1 Kings chapter 13, which is page 352 in the Church Bible.
Reading from verses 1 to 10.
By the word of the Lord, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel,
as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering.
By the word of the Lord, he cried out against the altar.
Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says.
A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David.
On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here,
and human bones will be burned on you.
That same day the man of God gave a sign.
This is the sign the Lord has declared.
The altar will be split apart, and the ashes on it will be poured out.
When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel,
he stretched out his hand from the altar and said,
Seize him!
But the hand he stretched out towards the man shriveled up,
so that he could not pull it back.
Also the altar was split apart,
and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God,
by the word of the Lord.
Then the king said to the man of God,
Intercede with the Lord your God,
and pray for me that my hand may be restored.
So the man of God interceded with the Lord,
and the king's hand was restored,
and became as it was before.
The king said to the man of God,
Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.
But the man of God answered the king,
Even if you were to give me half your possessions,
I would not go with you,
nor would I eat bread or drink water here.
For I was commanded by the word of the Lord,
You must not eat bread or drink water,
or return by the way you came.
So he took another road,
and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
And if you look down further in verses 33 and 34,
Even after this,
Jeroboam did not change his evil ways,
but once more appointed priests for the high places
from all sorts of people.
Anyone who wanted to become a priest,
he consecrated for the high places.
This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam
that led to its downfall and to its destruction
from the face of the earth.
So, 1 Kings 13,
we're actually going to look at the whole chapter.
I don't know if anybody's read it,
but it's a fascinating account,
and I'm sure raises all kinds of questions
which we hope we will work our way through.
So let's pray as we look at his word.
Father, would you give us humble hearts
and listening ears
so that we might not only hear your word,
but accept it
and apply it to our lives,
trusting that your word is powerful,
powerful to change,
powerful to do work
that nothing and no one else can do.
So, Father, please,
through your word,
would you make us more like Christ.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Growing up with two older siblings
was mostly a good experience.
But from time to time,
like I'm sure if you have siblings,
we would fight.
Sometimes it was two on one,
and occasionally all against each other.
I remember one Sunday afternoon,
we'd all been told to go into the kitchen
after Sunday lunch to wash up.
Now that seems quite straightforward,
one to wash,
one to dry,
one to put away.
But somehow,
between the three of us,
we couldn't come to a consensus.
So warfare erupted.
And the squabbling hadn't gone on very long
when we heard this booming voice,
if I hear any more,
there's going to be trouble.
Well, we didn't listen.
Or at least we reasoned
that those warning words
were not that serious.
Well, they were serious.
And what was threatened
came to pass.
With three warmed bums,
we quickly got on with the wash up.
We quickly came to realise
that there was only one ruling word.
And that's the message of chapter 13.
There is only one ruling word.
Have a look with me at verse 32,
which in some ways
is a great summary
of this whole chapter.
Verse 32.
For the message,
he, that's the prophet,
declared by the word of the Lord
against the altar in Bethel
and against all the shrines
and the high places
in the towns of Samaria,
will certainly come true.
When God speaks,
his words always come to pass.
They come true.
And to make sure we don't miss this,
the author keeps repeating
throughout the whole chapter
by the word of the Lord.
Everything happens
by the word of the Lord.
God rules by his word
and what he says
always comes to pass.
Of course, God continues to speak
and he continues to rule
through his written word.
So what we find in chapter 13
is not just history,
but it is God's word for us today.
So what is God speaking to us about
from chapter 13?
Well, first, we want to see
the power of God's word.
The power of God's word.
A little context will help
as we jump into chapter 13.
The kingdom that was under David
and then passed to Solomon, his son,
has now been divided.
And Jeroboam is ruling
in the northern part of the kingdom
over the majority of the tribes.
But the division of the kingdom
has led to great disobedience.
Have a look back at chapter 12,
verse 28.
After seeking advice,
the king, that's 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.
It's almost identical
to what Aaron said
to the people
when Moses went up to the mountain
and when they were
delivered from Egypt.
Verse 29.
