Don't Trade Gold For Brass

Today we’re digging into I Kings 14:22-27 verse-by-verse to see the value of deeper things.

And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. I Kings 14:22 (KJV)

This says that Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord and committed sins beyond anything their forefathers had done. This angered the Lord because they were not following after Him.

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. I Kings 14:23 (KJV)

This describes to us that they were worshiping false gods. This false worship was a slap in the face of the true God. As it says in other places in Scripture, they went a-whoring after other gods.

And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. I Kings 14:24 (KJV)

The sodomites mentioned here were male temple prostitutes that practiced homosexual services in the temple in the name of religion. They did the same wickedness and abominations that the other nations did. Israel had debased themselves to be just like the other heathen nations that the Lord had cast out of the land. However, Israel’s sin was worse because they had once known the true God and turned from Him.

And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: I Kings 14:25 (KJV)

Egypt means house of bondage. Jerusalem means city of peace. The house of bondage came against the city of peace. When we sin, we lose peace and we invite war and disaster, bringing us into bondage.

And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. I Kings 14:26 (KJV)

The king of Egypt took away the treasures from the house of the Lord and from the king’s house. Judah’s sins opened the door for the enemy to steal from them. He took away the gold shields Solomon had made. Gold speaks of God, prosperity, and protection.

And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house. I Kings 14:27 (KJV)

King Rehoboam made brasen, or brass, shields to replace the gold ones that were taken. Brass represents judgment and something that is cheaper and weaker than God’s best. Judgment came because of disobedience. They lost God’s presence, protection, and prosperity (gold), and received judgment (brass).

Whenever we trade the deeper (God), which is represented here by gold, for a weaker substitute, here shown as brass, we lose out. By trading gold, a God-created material, for brass, which was a man-made alloy, we settle for less.

We see the same thing today in the church. People compromise God’s Word and their walk with God. They lose the presence of God (gold) and settle for less (brass). We must not put wrong leaders in position or we may end up losing what God has given us. Don’t settle for the flashiness of the flesh when you can have the Spirit of God. Walk upright to keep your light. Don’t be overcome by darkness. Keep God first, and you’ll keep God’s presence and all He gives.

Don’t lose what God has given you and go from more to less. Don’t exchange the deeper for the cheaper. Don’t forfeit the best for less. Guard your heart, and keep God first. Keep Him as your only God and your first love. Worship Him in Spirit and truth.