Reading for August 23rd

 Read 1 Kings 12.25-33. In 12.25-33: The sin of Jeroboam. In verse 25: Jeroboam built Shechem and Penuel not in the sense of building them from the ground up but in the sense of fortifying already existing sites. In verse 28: Images of claves and bulls were commonly used in the ancient Near east to represent deities, especially fertility god like Baal. The golden claves and Jeroboam's words to the people about them are reminiscent of the golden calf built by Aaron in Ex 32 and his words in 32.4. In verse 29: Dan was regarded as the northernmost city in Israel. Bethel was near the border between Israel and Judah. In verse 31: The houses on the high places were temples at various local shrines. Besides the royal sanctuaries at Dan and Bethel making it unnecessary to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the writer accuses Jeroboam of setting up temples throughout his land. These were probably shrines to the Lord but the writer regards Jerusalem as the only legitimate place to worship the Lord. Another aspect of Jeroboam's apostasy, in the writer's view, was his appointment of non Levites as priests at the local shrines. In verse 32: Jeroboam is also accused of changing the religious calendar by establishing a festival in the eight month to rival the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month in Jerusalem when the Temple there was dedicated (see 8.65). Comments or Questions..