One he set up in Bethel in the south
and the other god he set up
in Dan in the north.
And this thing became a sin.
The people came to worship
the one at Bethel
and went afar as Dan
to worship the other.
So Jeroboam has removed
the one true God
and has replaced him
with his own gods.
Essentially, he's breaking
the first commandments.
You shall have no other god
before me.
You shall not bow down
to them or worship them.
So what does God
have to say about this?
Well, here's where we jump
into chapter 13 and verse 1.
By the word of the Lord,
a man of God,
a prophet,
came from Judah to Bethel
as Jeroboam was standing
by the altar
to make an offering.
Now, we don't know
what the prophet's name is.
But that's not important.
It's what he has to say.
That's what should concern us.
We need to see the power
of God's word.
First, God's word
determines the future.
It determines the future.
Look at verse 2.
By the word of the Lord,
he cried out against the altar.
So here's the prophet
speaking against the altar.
Altar, altar.
This is what the Lord says.
A son named Josiah,
we're going to come back
to him in a minute,
will be born to the house of David.
On you,
he will sacrifice
the priests of the high places
who make offerings here
and human bones
will be burned on you.
Quite straightforward.
God says he's going to
raise up a king
who's called Josiah,
who's going to bring about
a reformation
of the whole people.
He's going to punish
the priests
and he's going to
break down the false altars.
Don't believe that God
will do it?
Well, have a look at
2 Kings 23 sometime.
Because there,
not surprisingly,
we meet a king
named Josiah
who does what God said
would happen.
But Jeroboam
and the prophet,
well, obviously,
they don't have
2 Kings 23
to turn to.
For them,
what the prophet has said
is still a word
about the future.
It is yet to happen.
So how are we
and how are they
ever going to trust
that God's word
determines the future?
Well, second,
God acts
in the present.
Verse 3.
That same day,
the man of God
gave a sign.
This is the sign
the Lord has declared.
The altar
will be split apart
and the ashes
on it
will be poured out.
So that you may know
that God determines
the future.
That his word
controls what is
going to happen.
Let me show you
the power of God's word
now.
Verse 4.
So when King Jeroboam
heard that the man
of God cried out
against the altar
at Bethel,
he stretched out
his hand
from the altar
and said,
seize him.
But the hand
he stretched out
towards the man
shriveled up
so that he couldn't
pull it back.
It's like a kind
of paralysis
or a weakness
has come over the king.
Jeroboam's power
has been removed.
All he can do
is watch
the power
of God's word
take action.
And so,
verse 5,
the altar
was split apart
and the ashes
poured out
according to the sign
given by the man
of God
by the word
of the Lord.
He says,
if he's saying,
do you believe me
now,
Jeroboam?
My word
determines the future
and it acts
in the present
so therefore
listen to my word
and deal
with your sinful
hearts.
Now,
let's not do
ourselves
out of a favour
and resign
this account
chapter 13
to some event
that took past
in the history.
Because God's word
continues to speak
to us today
and confronts
our sin.
You see,
we do
what Jeroboam
has done
all the time.
We break
the creator's commands.
You shall have
no other god
before me.
You shall not
bow down to them
and worship them.
Now,
okay,
we mightn't go out
and be building
shrines
and sacrificing
at altars
or have golden
calves in our garden,
but we do
turn to our work
and to our children
and to our hobbies
and we make them
little gods.
They become
our god substitutes.
We worship them.
We give our life
to them
in the hope
that somehow
they're going to
give us joy
and happiness.
We remove God
from the centre
of our lives
and we replace him
with our own
made-up gods
which have no power
to change us
or forgive us.
God's word
has something
to say about that.
You might remember
the account in Acts
where the apostle Paul
is wandering
around the city
of Athens
and as he wandered
around he saw
all these idols,
objects of worship,
God substitutes,
dotted all around
the city.
Well,
listen to God's word
through Paul.
He,
that is God,
commands all people
everywhere to repent
for he has set a day
when he will judge
the world with justice
by the man,
that is Christ,
he has appointed.
