Solomon's Idolatry (part 2 of 2)

The fact that idolatry was one of the primary  the issue at hand in the tearing away of the kingdom from the line of Solomon, and its eventual division into northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms, is reinforced by the message delivered to the man who would become the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel.  The prophet Ahijah speaks to Jeroboam, a man whom Solomon had made a leader of a work crew (11:28) and was thus one of Solomon’s servants, and says, “I am taking the kingdom from him because they have abandoned Me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom.  They have not followed My instructions by doing what I approve and obeying My rules and regulations, like Solomon’s father David did” (11:33). 

Furthermore, Jeroboam is told, “I will select you; you will ruler over all you desire to have and you will be king over Israel.  You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep My rules and commandments, like My servant David did.  Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty as I did for David; I will give you Israel” (11:37-38).  Naturally and not unexpectedly, following in the well-worn path of politically motivated assassinations that was (according to the Scriptural narrative) traveled heavily by his father, “Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam” (11:40a).    

So with the example of Solomon presumably fresh in his mind, and with the report of the receipt of clear instruction from the Lord through His prophet, what did Jeroboam do?  What was his first act as king of Israel?  “After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves.  Then he said to the people, ‘It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem.  Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt’.” (12:28)  With this mention of Egypt, not only does he invoke memories of the disaster of the golden calf at Sinai, but couches the introduction of idolatry in the language of exodus, suggesting that Israel’s deliverance from real and potential enemies, and their deliverance from dominance by the tribe of Judah, was and will be connected with their worship of these idols, their newly minted gods. 

Thusly, it appears to be the case that the covenant people of the Creator God rarely ever learn.  With what seems like tremendous irony, it is almost immediately that Jeroboam engages in idolatry, while encouraging the people to do the same.  This is essentially the very thing that Solomon had done, and which had produced the result of Jeroboam becoming king in the first place.  We read, quite plainly, that this action by Jeroboam “caused Israel to sin” (12:30a).  That is, Israel is here reported to have traveled the same path that Solomon (and Adam) had traveled, submitting in worship to that which was created, willingly giving up their image-of-God-bearing-stewardship-over-God’s-creation.  Thereby, it would be impossible for them to fulfill their covenant responsibilities to be lights to the surrounding nations (as Solomon and Israel had been for a time) that would bring glory to their God.