February 14, 2024

Passage Read: 1 Kings 14-17
Meditation Verses: 14:15-16

Thought

The Lord ends up casting Israel out of their land because of the sins of Jeroboam. He led the people to worship images of a golden calf, hearkening back to Israel's exodus from Egypt and Aaron's golden calf. They made this image to worship in place of God. Jeroboam did the same thing, and reopened the door to worshiping other gods. So the Lord rejected Israel for a time, because there was no one to bring Israel back to the Lord. The prophets rebuked them, but the kings never led the people back to Him.

Application

If God's people turn away from Him, He will send messengers and endure their rebellion for a time. But if they do not return to Him, He will reject them in order to bring them so low that they finally repent. He brings the promise of Deuteronomy 28 upon them, so that they come to their senses. It's this rejection that is actually a sign of His faithfulness to them, in that He intends it for their repentance. If there were no repentance, then there would be complete and total rejection, eternal separation. This is a warning to me and to all believers; Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Let me never provoke Him to reject me!