So it's a word
about the future.
It's a judgment
that he says
is going to come.
Well,
how are we to believe that?
Are we meant
to trust this word?
How do we know
or how can we trust
that God determines
the future
and that a judgment
is to come?
Well,
listen to the rest
of what Paul said.
For he,
that is God,
has given proof
of this
to everyone
by raising him
from the dead.
Do you see
the connections there?
God has acted
in the present
by raising his son,
Jesus Christ
from the dead
by his powerful word
to prove
that we can trust
his word
about a future
judgment
to come.
So first,
we need to see
the power
of God's word
and that when
he speaks,
it always
comes
true.
Second,
we need to hear
the clarity
of God's word.
The focus
now takes
a dramatic
shift
away from
King Jeroboam
to the prophet
himself
because he too
needs to hear
God's word.
First,
the command.
Look at verse 11.
Now,
there was a certain
old prophet,
so we've got to
keep right here,
so this is an old
prophet
prophet,
and there's
the prophet
who spoke
earlier.
So there was
a certain
old prophet
living in Bethel
whose sons
came and
told him
all that
the man of
God had
done there
that day.
They also
told their
father what
he had said
to the king.
Now,
this has
intrigued
the old
prophet.
He's heard
about these
events where
the altar
has crashed
apart and
split open
and everything
that had
gone on
there,
and he
wants to
have a
meeting
with this
particular
prophet.
So,
verse 15,
the prophet
said to him,
that's the
old prophet
says to the
younger prophet,
come home
with me
and eat.
The man
of God
said,
I cannot
turn back
and go
with you,
nor can
I eat
bread
or drink
water
with you
in this
place.
I have
been told
by the
word of
the Lord,
you must
not eat
bread
or drink
water
there,
or return
by the
way you
came.
Now,
we might
begin to
question the
commands of
God.
We might
not understand
why the
young prophet
must turn
down such
a generous
invitation
and such
great
hospitality.
It might
be that the
old prophet
wants to
use him
for his
good.
We don't
know.
We're not
told what
the reason
is.
But whatever
the reason,
God's
command
remains
crystal
clear.
Don't
go back
to his
house.
Verse 18.
The old
prophet
answered,
Ah,
I too
am a
prophet
as you
are.
And an
angel said
to me,
by the
word of
the Lord,
bring him
back with
you to
your house
so that
he may
eat bread
and drink
water.
but he
was lying
to him.
So the
man of
God
returned
with him
and ate
and drank
in his
house.
Now,
we might
have a
bit of
sympathy
here with
this young
prophet.
After all,
this new
word that
has come
to him,
so it
was claimed,
came from
an angel.
Now,
you can't
argue with
that kind
of authority,
can you?
I mean,
he has to
go along
with it.
After all,
an angel
has spoken,
so we
must do
what the
angel has
said,
right?
No.
God's
command
was crystal
clear.
Don't
go back
to his
house.
You see,
God's
word is
full of
commands
that we
might
question
and that
we might
deem to
be unfair
or that
perhaps we
don't even
understand.
But that
doesn't mean
to say we
have the
right to
disobey
it.
Oh,
we can
claim that
it was
some new
revelation.
Oh,
God told
me.
Or we
can come
up with
a new
interpretation.
You know
what?
That was
then,
this is
now.
Times
have
changed.
We
do
things
differently.
Or we
might even
say,
an angel
told me.
Well,
at the
very
least,
such
claims
of
so-called
new
revelation
need to
be checked
out with
God's
word itself.
Better
still,
somebody
come along
and they
tell you,
I've got a
new
revelation
for you.
It
should be
ignored
completely.
Sadly,
this young
prophet
never bothered
to check
it out.
So,
there was
the
command,
don't
go back
to the
house.
Second,
the
confrontation,
verse 20.
So,
while they
were sitting
down at
the table,
the word
of the
Lord,
the true
word of
the Lord,
came to
the old
prophet who
had brought
him back.
I mean,
what a
scenario.
What's
going on
here?
