1 Kings 13 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

1 Kings 13 Short Summary:

God sent a prophet to Jeroboam to rebuke him for instituting false worship in Israel after he erected two golden calves and appointed priests at the high places. After rebuking Jeroboam, the prophet was tricked into disobeying God by an older prophet from Bethel. As judgement God had a lion kill him as he journeyed home. The prophet’s rebuke of Jeroboam did little to change the king, as we’re told he continued in his wicked ways.

1 Kings 13 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, became king in his father’s place in 975 B.C.

• Rehoboam reigned 17 years (1 Kings 14:21) in Judah, from approximately 975-958 B.C.

• When the kingdom of Israel and Judah divided, the people of Israel made Jeroboam their king.

• Jeroboam reigned for 22 years (14:20).

CHARACTERS:

• Jeroboam – An Ephraimite who was originally a servant of Solomon. God selected him to be king over Israel after Solomon’s death.

• Younger Prophet – A man from Judah who rebuked Jeroboam for instituting ungodly worship in Israel.

• Older Prophet – A resident of Bethel. He tricked the younger prophet into disobeying God.

WHERE:

• Jeroboam made two golden calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan.

• In this chapter, Jeroboam offered sacrifices at an altar in Bethel.

• High Places – These were locations, probably on the tops of hills, where altars were built, and sacrifices were offered to the Lord. The Bible doesn’t tell us how these places were designated. It’s possible some of them were originally chosen as holy sites by the nations who inhabited the Promised Land prior to Israel’s conquest.

OUTLINE:

• THE MAN OF GOD PROPHESIES AGAINST JEROBOAM’S ALTAR (13:1-10):

  • At the instruction of the Lord, a prophet of God went to Jeroboam at his altar in Bethel while he was offering sacrifices.

  • The man of God prophesied against Jeroboam, saying that one day God would raise up a man named Josiah who would defile Jeroboam’s unholy altars by burning human bones on them (2 Kings 23:1-20).

  • When Jeroboam tried to have the prophet arrested, his hand was miraculously “dried up” by God and the altar was torn apart.

  • Jeroboam begged the prophet to pray for him. The prophet did and Jerobaom’s hand was fixed.

  • Jeroboam invited the prophet to his house to eat, but the prophet rejected his invitation because God forbid him from eating or drinking with anyone.

• THE LYING PROPHET TRICKS THE MAN OF GOD (13:11-32):

  • An old prophet lived in Bethel, and when he heard about the events that transpired at Jeroboam’s altar, he set out to find the younger prophet (the man of God from verses 1-10).

  • When he found him sitting under an oak tree, he invited him to his house to eat, but the younger prophet refused on the same grounds that he refused Jeroboam’s invitation.

  • So the old prophet thought up a lie. He told the young prophet an angel spoke to him and told him to invite him.

  • The young prophet believed him and went with him to his house.

  • After they had eaten, the younger prophet mounted his donkey, but as he journeyed home, he was attacked and killed by a lion for disobeying God.

  • The lion did not eat him but stood by the body in the road.

  • When the old prophet found out what happened, he went to recover the body, mourn over it, and bury it.

  • He put the body in his own tomb and asked his family to bury him with the young prophet when he died.

• JEROBOAM CONTINUES TO DISOBEY THE LORD (13:33-34):

  • After this experience, Jeroboam didn’t repent.

  • He continued down his path of sin and appointed more priests at the high places, further distorting the worship of God.

APPLICATION:

• Sometimes temptations come from places you don’t expect.

• The young prophet was on his guard when talking to Jeroboam. He wasn’t going to break God’s instructions by accepting Jeroboam’s invitation.

• But he let his guard down when the old prophet approached him and invited him to his home. He assumed he could trust a fellow prophet, but he was wrong.

• We must always be on guard and on the look-out for temptation, we can’t afford to let our guard in a world with so many dangers.

• 1Peter 5:8 - Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.