Torch, Summer 1998

COMFORT ZONE One of the great problems facing the modern-day church is "Convenient Christianity." Because of our loss of foous on objective truth, there is a tendency for believers to seek the easy way- to walk the path of least resistance. 'Phis kind of plague on God's people is not unique to the 20th century, however. The Jewish people suffered nhe same type of plague at a strategic point in their history. I Ki ngs 12 offers the story of King Rehoboam. Th.is was Solomon's son, but he certainly did not have his fa ther's wisdom. Because he failed to listen to his counselors, he caused a split within Judaism. Only two tribes, Benjamin and Judah, remained with Rehoboam. Ten tribes , which became known as Israel, split off with Jeroboam as their new leader. At this point, Jeroboam attempted to solidify his throne by mollifying his subjects: beginning in verse 25, we read, "Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart, 'Now shall the kingdom return to the house 4 Torch of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.' Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, 0 Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.' And he set the one in Bethel and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the sons of Levi." This is an important piece ofJewish history; it marks one of those turning points when the Jews forsook their God and looked to convenience rather than consecration. You might ask yourself, where were the priests when this was going on? Where were the committed believers of Jeroboam's day? Those are good questions .