1 Reis 13

R.C. Sproul · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 Reis 13

Sproul - The Role of the Prophet 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. [1 Kings 13:1] When Jeroboam set up his false religion, God immediately sent a prophet to confront him. Before we look at this confrontation it might be good to consider the nature of the prophetic role. A prophet, as that term is generally used in Scripture, speaks for someone else—almost always for God. We may say that a priest speaks to God on behalf of the people, while a prophet speaks to the people on behalf of God. Prophets are agents of God’s revelation. In the New Testament, the role of the prophets is taken over by the apostles, who completed the written Word of God. Another word used to denote a prophet is seer. It comes from the idea of a see-er, someone who “sees.” A seer discerns God’s will and tells it to the people. The prophet also is called “a man of God,” “a servant of God,” and “a messenger of God.” Most people think of a prophet primarily as someone who foretells the future. While they possessed this God-given ability, the prophets predicted certain future events for two reasons: First, a prophet predicted something that would take place in the near future, and when the people saw the prophet’s prediction come to pass, they were forced to pay closer attention to the rest of the message. Second, predictions of judgment strengthened the prophets’ warnings: “You’d better repent now, because destruction is coming.” The primary role of the prophets was to forthtell the Word of God. In this role they interpreted and applied Scripture to the needs of the people. As such, the prophets were social critics. They were not revolutionary radicals, calling for the overthrow of society. They were exactly the opposite—conservative radicals calling society back to God’s law. Some Christians today are so tired of the left-wing social gospel that they ignore social problems. The correct response for biblical Christians is not to ignore social problems but to provide biblical solutions. We don’t preach the liberal social gospel, but the true gospel that we preach has definite social and political implications. Coram Deo It is all too evident that many pastors capitulate their prophetic responsibility. The current tendency is to preach about “felt needs” and to avoid saying that sin is sin. Are you supporting your church in its prophetic function, as it speaks courageously and as the pastor preaches vigorously against the sins of our day? Remember, it is not your church that is to take a political stand, but through its preaching the people individually are to stand for social and political justice. THE PRICE OF DISOBEDIENCE 1 KINGS 13:1–32 - James Bolick INTRODUCTION. This message is to the children of God. It is a warning from God. In the passage of Scripture we see clearly the consequences of disobeying God. I. HE WAS GOD’S MAN. 1 Kings 13:1. A. He cried against evil to the king. 1 Kings 13:2. B. He prophesied coming events. 1 Kings 13:2, 3—They came to pass as he said. 2 Kings 23:15, 16. C. He was defended by the Lord. 1 Kings 13:4, 5—God will always defend the obedient child. D. He performed a miracle. 1 Kings 13:6. E. He refused the rewards of the king. 1 Kings 13:7, 8. (Like unto Daniel and John the Baptist.) II. HE WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE LORD. 1 Kings 13:8–10. A. Not to eat or drink. (To have fellowship with these who are against God.) 2 Cor. 6:14–18; 2 John vvs. 7–11. B. Nor to return the same way that he had come. III. HIS DISOBEDIENCE. A. He had the Truth. 1 Kings 13:17—THE WORD of God. Thus, his was a wilful disobedience. John 17:17; 2 Peter 1:19–21; 2 Tim. 3:16; James 1:22; 2 Peter 2:21. B. He heeded the words of a lying prophet. 1 Kings 13:18; Cp. Matt. 7:15; 1 Tim. 4:1, 2; 2 Tim. 4:1–4; Phil. 3:2; Cp. Isa. 56:10, 11. Note: Where the old prophet dwelt. 1 Kings 13:11—“Bethel—The House of God.” IV. THE RESULTS OF DISOBEDIENCE. A. Disobedience completed. 1 Kings 13:19. B. He was killed. 1 Kings 13:20–24. 1. Slain by a lion. 1 Kings 13:24; Cp. 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Cor. 5:5. Type of Satan. 2. The lion and the ass stood by—“gloating.” Satan and the unsaved—gloating over the fallen child of God. Cp. Samson. Jdg. 16:23–30. C. He was buried in the grave of the lying prophet. 1 Kings 13:30—Identified with him; a defeated testimony. Ivan Steeds - 1 Kings 13:1–34 THE UNNAMED PROPHET - Day by Day The ‘man of God’ faithfully discharged his God-given mission at Bethel, (i) He received his instructions directly from God Himself, ‘There came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel’, v. 1. (ii) He discharged his responsibility in crying ‘against the altar’ at Bethel. His message was uncompromising, vv. 2–3. (iii) He was preserved when Jeroboam ‘put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him’, v. 4. (iv) He was willing to intercede for the stricken Jeroboam, and God answered in mercy, v. 6. The ‘man of God’ was no hard-hearted preacher. (v) He refused to associate himself with the idolatrous king, or to accept his favours, vv. 7–9. Thus far, everything is commendable. We must note the lessons. But things