October 10

1 Kings 13

            Okay, I admit it. I want to be great. I remember in my college years, a friend who was a girl-not a girlfriend-told me, “John, I really think that God has something really significant for you in your life. He wants to do great things through you.” Man, talk about appealing to my pride. Obviously after 35 years, I still remember the statement and cherish it. Something deep inside me desires that I be recognized by others as having done something really significant in the world. I’m talking about encyclopedia-type significance. Obviously, it hasn’t happened. Every once in a while, I look in the mirror and recognize the desire to be great. I quickly and painfully shove it back down into the deep hole from whence it crawled out. Maybe, if I bury it deep enough, it will go away. It doesn’t go away. It slowly eats on me like a cancer. Sometimes I think it is the source of a depression that occasionally comes over me. What’s so wrong with wanting to be great anyway? Nothing-as long as it is sourced in and subordinate to the glory of the Lord. But that is the catch, one usually wants it for oneself, not for Jesus.

            Today’s passage is a case study of two men who both wanted to be great. In so doing they manipulated the glory of the Lord in order to attempt to achieve greatness for themselves. Rehoboam was the favored recipient of the throne of Solomon. He chose to have his coronation in Shechem. Why Shechem? Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. David had captured it and made it the capital. Solomon had expanded it by building a magnificent temple. He built palaces for himself and his wives. He increased the economy so well that silver became almost without value. How could Rehoboam improve on that? Certainly to top Solomon and David would be difficult. Shechem lay to the north of Jerusalem about 16 miles as the crow flies. The mountains of Ephraim run north south through Israel and one of the best east-west passages runs between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerazim. Shechem lay in the valley between the two.  So Shechem was economically strategically located for unity of the country from east to west. The differences between the northern tribes and the tribe of Judah had never really been settled under David and Solomon. Being farther north than Jerusalem Shechem was politically more advantageous at uniting the country north to south. But more than anything else, Shechem had a deep spiritual representation. It was the first place that Abraham built an altar to the Lord after arriving in Canaan (Gen 12:6,7). Jacob built an altar there after returning from Padan Aram (Gen 38:18-20). Jacob dug a deep well there (John 4:12) which Jesus visited. Upon conquering Canaan under Joshua, the nation gathered there to pronounce the blessings of the law on Mt. Gerazim and the cursings of the law on Mt. Ebal (Joshua 8:30-35). Joshua gave his farewell address here (Joshua 24). It is as though Rehoboam was trying to use the glory of the Lord to build his repertoire to advance his own glory.

            Jeroboam seizes upon the passing of power to make old rivalries fester. He leads the people in what would appear to us as a reasonable request. When one is bent on using the glory of God to build your own glory, reasonable requests often seem distorted. Intent on being seen as greater than his father, Rehoboam gives that infamous reply which led to the division of the country. So in seeking to use the glory of God to promote his own glory, Rehoboam falls flat on his face, and the nation experiences a civil war from which it never recovers.

            Jeroboam successfully becomes king of the northern tribes. The northern kingdom needs a recognized capital. Shechem is the logical place. Jeroboam also sees Penuel as significant. Penuel, next door to Mahanaim straight east on the other side of the Jordan River is where Jacob wrestled all night with God.  Mahanaim is the stronghold to which David fled when running from Absalom. David had received strong support from there when he needed it.  Surely the grandson of David, Rehoboam, might find some allies in that area.  Yes, securing Penuel in his quest for greatness was a wise move. Jeroboam now controlled all the area east of the Jordan and all the area north of Jerusalem on the west side of the Jordan. But Jeroboam faces the age-old problem that all men who form a coup face.  What if the people tire of him as their leader, and what could cause them to be tired of him?

            The temple in Jerusalem is the only temple of the Hebrews. It is a magnificent structure. What would happen if in the midst of celebrating the yearly festivals in Jerusalem, the people decided that it wasn’t so bad being part of the same country? They might want to be reunited. His greatness would be challenged. Something had to happen to help the people gel not only politically but also spiritually. He appealed to making worship easy, “It’s too hard to go up to Jerusalem.” He made two places in Israel for worship, one in the south and one in the north. No one ever had go that far again. Sounds a little like a drive-in church or internet church. The God worshipped in Jerusalem was a little difficult to grasp; there were no images of Him. An image of this god would make it easier for the people to understand him.  Also the people of other cultures who lived in their midst had their images. It was a good cultural fit. Yes, Jereboam made his greatness secure, but at what cost? He eclipsed the true glory of our Lord.

            I have to admit; I too want to be great. I’d like to have people point at me and say, “Now there is a really great pastor. Look at all the lives that have been changed because of his ministry! Look at all the people that flock to his church and buy his books.” But at what cost? I hope I can faithfully finish my life saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  It is really all about Him.  It is about His glory.  Help me Lord! I want too often to eclipse You. It is only Your glory that ever matters! Indeed we serve a glorious King.  Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john