How does 2 Kings 17:21 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? Setting the Stage • Exodus 20:3 lays down the unambiguous command: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” • 2 Kings 17:21 recounts Israel’s tragic departure: “When the LORD tore Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin.” • These verses bookend the story of Israel’s covenant relationship: the command at Sinai and the consequence in Samaria. The Command: Undivided Allegiance • The First Commandment demands exclusive worship—no rivals, substitutes, or additions (Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 22:37). • It is foundational; every other command flows from acknowledging the LORD as the one true God. The Breach: Jeroboam’s Golden Calves • After the kingdom split, Jeroboam feared his people’s return to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:26–30). • He set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan, proclaiming, “Behold your gods, O Israel.” • By installing counterfeit worship centers, he openly violated “You shall have no other gods,” exchanging the LORD’s prescribed worship for man-made images (Leviticus 19:4; Psalm 106:19–20). 2 Kings 17:21 as a Commentary on Exodus 20:3 • Phrase “led Israel away from following the LORD” points straight back to the First Commandment—idolatry means deserting God. • “Caused them to commit a great sin” echoes Sinai’s language of covenant unfaithfulness (Exodus 32:30). • The verse summarizes two centuries of northern kings who “walked in the sins of Jeroboam” (1 Kings 16:26; 2 Kings 10:31). Consequences of Ignoring the First Commandment • The LORD “tore Israel away” (v. 21) and finally exiled them to Assyria (2 Kings 17:6). • Covenant blessings are linked to obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1–14); covenant curses follow persistent idolatry (Deuteronomy 28:15–68). • Prophets like Hosea and Amos warned that broken allegiance would bring judgment (Hosea 8:4–7; Amos 5:26–27). Lessons for Today • God still requires undivided loyalty; idols may now be money, status, or self (Colossians 3:5). • Small compromises, like Jeroboam’s “convenient” calves, ripple through families, churches, and nations. • The only safe response is wholehearted devotion: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). |
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