went terribly wrong on the return journey. At first, he resisted pressure from the ‘old prophet’ from Bethel to return there with him; ‘It was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest’, vv. 16–17. But he succumbed to pressure when the ‘old prophet’ falsely told him that God had changed His mind, v. 18. The ‘man of God’ then discovered to his cost that God had not changed His mind, and that he was quite wrong to think that God could go back on His word, vv. 21–23. Here is the main lesson of the story. God does not change His mind. The original message stands. Paul highlights the lesson, ‘But though we, or an angel from heaven (the ‘old prophet’ said, ‘angel spake unto me’), preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed’, Gal. 1:8–9. Remember that in the word of God, we have ‘the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’, Jude 3 RV. People claim that ‘we have moved on since New Testament times, but God’s word has not altered and cannot be altered. It was a disgrace in Bible times not to be buried; see Ecclesiastes 6:3. God therefore overrode the natural instincts of the lion to ensure that His servant, who was certainly not an apostate, and who, in spite of his lapse, had been faithful in many ways, should have an honourable burial, vv. 24–31. He was not subject to the ultimate humiliation. 1 Kings 13:2 He cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’” O altar: De 32:1 Isa 1:2 58:1 Jer 22:29 Eze 36:1,4 38:4 Lu 19:40 Josiah by name: 2Ki 22:1,2 23:15-18 2Ch 34:1,4-7 Isa 42:9 44:26-28 46:10 Isa 48:5-7 offer: 2Ki 23:15-17 Related Passages: 2 Kings 23:15-20 Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he (JOSIAH) demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16 Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent and took the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17 Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” 18 He said, “Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. 19 Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel. 20 All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem. A REMARKABLE PROPHECY He cried against the altar (mizbeah; Lxx - thusiasterion) by the word of the LORD - The words he cried were the word of the LORD, and his cry brings to mind Yahweh's description of His Word, Jeremiah recording "Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?" Both are clearly rhetorical questions, for indeed in the present context the Word of the LORD would split the altar (usually composed of rocks)! and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the LORD, ‘Behold (hinneh; Lxx - idou = PAY ATTENTION!), a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places (bamah) who burn incense (qatar) on you, and human bones shall be burned on you - Here God speaks through a prophet in about 931 BC to foretell of a man named Josiah who would fulfill this prophecy in about 622 B.C! Notice the prophet is speaking to an inanimate object (of course God can "animate anything!"). Notice also that this prophecy would be fulfilled after the Northern Kingdom has come to an end (722 BC). Predictive Prophecy is the strongest evidence for an inspired Bible. -- Bob Utley THOUGHT - Have you taken much time to study predictive prophecy? I can attest that when I came to know Jesus as my Savior 40 years ago predictive prophecy placed a definite role in my conversion. Warren

1 Reis 13

Sproul - The Prophet and the King [The prophet] cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD: “O 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 now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’ ” [1 Kings 13:2] The oracle the unnamed prophet delivered against Jeroboam’s false religion was one of woe. It was an example of a “covenant lawsuit.” One of the most important duties of the prophet was to stand as a prosecuting attorney for God, summoning the people to trial. When the people, and especially their king, broke the covenant, the prophet would bring God’s lawsuit against them. One reason the prophetic ministry came into prominence during the period of the kings is that the order of the kingdom was directly tied to another function of the prophet: He was the ambassador of the High King, the Lord. Regarding the reign of King Saul, we saw that the essential condition of the kingdom was that the human king must always hearken to the words of the High King, brought by his prophet (see pp. 328–29). God gave a kingdom to Saul, who tried to make it his own. Then the prophet Samuel brought the covenant lawsuit against him. God gave a kingdom to David, who sought to exploit it for his own purpose; then the prophet Nathan brought the covenant lawsuit against David. God gave a kingdom to Solomon, who then broke the three laws of kingship, assuming that the kingdom was his to administer as he pleased. God raised up the prophet Ahijah to oppose him. Next, God had given a kingdom to Jeroboam, and the first thing Jeroboam did was reject God as High King and start doing things his own way. Hence, God sent a prophet to denounce him and later sent Ahijah to announce the coming destruction of Jeroboam’s line (1 Kings 14:1–20). This pattern continues throughout the books