All this
talk of
angels and
new
revelation
is all
of a
sudden
slapped
on the
head,
verse 21.
He
cried out
to the
man of
God who
had come
from
Judah.
This
is what
the
Lord
says.
You
have
defied
the
word
of
the
Lord.
You
have
not
kept
the
command
the
Lord
your
God
gave
you.
The
clarity
of
God's
word
confronts
all
their
speculations,
verse 22.
You
came back
and ate
bread
and drank
water
in the
place
where
he
told
you
not
to
eat
or
drink.
Therefore
your
body
will not
be buried
in the
tomb
of your
ancestors.
In other
words,
this ain't
going to
end well.
You're not
even going to
make it home
alive.
It seems
to be that
this young
prophet
is suffering
with what
Paul had
warned
Timothy about.
Have a look
on the screen.
God
for the
time
will
come
when
people
will
not
put
up
with
sound
doctrine.
They're
not
going to
put
up
with
what
God's
word
has
to
say.
Instead,
to
suit
their
own
desires,
they're
going
to
gather
around
them
a
great
number
of
teachers
to
say
what
their
itching
ears
want
to
hear.
Itchy
ears.
Instead
of
obedience
to
God's
clear
word,
there
is
a
desire
for
a
new
revelation,
a
new
word
that
fits
in
with
what
I
want
to
hear
and
what
I
want
for
my
life.
Well,
let's
not
fool
ourselves.
God's
word
is
crystal
clear.
We
do
not
need
to
add
to
it.
We
do
not
need
to
change
it
because
there
is
no
revelation
other
than
what
God
has
spoken
and
what
we
have
now
written
in
God's
word
to
us
today.
So
there
was
a
very
clear
command
and
there
was
a
very
clear
confrontation
and
then
third
the
clear
consequences
because
distorting
or
defying
God's
word
has
terrible
consequences.
Verse
23
When
the
man
of
God
had
finished
eating
and
drinking
the
prophet
who
had
brought
him
back
saddled
his
donkey
for
him.
As
he
went
on
his
way
a
lion
met
him
on
the
road
and
killed
him
and
his
body
was
left
lying
on
the
road
with
both
the
donkey
and
the
lion
standing
beside
it.
Some
people
who
passed
by
saw
the
body
lying
there
with
the
lion
standing
beside
the
city
where
the
old
prophet
lived.
You
see
God
had
spoken
clearly
and
once
again
God's
word
came
to
pass.
It
always
does.
Now
I'm
quite
sure
it's
confusing
you
and
it's
raising
lots
of
questions.
Just
like
we
can
sometimes
question
God's
commands
we
can
also
start
questioning
the
consequences
of
disobedience
and
we
could
look
at
this
and
go
it's
not
fair.
The
old
prophet
lied
to him
and
tricked
him.
He
told
him
it
was
an
angel
and
it
wasn't.
It's
not
fair.
Or
we
could
say
it's
too
severe
to
have
a
lion
kill
you.
The
punishment
is
too
severe.
He
should
have
been
warned
or
just
been
told
off.
And
so we
have
all
these
questions
going
on
in
our
minds.
Well
isn't
that
exactly
what
we
see
happening
in
the
Garden
of
Eden?
God's
command
was
crystal
clear.
Do
not
eat
the
fruit
from
the
tree
of
the
knowledge
of
good
and
evil
for
when
you
eat
of
it
you
will
certainly
die.
I
mean
what's
difficult
about
understanding
that?
Don't
eat
it
and
if
you
do
you
will
die.
Understood?
Crystal
clear.
Of
course
soon
after
came
a
new
revelation
didn't
it?
A
new
temptation
undermining
God's
clear
word.
Did
God
really
say?
Did
God
really
say
that?
I
mean
let me
tell you
something
else.
You
won't
really
die
if
you
eat
it.
And
then
the blame
game
starts.
It's
not
fair.
The
woman
said
I
could
eat
it.
The
devil
deceived
me.
You
see
the
problem
is
it's
not
God's
word.
