Jerusalem was the appointed place of worship. The Temple in Jerusalem was where the presence of the Lord descended. However, the kingdom has divided between Judah and the rest of Israel. Jeroboam, king of Israel, does not want his subjects heading to Jerusalem for worship lest they decide to relocate and join Judah. So to preserve his power base and satisfy his people, Jeroboam devises his own way to worship.
He made two calves of gold and led the people to worship idols! He built his own temples in their own special high places. He appointed their own priests from their own people instead of God’s appointed priests, the Levites! He set his own feast. He sacrificed his own way. The Bible says concerning the establishment of a special month in 12:33, “he had devised [it] from his own heart.” Jeroboam truly did it his way!
The problems with devising our own manners of worship is more than just not worshipping according to God’s prescription. To worship in our own way is to NOT worship God. To worship in our own way is to become idolators. To worship in our own way is to announce to God that something else is to be prized above him. To worship in our own way is to announce to God that he is NOT to be worshipped. To worship in our own way is to place ourselves above God and dictate worship to him instead of him providing the means for us to worship the true God. To worship in our own way is essentially to worship ourselves!
God will not tolerate idolatry! The sin of worshipping in his own way cost Jeroboam the right to the throne. His house would come down! Take care, dear friend, if we worship our own way, our house will come down too!
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