(REFLECTIONS ON 1 Kings 14:21-31)

1 Kings 14 begins with the kingdom of Israel divided, split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Once united as one heart, with one king, and one God, now divided into two kingdoms with two kings. The northern kingdom of Israel under King Jeroboam was led astray because he feared that if the people went to Jerusalem, in the south, to offer sacrifices that their hearts would be turned to the king of the southern kingdom of Judah, King Rehoboam.

Instead, Jeroboam made two golden calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan, and Scripture tells us that this thing became a sin. Jeroboam also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. For drawing the people away from the Name of the Lord that dwelled with His people in the Temple in Jerusalem, judgment would come on Jeroboam and his kingship.

In today’s Scripture, 1 Kings 14:21-31, we now turn to the southern kingdom of Judah. While Jeroboam led the northern kingdom of Israel astray, the temple was still the place of worship for the southern kingdom of Judah, and the city, Jerusalem, was still the place that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there.

Even though Jerusalem was the right place, we read in 1 Kings 14:22-24,

22 And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 24 and there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that they Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

Judah, under the leadership of King Rehoboam, did what was evil in the sight of the Lord…more than all that their fathers had done. In fact, we see that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away their prized possessions. There was also war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

Right place, wrong heart. Although we may assume that those that remained in the southern kingdom of Judah would be safe, with the blessings of the Lord, the temple in Jerusalem, the line of King David, and that it was the right place of worship, but just like the northern kingdom of Israel, they had the wrong heart.

Right place, wrong heart, reminds us that it isn’t about being at church more often than others, about attending services every Sunday, about joining more small groups or church activities than others, but it is about the heart.

Being in the right church, at the right time, and in the right ministry doesn’t mean that our hearts our right. We can be at the right place, so close to God, but our hearts could be so, so far away. Just like Rehoboam and the southern kingdom of Judah. The right place, the temple of the Lord, Jerusalem, so close, yet so far away.

Brothers and sisters, may we turn our hearts towards the Lord and not rest on our laurels thinking that proximity is what the Lord desires. The Lord doesn’t desire us being just physically present and in close proximity, but rather that our hearts are turned to Him, and that in addition to being physically present, that more importantly our hearts are right and that we are worshiping Him with our hearts.

That is why Jesus emphasized in John 4 worshipers that worship in the Spirit and in truth. It isn’t about location, proximity, length of time alone, but more about our heart, worshiping in the Spirit and in truth.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 1 Kings 14