first

The Word for today:
2 Kings 10

mark this: 2 Kings 10:28-29 --
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel.
However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit--the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.


When Jehu wiped out all the prophets of Baal, he had come this close to wiping out idolatry in the northern kingdom of Israel. Had he kept going and destroyed the twin golden calves which Jeroboam had made, he would have put an end to idolatry in Israel.

But he wasn't willing to destroy the golden calves. Thus Jehu sinned "the sin of Jeroboam." What was the sin of Jeroboam?

Jeroboam's sin was the establishment of worship outside of Jerusalem, where God said worship should be conducted. He erected, at Dan and Bethel, golden calves, which he set up as symbols of the LORD God, urging the people not to go up to worship at Jerusalem, but to bring their offerings to the shrines he had erected. Thus he became known as the man “who caused Israel to sin.”

Now back to Jehu. Jehu exterminated all the prophets of Baal. Had he demolished the golden calves in Dan and Bethel, he would be hailed today as the greatest of Israel's kings.

But he allowed the continuation of calf worship in the nation. It was a political necessity, he thought. After all, if he took away the golden calves, people would have to worship in Jerusalem, and he would lose control over them. Jehu was more concerned for his own kingdom than for the kingdom of God.

Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (1).

How close are you to making the kingdom of God your first priority? Do any "idols" remain standing between you and God?

If so, knock them down--first, before you do anything else.

(1) Matthew 6:33

{ To our Facebook friends: "Stand in the Rain" takes you through your Bible in 3 years. The blog site and reading schedule are found at lockportalliance.blogspot.com. }