Canaanite Style, Hebrew Substance, Facing Israel’s Mission Challenge

(A Parody of David Lueke’s book, Evangelical Style and Lutheran Substance based on 1 Kings 12:25-33 and inspired by comments from the Concordia Commentary: 1 Kings 12-22 by Walter A. Maier III) by King Jeroboam (Ronald A. Bogs) ©2019

After King Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam became King of all Israel (and Judah). However, his son Jeroboam, who had been sent to Egypt for protection returned and met with Rehoboam as the representative of Israel to negotiate the continued unity of the kingdom. Jeroboam asked that the demands of Solomon might be relieved and if so, then all Israel would remain loyal to Rehoboam. The historic account shows that Rehoboam took the council of the younger men instead of the older generation, which suggested a relief for the people and instead he demanded more. Thus, Jeroboam and all Israel defected and the kingdom became divided. Of course, we know this was from the hand of God.

Now the Jeroboam was king of Israel, in order to keep the people from crossing over and reuniting with Rehoboam, and because the people were now unable to worship in Jerusalem new worship styles (customs, traditions, practices) would need to be implemented. So Jeroboam decreed as such. He told the people, we will begin initiating our own worship locations. This change of worship location in no way affects our worship of the one true God, Yahweh. Although God commanded that we worship at the temple in Jerusalem, because of the divide in our nation that option is no longer available. We will be opening new (and equal) worship facilities in Bethel and Dan in order to continue worshiping the one True God, Yahweh. Please understand that this change in venue (style, practice) in no way affects our beliefs (substance, doctrine).

On a related note, because the Levites and the priest from the Levites remain in Jerusalem in service to the temple there, we will be selecting and appointing our own priests and Levites from our own people. Again, please understand that this change (in style and practice) in no way will affect our worship (substance and doctrine) of the one true God, Yahweh. Our priest and Levites will conduct worship in the same manner to which we are all accustomed.

We will also be adding an exciting new facet to our worship. In order to reach out to our neighbors (because we are mission minded) we will be inviting our neighbors and friends to join us for worship. We will not close ourselves off to others in the way the worship was practice in Jerusalem. With this openness we hope to attract our neighbors in order to bring them into our fellowship where we continue to worship the one true God, Yahweh.

Please understand that Jeroboam’s intent was not to create or worship any new God, but simply a response to the events that had taken place. Again, because King Rehoboam would not listen to Jeroboam and Israel and lighten the load placed on them by King Solomon, King Jeroboam and Israel split dividing the kingdom into two. With the temple in Jerusalem in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, Jeroboam believed he needed to do something in order to assure that those in the Northern Kingdom of Israel would not defect for religious reasons. Thus, Jeroboam, while decidedly speaking of maintaining Hebrew doctrine and worship of the one true God, Yahweh, built worship facilities in the North, although this was contrary to God’s command and purpose. So, Jeroboam built an altar for worship at Bethel and at Dan. “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt,” he told the people. He made temples and appointed priests among the people. He appointed feasts and offered sacrifices, similar to those to which the people were accustomed during the united kingdom. He did what he did all in the name of simply changing the style in which the people would relate to the one true god, at least according to his own convincing.

Jeroboam truly followed in the footsteps of an earlier famous Israelite who built a golden calf and called it Yahweh so that the people delivered from bondage of slavery in Egypt had a god they could worship, as for Moses they did not know where he went. Indeed, Aaron believed he did nothing wrong. He did not change the substance of the people, calling on the name of Yahweh, simply changing the style, giving the people an object to worship.

So, here, Jeroboam does not seek to change the substance of worship, simply the style, in this case the place of worship. Of course, Jeroboam’s problem was the same as Aaron’s and the same as all those who attempt to separate style and substance, or doctrine and practice. The problem is that the two cannot be separated. You cannot separate what you believe with how you practice what you believe. To change one is to change the other or to change the other is to change the one. For Aaron, the people worshiped the calf and not the God, Yahweh, Aaron worked to represent. For Jeroboam, the change of the practice of worship quickly moved to idolatry and paganism, much like the people who lived around them.

The same is true for time and eternity. Any change in style or practice brings about a change in substance or doctrine. Thus, change for the sake of diversity brings the basics of diversity, that is division. Change of style for the sake of mission changes the doctrine which also brings division not out reach nor unity. As was the case with the Children of Israel, their change in style brought about full blown pagan idolatry. As for the change of style in churches today usually lead to some sort of American Evangelical faith which in its essence is works righteousness that is a pointing to self and self obedience rather than pointing to Jesus and His grace and mercy.