"Go, tell Jeroboam, 'Thus says the Lord God of Israel: "Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and yet you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes; but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back"'" (1 Kings 14:7-9).

To cast something behind one's back is to put it out of sight, to disregard it, to throw it away. It is a phrase that indicates a strong measure of contempt for someone or something.

This phrase is used twice in the Bible to refer to man's rejection of God. It describes how God viewed Jeroboam's sin of idolatry (1 Kings 14:9), and it is used by Ezekiel to describe Israel and Judah's apostasy. "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, therefore you shall bear the penalty of your lewdness and your harlotry'" (Ezek. 23:35).

Would someone be so bold as to throw away God? If you asked Jeroboam if he was throwing away God, he likely would have said "Not at all!" Israel and Judah probably would have said the same. They still believed in God, they were only sharing their devotion to Him with idols. God, however, did not see it that way. In turning to idols, Jeroboam, Israel and Judah were all casting God behind their backs.

Brethren, let's make sure we are placing our complete trust and our full loyalty in God. He will not allow Himself to be shared with anyone or anything. Don't throw away God.