That's
not
the
problem.
The
problem
is
our
questioning
and
twisting
of
the
very
clear
truth
of
God's
word.
Verse
26
When
the
prophet
who
had
brought
him
back
from
his
journey
heard
of
what
had
happened
he
said
it
is
the
man
of
God
who
defied
the
word
of
the
Lord.
The
Lord
has
given
him
over
to
the
lion
which
has
mauled
him
and
killed
him
as
the
word
of
the
Lord
had
warned
him.
You
see
how we
respond
to
God's
word
is
deeply
serious.
To
defy
God's
word
is to
defy
God
himself.
And
if we
continue
to
persist
in
defiance
against
God's
word
judgment
will
come.
We
might
not
face
a
lion
but
one
day
we
will
all
die
and
we
will
all
stand
before
God
and
have
to
give
an
account.
So
hear
the
clarity
of
God's
word.
Third
experience
the
grace
of
God's
word.
Let's
look at
how
God's
grace
comes
to
the
old
prophet.
So
the
word
had
come
to
Jeroboam
at the
beginning.
The
word
comes
to
the
young
prophet
and
now
God's
grace
comes
to
the
old
prophet.
Three
things we
see here.
First
look at
the
mercy.
The
old
prophet
decides
to
go
out
to
see
what
has
happened.
He's
heard
about
the
young
prophet
who's
been
attacked
by
the
lion.
And
so
verse
28
then
he
went
out
and
found
the
body
lying
on
the
road
with
the
donkey
and
the
lion
standing
beside
it.
The
lion
had
neither
eaten
the
body
nor
mauled
the
donkey.
Now
you've
watched
David
Attenborough
haven't
you?
I
mean
this
is
extraordinary.
Lions
don't
stand
still
and
look
at
their
dinner
when
it's
ready
to
be
eaten
do
they?
They
get
stuck
in.
But
not
this
lion.
He
just
kills
the
man
leaves
the
body
and
doesn't
even
go
near
the
donkey
who's
prey.
This
lion
is
under
the
authority
of
God's
word.
God's
doing.
But
perhaps
it's
what
does
not
happen
that
should
take
us
by
most
surprise.
It's
what
doesn't
happen
that
is
a
shock.
Remember
this old
prophet,
he's
the one
who
lied.
He
said,
an
angel
told
me.
He
defied
God's
word.
We
could
even
make a
claim
and say
he was
worse
than the
younger
prophet.
I
mean
what
should
we
expect
to
happen
next
but
for
the
lion
to
pounce
and
jump
on
him.
But
the
lion
does
nothing.
By
a
word
of
mercy,
God
keeps
his
judgment
in
check.
Nothing
happens
to him.
Verse 29,
So the
prophet
picked up
the
body
of
the
man
of
God,
laid
it
on
the
donkey
and
brought
it
back
to
his
own
city
to
mourn
for
him
and
bury
him.
Are
you
shocked
at
the
mercy
of
God?
But
there's
not just
mercy.
Look
at the
evidence.
It
seems
that
this
old
prophet
has
begun
to
have
a
new
appreciation
for
God's
word.
The
evidence
of
God's
powerful
word
was
clear
and
it
has
now
given
him
a
new
understanding.
So
he
now
confidently
declares
in
verse
32,
For
the
message
he
that
is
the
prophet
declared
by
the
word
of
the
Lord
against
the
altar
in
Bethel
and
against
all
the
shrines
on
the
high
places
in
the
towns
of
Samaria
will
certainly
come
true.
He
now
believes
that
when
God
says
something
it's
going
to
happen
and
you
don't
defy
God's
word
you
obey
God's
word.
And so
he
declares
the
message
declared
by the
word
of the
Lord
will
certainly
come
true.
What
God
says
will
happen
does
happen.
Now
we
only
need
to
read
2
Kings
23
and
we
see
that
it
does
come
true.
Keep
your
finger
there
in
1
Kings
and
just
jump
ahead
to
2
Kings
chapter
23.
