How did Jeroboam's actions in 2 Kings 14:24 displease God according to Scripture? The Verse in Focus “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.” (2 Kings 14:24) What Jeroboam Did • Persisted in the state-sponsored idolatry begun by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:28-33). • Maintained unauthorized worship centers at Bethel and Dan with golden calves (1 Kings 12:29). • Appointed priests “from all the people” rather than from the Levites (1 Kings 13:33). • Instituted his own feast calendar (1 Kings 12:32-33), replacing God-ordained festivals (Leviticus 23). • Kept the nation from worshiping at the temple in Jerusalem as God commanded (Deuteronomy 12:5-6). Why God Was Displeased • Idolatry directly violated the first two commandments (Exodus 20:3-6). • Man-made worship substitutes God’s revealed pattern with human invention (Deuteronomy 12:32). • Jeroboam’s policy led “all Israel” into sin (2 Kings 17:21-23); leadership multiplied guilt. • Stubborn refusal to repent despite prophetic warnings (1 Kings 13:1-3; Amos 7:10-17). • Perpetuating these sins nullified any political success Jeroboam II enjoyed (2 Kings 14:25-27). Supporting Scriptures • 1 Kings 13:34 – “This matter became sin to the house of Jeroboam…” • Hosea 8:5-6 – “Your calf, O Samaria, has rejected you…” • 2 Kings 17:21-23 – Israel’s exile traced to “the sins that Jeroboam committed.” Lessons for Today • Religious innovation that departs from God’s Word is still rebellion, no matter how popular. • Political or cultural motives never justify altering God-ordained worship. • Leaders bear heavier responsibility; their choices can steer a whole people toward or away from God (James 3:1). • True worship demands wholehearted obedience, not selective adherence (John 4:24). |
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