2 Kings 23 - The golden calf

Jeroboam son of Nebat (Jeroboam I), created to altars at the northern and southern boundaries of his kingdom - two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-33). The people of Israel were to worship these calves instead of going to Jerusalem to worship, thereby preserving the Israelite kingdom. These altars have been referred to as the sin of Jeroboam throughout the books of 1st and 2nd Kings. This was Israel's original and great apostasy. Josiah, upon reading the Book of the Covenant (Book of the Law), tore down this laundry list of idols and altars within Judah, but then destroys the golden calf in Bethel (the one in the south). To really follow the Lord, lots of changes have to be made. A life that is lived apart from God usually involves a considerable amount of cleaning. Praise God for His Spirit who prompts and guides us in all righteousness.

This is a silver calf idol found in Ashkelon. The calf was probably a local Canaanite idol that Jeroboam used, tying it to the idol that the Israelites made after leaving Egypt (with a positive reflection of that whole incident of course).