God is Nearer Than Our Breath: No Idols Needed
Verses 1 Kings 12:28-29
"After seeking advice, the king [Jeroboam] made two golden calves. He said to the people, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' One he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan."
God despises representations and redirections. He desires our firsthand focus, for He is nearer to us than our own breath. The story of Jeroboam and the golden calves in 1 Kings 12 is a striking illustration of how humanity often seeks to create intermediaries or symbols to represent God, thinking it will help them focus on Him. But in doing so, they unknowingly push Him away.
Jeroboam, driven by political motives, crafted two golden calves and declared to the people of Israel, "Here are your gods, who brought you up out of Egypt." He placed one calf in Bethel and the other in Dan. At first glance, it might seem harmless—a way to help the people remember Yahweh, the God who delivered them from slavery. After all, the calves were not meant to replace Yahweh but to represent Him. Yet, this act was deeply offensive to God. Why? Because it shifted the people’s focus from the invisible, omnipresent God to tangible, lifeless objects. It created a false sense of distance between God and His people.
The very fact that Jeroboam made *two* calves reveals the absurdity of the situation. If there were only one calf, one might argue that it was intended to symbolize Yahweh directly. But two calves in two different locations? This makes it clear that the calves were never meant to be God but to represent Him. Yet, even this act of representation was unacceptable to God. Why? Because it implied that God was far away, unapproachable, and in need of a physical medium to bridge the gap between Himself and His people. This is a lie. God is not distant; He is nearer to us than our own breath.
The golden calves were beautiful, precious, and crafted with care. They were likely presented as poignant, unavoidable reminders of God’s presence. But they were still idols—man-made objects that redirected attention away from the living God. Jeroboam’s calves were not just political tools; they were spiritual distractions. They taught the people to focus on the wrong thing. And in doing so, they robbed God of the direct, intimate relationship He desires with His people.
This story is not just about ancient Israel; it is about us. How often do we create our own "golden calves"—things we hold onto as representations of God? These could be physical objects, religious rituals, or even people we elevate as mediators between us and God. We justify these things by saying they help us focus on Him. But in reality, they often become distractions, pulling our attention away from the One who is already near. God does not need representations or redirections. He does not need us to look at something else to remember Him. He is already here, closer than we can imagine.
The Jerusalem temple, with its simplicity and absence of physical representations of God, stands in stark contrast to Jeroboam’s calves. In the temple, there was no golden calf, no statue, no image to focus on. Instead, there was a simple belief that God’s presence dwelled there. This is what God desires: our undivided attention, our faith, and our recognition that He is near. He does not want us to look at something else to find Him. He wants us to look directly to Him, for He is always within reach.
God’s nearness is the heart of the matter. He is not a distant deity who requires intermediaries to bridge the gap between Himself and His creation. He is not far away, unapproachable, or in need of representations. He is nearer to us than our own breath. Every idol, every representation, every redirection we create only serves to push Him further away in our minds. But the truth is, He is already here. He is one call away.
Let us examine our hearts. What are the "golden calves" in our lives? What are the things we cling to, thinking they will help us focus on God? Let us lay them down. Let us turn our eyes away from the distractions and fix them on the One who is nearer than our breath. Let us remember that no idol, no matter how beautiful or precious, can ever compare to the living God who desires to dwell with us.
Prayer:
Father, we come to You with humble hearts, acknowledging that You are nearer to us than our own breath. Forgive us for the times we have created idols—whether physical or spiritual—that distract us from You. Help us to lay down every representation, every redirection, and every false focus that keeps us from seeing You clearly. Teach us to fix our eyes on You alone, for You are always near, always present, and always ready to meet us. We love You, Father. Amen.