chronicles kind of gives you,

if you want to understand,

gives us God's what God is seeing

and how God's measuring.

This is God's measurement.

Look here in chapter 11.

Look at verse 14.

It says,

For the Levites left their suburbs and their

possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem.

Now, why did all the Levites leave out of the

places that God had put them?

Because remember,

their heritage was the cities of refuge

within the tribes.

That was what their whole heritage was.

And they said,

I don't care what my physical heritage is.

There's a spiritual heritage that's more important.

Why did they leave?

Notice what it says.

It says,

For Jeroboam and his son cast them off from what?

From executing the priest's office unto the Lord.

He wanted to put in his own.

He wanted to put in those that were not qualified

to be there.

The devil's no different today.

You know,

if he wants to set up a new religion,

he wants to set up those that aren't qualified

for places that God has put,

that God has established.

You know,

it's amazing as you read and look,

people talk about different religious circles.

Even in America today,

they are ordaining people that are nowhere

as even close to what you would call qualified.

Totally contrary.

Half of them don't even believe in Jesus as their Savior.

You know,

when you start looking at different things

and what people say,

you have people that qualify as chaplains today

in different organizations

that don't even believe in Jesus.

But they say they're Christian chaplains.

It's like,

there's a disconnect.

People ordaining women for ministry.

You know,

that's another one that's causing all sorts of issues

with people.

And God says it's just settled.

Just what God's Word says.

They're unqualified of those things.

You know,

many people follow all sorts of strange doctrines.

But I want you to see,

look at the next verse in 2 Chronicles chapter 11.

2 Chronicles 11 · chapter mention

Because remember,

this is kind of God's perspective recorded for us.

It says,

and he ordained him priests of the high places

and for the devils

and for the calves which he made.

Jeroboam

had made himself

priest

to his new gods.

We see this being played out.

Even Jeroboam,

he says,

well,

I can be a priest.

So he made himself a priest.

You know,

kind of patterned himself

after the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Look in verse 33.

What it tells us here,

he says this,

and so he offered upon the altar

which he had made at Bethel

the fifteenth day of the eighth month,

even in the month

which he had devised of his own heart

and contained a feast

unto the children of Israel

and he offered upon the altar

and burnt incense.

The fourth thing that he did

is he changed the practice.

He changed the practice.

He established new feasts

to partake in.

He changed what God had said about.

Remember that the feasts were given by God,

each representing an important picture

and the process of God's deliverance.

You have the Passover,

the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

You have the Feast of Firstfruits.

You have the Feast of Weeks,

also known as Pentecost.

Those are four that happened in the spring

on a set time.

God established particularly,

exactly when those things

were supposed to happen.

On the fourteenth day of Nisan,

it established that the Passover

was to take place.

He put forth,

that was the standard

of what it was supposed to be.

Jeroboam made his own.

You can read about those

in Leviticus chapter 23.

Leviticus 23 · chapter mention

But then you also have

the Feast of Trumpets,

the Day of the Tome,

and the Feast of Tabernacle,

which are the fall feasts.

And three of those,

the Feast of Passover,

the Feast of Pentecost,

and the Feast of Tabernacle,

the Jewish men were supposed

to go up to Jerusalem

to worship on each of those feasts.

They were to be there,

and that's what Jeroboam didn't want,

so he changed the practice.

He began a new system

that happened in the eighth month

on the fifteenth day of the month,

offering a sacrifice and feast

to his new false gods.

Now I want you to understand,

we see the same picture today

because the devil loves

to get things that look religious

and look similar

to distract people

from what it really is.

we need to be careful

that we don't lose sight

of what God has said

because Jeroboam is a good morning.

You've got to remember,

God sent a prophet,

a man of God,

to speak directly to him

and tell him

and give him a promise.

Have you ever heard somebody say,

well, if God spoke to me

or sent me a sign directly,

you know, I would do it.

You're lying

because if you don't trust

what he has to say now,

you're not going to trust

even if an angel appeared to you.

But the devil always wants

to mimic God's way

and God's plan

and changing the picture

away from God.

You know, let me just give,

as we get ready to close,

let me just give you

a good illustration today.

To the local church,

God gives two ordinances.

He gives baptism

and the Lord's Supper.

We partake in those orders,

in that order,

because somebody is saved.

That's when they become

a member of God's family.

They then are obedient

because baptism is a picture,

an outward picture

of what already happened inwardly.

But some today say,

well, you get baptized

and that's when you get saved

or that washes away your sin.

What are they doing?

The devil's taking a picture

that God has

and modifying it.

Making people feel religious

but lost.

Making them feel good

makes them settle

in their heart well

but it doesn't change

the reality.

They're letting

what's in their heart

drive what they want.

You take the ordinance

of the Lord's Supper.

Many twist it today,

you know,

you find you'll talk to people

and, oh, I have to,

what, you know,

why don't you do

the Lord's Supper

all the time?

Well, the problem is

is that people get

a wrong idea

and a wrong thing.

They say, I need to partake.

I want to tell you something,

just like baptism,

baptism of the Lord's Supper,

neither one of them

gets you to heaven.

The reason we do them

is because they're a picture.

There's people today,

there's people who claim

to be Baptists

that say you get

spiritual nourishment

from the Lord's Supper.

Talk about a little

deception weaving in.

There's no spiritual nourishment.

It's an honor to help us.

It's a something we do

to help remember

what Christ has done for us.

Just like today's Patriots Day

and we took time as a nation,

you'll see all the remembrances

and the reading of the names.

Why do they do that?

Because they don't want you

to forget.

You might say the Lord's Supper,

the same thing,

it's something God gave to us

to help remind us

of what He's done for us.

You don't need to do it

all the time

because that's not

the purpose of it.

You know, around here

we do it once a year.

I think that's a biblical pattern.

How often did they do the feasts?

Once a year.

We'll have more on that

later sometime,

but I just want you

to understand

why do we do that?

Because we see a picture

in Scripture

and following the pattern

of Scripture

is important

in that.

Now I'm going to undo

some things here

just because I know

what people hear sometimes.

If somebody does it different,

I want you to understand

that's between them

and the Lord.

But when you see something

and God has laid it out

and given you a pattern,

you need to follow

what God has convicted you of

and to have a reason

for why you do it.

Let me throw this out there

just as interesting

because how many people

can tell you

why you celebrate

the Lord's Supper

and what's the biblical pattern?

Most people you talk to

have no idea.

They say,

well, it's often as.

That's the phrase

you always hear.

Well, often as doesn't

give you a pattern.

Paul's just saying

when you do it.

But we do have

a biblical pattern

for the other

that we can follow.

If somebody else

does it different,

that's between them

and the Lord.

So I want you

to just understand

that's a picture

that we have

and we have a reason why

because it's from God's Word

that we have His pattern

and His picture

and God's purpose

behind it.

But people twist it

into a false worship

because notice

what false worship does.

We'll end here.

Look back at verse 30

for a moment.

And this thing

became what?

A sin.

Why was it a sin?

Because,

yeah,

because it was against

what God

had instructed them.

we need to be careful

as we go through

and we see

how the devil loves

to use religion

instead of a relationship

with the Savior.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father,

as we come before you tonight,

Lord, we just thank you.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.