Re-Writing History

In this way, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, with which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin. Nonetheless the LORD said to Jehu, “You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Therefore, your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.” But Jehu did not obey the Law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. [2 Kings 10.28-31]

This passage of Scripture is intriguing. Jehu wiped out Baal worship in Israel but, for whatever reason, left the gold calves Jeroboam had made.

As I understand what Baal worship was about, it seems to focus mostly on fertility. While many associate "fertility" with sex, it is much broader than that. While Baal worship may have indeed involved sexual sin (in an erotic sense), it appears to be more commonly associated with the elements of nature that promote healthy crops and livestock with much to do with weather.

Of course Baal worship is idolatry in God's eyes, because He declares Himself as controller of the weather and the reproductive life afforded nature by its positive aspects.

Jezebel's infatuation with Baal worship seems to have involved more of the sexual ("erotic") side of the practice garnering for it even further disdain by God.

So, why did Jehu not remove the gold calves that Jeroboam made?

To understand what worship of the golden calves was about, the Bible describes it best:

Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the LORD, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.” So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!” He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there. Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made. So on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a day that he himself had designated, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar at Bethel. He instituted a religious festival for Israel, and he went up to the altar to burn incense. [1 Kings 12.26-33]

In effort to stay in power, Jeroboam "redefined" Israel's deliverance from Egypt. He effectively "re-wrote history" (sound familiar?). In so doing, Jeroboam cunningly avoided Levitical priests so as to avert any chance of the "truth" emerging and instead utilized strictly non-Levitical priests to carry on worship of the two gold calves. Perhaps this was the greatest reason "the sins Jeroboam led Israel to commit" was repeatedly mentioned in a negative light. The people knew they had been delivered from Egypt, but instead of Jeroboam presenting "another god," he presented the golden calves as the gods who delivered them.

I personally struggle to understand exactly how there is much difference between Baal and the golden calves, but apparently, there was enough difference that one was removed by Jehu and the other was not. Was Jehu as concerned about his political power remaining intact as was Jeroboam?

The point I see today is that there is great danger in allowing history to be re-written as Jeroboam attempted to do. If history continues beyond my time, our current re-writing of US history will effectively erase God from the picture unless somehow God's record of it is preserved.

Father, help me to understand the significance of "the sins Jeroboam led Israel to commit" as that phrase applies to current events in the United States and the world.