Golden Calves and the Danger of Convenience (1 Kings 12: 25-33)

Today, we’re gonna open God’s Word to 1 Kings 12:25–33, and we’re gonna look at a man who made some very poor choices, and how we’re still tempted to do the same in our lives today. The man’s name is Jeroboam, and while he was given great opportunity by God, he chose the path of convenience over conviction, fear over faith, and control over trust. And before we shake our heads at him, we better check our own hearts because we’ve all got a little Jeroboam in us.

I. Fear Can Lead to Foolish Decisions (v. 25-27)

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

A. Jeroboam’s Sin

Jeroboam first rebuilt Shechem, and it became the first capital of the Northern Kingdom. Other sites were added to gain security on the borders and to lessen the need for the tribes to depend on Jerusalem.

Jeroboam’s sin of making a rival capital was compounded by his disbelief in God’s promise to him made through Ahijah.

B. Jeroboam’s Fear

Having secured his military and economic interests, Jeroboam now moves to protect his religious concerns. Let’s look at verse 26 again. Did you catch it? It says he said in his heart. He didn’t pray. He didn’t seek counsel. He didn’t ask a prophet. He just started talking to himself.

One of the first evidences of unbelief is fear. We get our eyes off the Lord and start looking at the circumstances. When we start talking more to ourselves than we do to God, we’re headed for trouble. Fear will fill in the blanks with lies, not truth. Surely the God who brought him to power can protect him from harm. God had promised him a dynasty as enduring as David’s if he would keep God’s commandments. But Jeroboam does not find the Lord’s pledge sufficient for his life needs.

II. Convenience Can Become a Counterfeit (v. 28-30)

28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.

A. Bad advice again mars a king’s life

“After seeking advice,” Jeroboam introduces a new form of religion that in effect institutionalizes idolatry. On the pretense of being concerned for the people’s travel capacities, he erects “two golden calves” that supposedly represent the “gods” who redeemed Israel from Egypt.

Jeroboam says, “It’s too much for you.” In other words, “Don’t go all the way to Jerusalem. Don’t worship like God told you to. Let me make it easier for you.” Anything that replaces the real presence of God with a golden shortcut is an idol.

We do the same thing today. We say: “It’s too much to go to church every Sunday.” “It’s too much to stay faithful in this marriage.” “It’s too much to tithe, to serve, to forgive...” So we make golden calves of our own: Weekends at the lake instead of worship. Scrolling social media instead of reading Scripture. Sleeping in or watching TV instead of praying in.

B. Anything that replaces the real presence of God with a shortcut is an idol.

Jeroboam came up with a “do it yourself religion.” God had made it clear when He gave Moses the law that only the sons of Aaron could serve as priests at the altar and that if anybody from another tribe tried to serve, he would be put to death. Even the Levites, who were from the tribe of Levi, were not allowed to serve at the altar on penalty of death. Jeroboam appointed all kinds of people to serve as “priests” at the altars in Dan and Bethel.

Unauthorized priests at unauthorized temples could never have access to God or present sacrifices acceptable to God. It was a man-made religion that pleased the people, protected the king, and unified the nation—except for the faithful Levites who abandoned the Northern Kingdom and moved to Judah to worship God.

III. Pride Will Build a False Religion (v. 31-33)

31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.

A. He made up a religion that looked holy, but had no holiness.

We live today in an age when “manufactured religion” is popular, approved, and accepted. The blind leaders of the blind assert that we live in a “pluralistic society” and that nobody has the right to claim that only one way is true and only one way of salvation is correct. Self-appointed “prophets” and ministers put together their own theology and pass it off as the truth.

False teachers today aren’t the least bit interested in what Scripture has to say; instead, they substitute their lies for God’s unchanging and inspired Word, and many gullible people will fall for their lies and be condemned. Jeroboam’s “religion” incorporated elements from the Law of Moses and from the pagan nations that the Jews had conquered. His system was what is today called “eclectic” or “syncretic” (combining many parts), but God called it heresy and apostasy.

B. He kept the form of faith but denied the foundation.

Because Jeroboam didn’t believe God’s promise given by the prophet Ahijah, he began to walk in unbelief and to lead the people into false religion. The religion he invented was comfortable, convenient, and not costly, but it wasn’t authorized by the Lord. It was contrary to the revealed will of God in Scripture.

It was man-made religion with no foundation and God totally rejected it. They were just going through the motions. We can be guilty of doing the same. We might still go through the motions: We bow our heads but don’t lift our hearts. We sing songs but don’t surrender our lives. We say prayers but don’t practice obedience.

Conclusion: A Call to Tear Down the Calves

Jeroboam’s calves weren’t just bad ideas they “became a sin” that led a nation away from God. Church, what “thing” in your life has become a sin? Let me ask you three questions this morning:

Are you letting fear shape your decisions instead of faith?

Have you replaced obedience with something more convenient?

Have you built golden calves in your life, while ignoring the true God?

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

Let’s tear down our idols today, and come back to Jesus.