Does it Make Any Difference?
“He (King Jeroboam) went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings” (1 Kings 12:33).
It appears that King Jeroboam’s plan was to make the worship at Bethel similar (but not identical) to God’s pattern for worship in Jerusalem. For instance, the location of Jeroboam’s worship was similar - Bethel was only 10 miles from Jerusalem. The time of worship was not too different. The Feast of Booths was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. Jeroboam’s feast was just a month later on the fifteenth day of the eighth month.
Jeroboam, however, made numerous modifications to God’s pattern for worship. He made these changes in spite of plain warnings in the Law. Consider Deut. 12:8-11, “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes… But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you… you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.
Tragically, Jeroboam disregarded God’s warning. He chose to do what was right in his own eyes. He built a calf idol for the people to worship. That was just the beginning.” Was he so deluded that he believed that God would be pleased with that kind of worship?
Yet the same thing occurs constantly throughout today’s religious world. If you ask the “Worship Leader” (in many churches) as to where he/she gets the authority to feature in worship:
· A highly regarded Christian band…
· A “Top 10” recording artist, backed by his personal band and vocalists…
· A “remarkable” stringed quartet…
· An internationally acclaimed magician…
· An unconventional artist displaying his unique talent…
You will not likely hear an answer based on New Testament teachings. But you may hear one the following, “Our Worship Committee decides those things” Or “We like to try things to draw young people” Or “As long as we are sincere, God must approve of what we feature in worship.” Or “Does it make any difference as long as we are worshipping God?” (Some of these answers could have come straight from Jeroboam’s worship playbook.)
If it matters enough to God to reveal a pattern for worship in the New Testament, we should love and respect Him enough to learn what He has revealed for us, then follow that pattern as best we can.
Be a Light for Christ in 2025!
Dennis
“He (King Jeroboam) went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings” (1 Kings 12:33).
It appears that King Jeroboam’s plan was to make the worship at Bethel similar (but not identical) to God’s pattern for worship in Jerusalem. For instance, the location of Jeroboam’s worship was similar - Bethel was only 10 miles from Jerusalem. The time of worship was not too different. The Feast of Booths was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. Jeroboam’s feast was just a month later on the fifteenth day of the eighth month.
Jeroboam, however, made numerous modifications to God’s pattern for worship. He made these changes in spite of plain warnings in the Law. Consider Deut. 12:8-11, “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes… But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you… you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.
Tragically, Jeroboam disregarded God’s warning. He chose to do what was right in his own eyes. He built a calf idol for the people to worship. That was just the beginning.” Was he so deluded that he believed that God would be pleased with that kind of worship?
Yet the same thing occurs constantly throughout today’s religious world. If you ask the “Worship Leader” (in many churches) as to where he/she gets the authority to feature in worship:
· A highly regarded Christian band…
· A “Top 10” recording artist, backed by his personal band and vocalists…
· A “remarkable” stringed quartet…
· An internationally acclaimed magician…
· An unconventional artist displaying his unique talent…
You will not likely hear an answer based on New Testament teachings. But you may hear one the following, “Our Worship Committee decides those things” Or “We like to try things to draw young people” Or “As long as we are sincere, God must approve of what we feature in worship.” Or “Does it make any difference as long as we are worshipping God?” (Some of these answers could have come straight from Jeroboam’s worship playbook.)
If it matters enough to God to reveal a pattern for worship in the New Testament, we should love and respect Him enough to learn what He has revealed for us, then follow that pattern as best we can.
Be a Light for Christ in 2025!
Dennis
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