CROWNED | 1 Kings Chapter 13
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- 6 min read
Week 2 / Day 13
INTRODUCTION
Just as a quick recap - in 1 Kings 12, we saw the nation of Israel officially divided into two Kingdoms: the Southern Kingdom (commonly known as Judah), which was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and was ruled by King Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon; and the Northern Kingdom (commonly known as Israel) which was made up of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, and Manassah and was ruled by King Jeroboam.
And as we have seen previously, today’s storyline will continue to reveal that the instability of the Kingdom that brought on the split in the first place only intensifies as these two leaders continue to ignore the voice of the Lord, leading from their own desire rather than the Lord’s direction. In other words, get ready…because things are about to go from bad to worse for God’s people.
READ
If you haven’t done so already, go ahead and read 1 Kings 13 and then come back here for a time of discussion and reflection together!
REFLECT
If you remember, at the end of chapter 12, we read that Jeroboam had set up golden calves and built temples, not out of reverence to the Lord but out of fear of losing political power and control. So not only were his actions wrong (not worshipping false idols was a clear and definite directive from the Lord), but so were his motives. And in appeasing his fleshly desire for continued power and control, he led both himself and a nation of people farther from the Lord, leading to the spiritual ruin of a nation as we see here in 1 Kings 13:33, cheapening the God-ordained infrastructure of ministry by appointing non-Levitical priests from among the general population, a direct violation of Numbers 3:10-12. An action, I might add, that carried the penalty of death!
But what does the Lord do in response to His people AGAIN building false idols and spiritually empty temples? He doesn’t rain down fire of judgment. Instead, he once again sends a message of warning, as he has done many times before, saying, “Hey! You’ve gotten off course! And if you don’t get back on track, then destruction is coming!!” We don’t know exactly who this “man of God” is who delivers the message of warning 1 Kings 13:3, but the message he gives is incredibly direct and clear, as it says:
“And he gave a sign that same day saying, 'This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.’” 1 Kings 13:3 (ESV)
However, Jeroboam’s heart was so far from the Lord’s at this point that the “word of warning” was not well received, and his response was immediate hostility as he called for the man of God to be arrested. But the Lord had other plans! And upon the call for arrest, Jeroboam's hand instantly withered, and the altar miraculously split apart! Now the words of warning may not have gotten Jeroboam’s attention, but that physical affliction absolutely did, and in a moment of panic, Jeroboam pleads with the man of God to pray that his hand be healed. And, as verse 6 tells us, “the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored.”
Upon this miraculous healing, Jeroboam is so thankful that he invites this man of God to a celebratory feast, an invitation that is readily declined, as the Lord had explicitly told him not to eat bread or drink water in Bethel and to return home by a different route. So, in firm obedience, the prophet does just that, as verse 10 tells us,
“So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.” (ESV)
However, an older, compromised prophet living in Bethel hears about the event, seeks out the younger prophet, and again invites him to dinner. At first, the younger prophet declines, again citing obedience to the Lord by not eating or drinking in Bethel, but is then deceived by the older prophet, who uses the Lord’s name in vain, leading the younger prophet to believe the Lord has, in essence, changed his mind.
Unfortunately, the young prophet blindly believes the lies spoken to him, and enjoys what we quickly learned would be his final meal, as he is subsequently killed in a lion attack as he journeys home.
Wow! Anyone who thinks the Bible is boring clearly has not read the whole thing because this right here is crazy! I mean, all in one chapter, this guy is called by the Lord to call out this King for his improper actions and motives, watches as the Lord miraculously shrivels AND then restores the King's hand, is deceived by a supposed man of God, and is mauled by a lion as he walked home. Oh, and let’s not forget to mention that the lion did not then eat the man, as you would assume. Instead, he just stood there near the body.
Ok. So, besides being a crazy story that reads more like an epic novel than a Biblical narrative, why does all of this matter, and how does it apply to us and our lives today?
First, it is a powerful reminder that when God says “no,” He really means “no”. A no from the Lord isn’t a suggestion - it’s a command! And we must treat it as such! The young prophet started off strong - confident in what the Lord had spoken and firm in his call and objective; however, he allowed his physical desire for food and another person's thoughts and opinions to change his mind about what God had clearly commanded. It is important that we remember, especially in the face of temptation, that there is no such thing as obeying God halfway. Doing most of what God says while ignoring the rest is still disobedience.
Second, it is important that we know what the Word of God says and stand firm in it! The young prophet knew the word of the Lord clearly, but allowed the words of a man to overshadow it. However, God has never and will never contradict Himself. So, if anyone tries to convince you to do or say something that goes against God’s word, stand firm in what you know He has said in His word.
And third, it is important that we stay alert, even when we are tired. If you look back at today’s passage, you will notice that the young prophet gave in to the temptation of eating and drinking as he was resting under an oak tree on his journey home. This means he was towards the end of his long journey. He was tired and hungry, making him incredibly susceptible to compromise.
So we must be on alert and on guard at all times because sometimes temptations come from places you don’t expect! No matter if we are in the middle of a miracle moment or taking refuge under a tree out of weariness, for as 1 Peter 5:8 tells us,
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (NLT)
RESPOND
Jeroboam’s downfall began long before he built golden calves - it started when fear, control, and self-preservation became more important than trusting God. Are there any areas of your life where fear is driving your decisions more than faith? What would trusting God look like in that situation?
The young prophet knew exactly what God had told him, yet he allowed another voice to override God’s clear command. What voices, influences, or opinions tend to compete with God’s Word in your life? How can you become more grounded in what God has already said?
The prophet’s compromise did not happen at the beginning of his journey but near the end, when he was tired, hungry, and vulnerable. When are you most susceptible to spiritual compromise - during moments of stress? Seasons of success? When exhausted or lonely? What practical steps can you take to stay alert, especially in those moments?
Throughout our study in 1 Kings, we have seen God repeatedly extend mercy and warnings before judgment. Looking back on your own life, can you identify times when God graciously warned, corrected, or redirected you before you experienced greater consequences? Take a moment to thank the Lord for His care and grace! And then ask yourself - What might God be teaching me through that experience today?
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