Twisted Scriptures

Twisted Scriptures

 

1 Kings 12:20-13:34; Psalm 132; Proverbs 17:6

 

Scriptures should not be used to lead people away from the true God. But people still use the Scriptures that way. King Jeroboam seems to have twisted the Scriptures knowingly.

 

Jeroboam had just become king of Israel, as Ahijah had prophesied (1 Kings 11:29-39; 12:12-20). But he was afraid that the people would reject him as king and return to King Rehoboam if they kept worshiping the LORD in Jerusalem (vv. 26-27).

 

So he made two golden calves for Israel to worship. And he identified these golden calves with the true God, who had brought Israel up out of Egypt, so that the people would worship them: It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. – 1 Kings 12:28. Where did Jeroboam dream up this deception?

 

Probably from the pages of Scripture. Back in Exodus 32, when the people were grumbling about Moses’ absence and Aaron wanted to keep them happy, he took their jewelry and fashioned it into a golden calf. And the Israelites’ response was, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (Exodus 32:4). Aaron went along with their idea that his golden calf was the true God, and the next day they worshiped the calves, calling their celebration a “festival to the LORD” (Exodus 32:5).

 

Wow! So Jeroboam, looking for a way to keep the Israelites away from Jerusalem, seems to have found this passage. And instead of committing to follow the true God rather than a golden calf, as this passage quickly teaches (Exodus 32:7-8), Jeroboam manipulated it to persuade the people to become idolaters. Perhaps he even read a few key verses to Israel, pointing out that it was Aaron the priest who made the golden calf and declared that worshiping it would be a festival to the LORD!

 

Father, we need the truth because we need You! Protect us from people who would manipulate even Your Word to lead us astray! Help us to know Your Word, to be sanctified by Your Word, to know You through Your Word. And guard us not only from other people’s deceptions, but from our own self-deceptions, as well. When we read Your Word, may we hear what You are actually saying, and not what we fancy You are saying. Your Word is the foundation of life; our imaginations are mere vapors. Keep us on solid ground.