“Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places.”
In the book, Lord of Flies, a group of young British boys are stranded on an uninhabited island because of a plane crash. Their unity breaks down and they soon become divide into factions that believe very differently. Leaders emerge from both groups and a sort of government is established between these two factions. War breaks out and eventually a murder is committed. Reality comes when the boys are rescued and the adults see what had happened. The wrong leadership can spell disaster.
Jeroboam was king over all Israel except for Judah. Jeroboam was given the kingship of Israel by God because of Solomon’s sins. A prophet of God came to confront Jeroboam about his sin of putting alters on the high places that were from other gods. He approached him to speak what the Lord had given him but Jeroboam stretched out his hand and said seize him! The prophet’s hand instantly withered up. After the man of God was done speaking, Jeroboam pleaded with the man of God to intercede on his behalf so he can have his hand back. The man of God prayed and his hand was restored. The man of God leaves and Jeroboam is faced with a decision to either turn and follow God, or to continue in his evil ways. Verse 33 says that even after all this he continued in his evil ways. All this was angering the Lord but the one thing that made God really angry was that he let anyone who wanted to become a priest.
Have ever heard the phase “well, no one is perfect”? Romans 3:23 says that we have all fallen sinned and fallen short of the glory of the Lord. We are born into sin so we are constantly battling the sin nature in us. Jeroboam was going through the same thing, but one thing he did in particular brought about his downfall. He let anyone who wanted to become a priest. In modern vernacular, that is like us letting anyone who wants to become the spiritual leader in our lives assume the position. No matter if they believe the same as you or not. The priests in Israel were dedicated to the Lord and that was a special position and an even more important job.
We can mess up all day long and still be labeled as a man/women after the heart of God as long as our heart is fighting to be like Jesus. A good example of this was King David. It is when we elevate anyone, regardless of how they believe, in the place of where God is supposed to be that things start to unravel. A garment does not unravel in one day. Instead, over time it becomes weak and it is only when it is at its weakest when you see the unraveling.
Put the Lord in the center of your authority place. Take all the people, horoscopes, friendly advise, and fear down off the high places of your life. Add Jesus and read the Word of God daily. You would be surprised how things start to line up.
Prayer: Father, we often get caught up in listening to and taking advice from people who are not giving wise counsel. It is when these people are placed in the authority positions in our lives that we derail our thoughts. Today, help us discern and remove the authority figures that are not of you Lord. Strengthen our faith in you as we put your Word at the center of our lives. Help us to meditate on your Word every day and speak the word over our lives and families. In Jesus name, amen.
Let It Go 
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