Remember
what
the
prophet
had
initially
said
back
in
verse
2
he
said
one
will
be
raised
up
his
name
would
be
Josiah.
Well
look at
2
Kings
chapter
23
verse
14.
Who
do we
meet?
Josiah
smashed
the sacred
stones
and cut
down
the
Asherah
poles
and
covered
the
sites
with
human
bones.
Even
the
altar
at
Bethel
the
high
place
made
by
Jeroboam
son
of
Nebat
who
had
caused
Israel
to
sin
even
that
altar
and
high
place
he
demolished.
And
why
did
he
do
all
of
that?
Well
look at
the
end
of
verse
16.
In
accordance
with
the
word
of
the
Lord
proclaimed
by
the
man
of
God
who
foretold
these
things.
Now
that's
evidence
for
us.
God's
powerful
word
clearly
spoken
can
be
trusted.
When
God
speaks
his
word
always
comes
true.
You
see
God
not
only
in
his
mercy
rescues
this
old
prophet
but
he's
given
him
clear
evidence
that
his
word
can
be
trusted.
But
not
only
that
look
at
the
patience
go
back
to
1
Kings
chapter
13
to
the
end
of
the
chapter
verse
33
look
how
it
concludes
even
after
this
Jeroboam
didn't
change
his
evil
ways
after
all
that
Jeroboam
had
seen
and
heard
and
everything
that
the
prophets
had
spoken
and
his
hand
shriveling
up
and
being
made
right
and
the
altar
splitting
apart
even
after
all
of
this
he
didn't
change
his
evil
ways
but
once
more
appointed
priest
for
the
high
places
from
all
sorts
of
people
anyone
who
wanted
to
become
a
priest
he
consecrated
for
the
high
places
this
was
the
sin
of
the
house
of
Jeroboam
that
led
to
its
downfall
and
to
its
destruction
from
the
face
of
the
earth
now
not
surprisingly
judgment
did
come to
the
house
of
Jeroboam
but
here's
the
point
it
didn't
happen
for
another
300
years
now
how
patient
is
that
the
patience
of
God
as
people
defy
God's
word
year
after
year
after
year
doing
what
they
want
ignoring
God
turning
their
back
on
him
so
God
is
showing
great
patience
and
delays
his
judgment
what
patience
is
that
you
see
all
of
this
is a
display
of
God's
grace
the
mercy
the
evidence
the
patience
it's
God's
grace
to
the
world
because
that's
what
God's
word
is
it's
a
word
of
grace
hold
your
Bibles
in
your
hands
it's
a
word
of
grace
to
you
a
word
that
doesn't
treat
us
as
our
sins
deserve
a
word
that
shows
us
great
patience
longing
that
all
would
turn
in
repentance
to
him
a
word
that
offers
forgiveness
and
mercy
and
new
life
and
a
word
that
will
keep
us
and
will
be
faithful
to
us
all
of
our
days
here
is
a
word
that
speaks
of
the
future
that
for
all
those
who
trust
him
are
guaranteed
and
assured
an
eternal
destiny
with
him
forever
and
forever
this
is a
word
of
grace
to
you
and
to
me
don't
do
a
jeroboam
and
give
up
on
the
mercy
and
the
evidence
and
the
patience
for
it
is
true
one
day
a
day
of
judgment
will
come
and
mercy
will
be
over
and
grace
will
be
gone
do
not
defy
God's
word
hear
his
grace
to
us
today
let
me
close
where
we
started
this
morning
by
just
reading
1
Peter
chapter
1
verse
23
for
you
have
been
born
again
not
of
perishable
seed
but
of
imperishable
through
the
living
and
enduring
word
of
God
for
all
people
are
like
grass
and
all
their
glory
is
like
the
flowers
of
the
field
the
grass
withers
and
the
flowers
fall
just
as
the
leaves
are
fallen
off
the
trees
right
now
so
our
end
will
come
but
the
word
of
the
Lord
endures
forever
let's
pray
together
when
we
have
a
time
and
good
when
we
and
we
are
right