1 Kings 13
A prophet was sent
by the Lord to Bethel to speak God's Word against the false religious
system that Jeroboam had established in Israel. Although the king was
there in his presence, the prophet spoke directly against the altar,
the place of false sacrifice. In this Word from God, he delivered an
astounding prophecy that would be fulfilled three hundred years later
in the days of the last good king of Judah, Josiah. (2 Kings 23:17).
King Jeroboam of
Israel had set up the altar in Bethel out of fear that the people of
Israel would return to Jerusalem for the appointed festivals. The
king now attempted to assert his authority over this prophet of God,
but a sign of the Lord's judgment came against him immediately. The
man of God extended the Lord's mercy to the king by praying for his
healing, and he was immediately healed.
The chapter
concludes with a strange series of events involving two genuine
prophets, deception, the death of the first prophet, and a solemn
testimonial from the second. These events may seem bizarre to us.
Above all else, they were a display of the knowledge and power of
God, as well as His seriousness regarding exact obedience to His
Word.
These two men would
end up sharing a grave that would be a marker of the truth of God's
Word in the days of Josiah. While other graves in Bethel would be
unearthed, and dead bones would be used by Josiah to defile this old
false altar, the shared grave of these men would not be disturbed.
The extraordinary
story of Josiah was many generations away and would further heighten
the truth of the testimony given that day long ago in Bethel. Yet
even when the Word was originally spoken in the days of Jeroboam, it
should have been clear to the king that God's truth was near, and
that He was calling the king to repent. But he would not listen.
Our Messiah, Jesus,
is holy. He is a prophet of perfect truth and a King who came to
serve us in unblemished righteousness. He is set apart from all the
sinful personalities on the face of the earth, however great they may
be. Yet He was determined to be very near to His people in His death,
His burial, and His resurrection.
The cross of Jesus
has become our death. We were buried with Him in baptism. We are
seated with Him already in heavenly places. His holiness, so
different from our own record of obedience, has become the legal
record for all who call upon His Name. The key words and events of
His power and love, recorded for us so convincingly in the
Scriptures, are a monument to the church forever of the abounding
greatness of our eternal Prophet, Priest, and King.
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