of Kings, which is why so many chapters are actually about the prophets Elijah and Elisha. These men and their followers reminded the people who the true King of the land was, and called out the “remnant” to follow him. In a real sense, then, the books of Kings (one book in Hebrew) are not merely about the human kings of Judah and Israel. They are about the human kings of Israel and Judah, and the High King—the Lord. Coram Deo Pastors and church leaders would naturally rather fulfil only the priestly aspect of their work, comforting God’s people. Yet, it is also their duty, and the duty of the church as an institution, to be the prophetic voice of the High King, calling nations to submit and reminding all of us that we are to live our lives in submission to King Jesus. Pray for your leaders today, that they will not shirk their God-ordained responsibilities to be both prophet and priest 1 Kings 13:3 Then he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the LORD has spoken, ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart and the ashes which are on it shall be poured out.’” NET 1 Kings 13:3 That day he also announced a sign, "This is the sign the LORD has predetermined: The altar will be split open and the ashes on it will fall to the ground." CSB 1 Kings 13:3 He gave a sign that day. He said, "This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: 'The altar will now be ripped apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.'" ESV 1 Kings 13:3 And he gave a sign the 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.'" NIV 1 Kings 13:3 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." NLT 1 Kings 13:3 That same day the man of God gave a sign to prove his message. He said, "The LORD has promised to give this sign: This altar will split apart, and its ashes will be poured out on the ground." NRS 1 Kings 13:3 He gave a sign the same day, saying, "This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: 'The altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.'" NJB 1 Kings 13:3 At the same time he gave a sign. 'This is the sign', he said, 'that Yahweh has spoken, "This altar will burst apart and the ashes which are on it will be spilt." ' NAB 1 Kings 13:3 He gave a sign that same day and said: "This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: The altar shall break up and the ashes on it shall be strewn about. YLT 1 Kings 13:3 And he hath given on that day a sign, saying, 'This is the sign that Jehovah hath spoken, Lo, the altar is rent, and the ashes poured forth that are on it.' Ex 4:3-5,8,9 7:10 De 13:1-3 1Sa 2:34 2Ki 20:8 Isa 7:11-14 Isa 38:6-8,22 Jer 44:29 Mt 12:38-40 Joh 2:18 1Co 1:22 Related Passages: Deuteronomy 18:15-22+ “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. 16“This is according to all that you asked of the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ 17“The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18‘I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19‘It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. 20‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ 22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. Leviticus 6:10-11+ The priest is to put on his linen robe, and he shall put on undergarments next to his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire reduces the burnt offering on the altar and place them beside the altar. 11 ‘Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. GOD'S SIGN GIVES PRESENT PROOF OF FUTURE FULFILLMENT Then he gave a sign (mopheth; Lxx - teras = portent, something that astounds because it is transcendent) the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the LORD has spoken, ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart (qara) and the ashes which are on it shall be poured out (on the ground instead of being removed away from the altar to a clean place) - Note from the passage above, especially Dt 18:22+, the test of a true prophet was that the event prophesied would come to pass. In the present case the prophecy predicts an event more than 300 years in the future, so that this sign of the split altar would serve to validate the future prophecy. It is notable that Jehovah "attacks" the altar of incense which is as if He is saying to Jeroboam "What you are doing on this altar is totally unacceptable to Me!" To say it another way, this sign is clear demonstration of God's rejection of Jeroboam's false sacrificial system. In Lev 6:10-11+ the ashes were to be carried outside the camp to a clean place. In other words, the ashes being poured out would signify that the altar and its sacrifices were defiled and thus rejected by God. Finally, this sign would serve as a "preview" of Josiah's destruction of these altars of false worship. It is no coincidence that the verb (qara) which is translated split apart in this verse is also used to describe God's judgment against Solomon.... So the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear (qara) the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12 “Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear (qara) it out of the hand of your son. 13 “However, I will not tear away (qara) all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.” (1Ki 11:11-13+, cf 1Ki. 14:8) In addition, there is a touch of irony in that this verb (qara) was also used by another prophet named Ahijah to predict the commencement of Jeroboam's kingdom... Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore (qara) it into twelve pieces. 31 He said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I will tear (qara) the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes (1Ki. 11:30-31+) Dale Ralph Davis astutely asks "Would Jeroboam remember Ahijah and get the point? A torn cloak had meant a torn kingdom, a kingdom under judgment. Now, at Bethel, a torn altar signified torn religion, a religion under judgment. (1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly ) Sign (04159) mopheth means wonder, sign, miracle, marvel, portent and often used to refer to a display of God's power (plagues Ex 7:3, 11:9, Ps 105:5). False prophets produced false wonders (Dt 13:1). Some of God's signs are in the heavenlies (Joel 2:30). Isaiah's children served as signs (Isa 8:18, cf Ezek 12:6,11, Zech 3:8). Complete Biblical Library - The wonders that God performed before Pharaoh are frequently referenced as examples of God's provision and power (Exo. 7:3; 11:9; Deut. 4:34; 6:22; 29:3; 34:11; Neh. 9:10; Pss. 78:43; 135:9). Thus, God's signs and wonders in Egypt became prototypical examples for how God acted and how He could act "even to this day both in Israel and among mankind" (Jer. 32:20f, NASB). Almost half the occurrences of this noun are associated with the Exodus. Joel prophesied a display of wonders in the future that was partially fulfilled in the NT (Joel 2:30; cf. Acts 2:19). The psalmist called for Israel to remember such wonders (Ps. 105:5). Wonders were often given as prophetic tokens of future events. As with the signs performed to Pharaoh, they were first prophesied and then would come to pass shortly thereafter. In 1 Kings 13:3ff, a prophet warns Jeroboam concerning his apostasy by the sign of a demolished altar. Isaiah and his children became signs of God's plans for Israel (Isa. 8:18). Ezekiel symbolized the exile of Judah by Babylon and thus became a sign for the people (Ezek. 12:6, 11; cf. 24:24-27). Wonders could only be a partial sign of divine approval or provision. It conveyed a message, either of judgment (e.g., the covenant curses, Deut. 28:15ff, or divine approval, Deut. 4:34). A false prophet may also perform signs and wonders that come true, but the ultimate test was if that prophet led Israel to worship false gods (Deut. 13:1f). This may shed some light on why Christ did not view signs and wonders as the ultimate testimony of his mission. When Pharisees asked Him to show signs, He replied, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign" (Matt. 12:38f). Robert L Alden - This masculine noun is of no certain etymology. No verb or other noun uses the same root letters. However, the meaning of môpēt is not questioned. Often it is parallel to ʾôt (q.v.), which also means "sign," "symbol," "portent," "wonder," or "miracle" (Exodus 7:3; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 6:22; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 13:1ff.; Deut. 26:8; Deut. 28:46; Deut. 29:2; Deut. 34:11; Neh. 9:10; Psalm 135:9; Isaiah 8:18; Isaiah 20:3; Jeremiah 32:20, et al.). "Judgments" and "works" are parallel to môpēt in 1 Chron. 16:12 and Psalm 105:5. The LXX renders môpēt as tērata "prodigies," marvels." The first occurrences of môpēt in the OT are in Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:3, 9; Exodus 11:9-10. In these verses it refers to Moses' rod changing into a snake (Exodus 7:9), as well as to the ten major plagues on the Egyptians. Most of the usages in the Deuteronomy passages refer both to the miraculous punishments and the wonderful provisions God made for his people in the wilderness (e.g. water, manna, quails, and the pillar of fire). In this connection also note Neh. 9:10; 1 Chron. 16:12; Psalm 78:43; Psalm 105:5, 27; Psalm 135:9; Jeremiah 32:20. Deut. 13:1ff. and Deut. 28:46 are exceptions. In the former pericope môpēt refers to a "portent" or perhaps a prediction that a questionable prophet or dreamer gives. Depending on whether the ʾôt (sign) or the môpēt (wonder) comes to pass, the would-be prophet is authenticated or condemned. The Deut. 28:46 passage is in the curse section. Israel as a nation will become a "sign" or "wonder," i.e. a spectacle or demonstration of the rewards of disobedience. Psalm 71:7; Isaiah 8:18; Isaiah 20:3; Ezekiel 12:6, 11; Ezekiel 24:24, 27; and Zech. 3:8 use the word similarly. The psalmists or the prophets are themselves the object lesson. Other miracles described by this word are the rending of the altar to authenticate the prediction about Josiah's advent (1 Kings 13:3, 5), the recovery of Hezekiah from mortal illness (2 Chron. 32:24, 31), and the restoration of Ezekiel's speech (Ezekiel 24:24, 27). Joel uses the word to describe celestial and terrestial manifestations of God's power in "the great and terrible day of the Lord" (Joel 2:30 [H 3:3-4]). Peter paraphrases this verse in Acts 2:19, using the Greek plural synonyms terata and sēmeia. (Online - Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) MOPHETH - 37x/35V - marvel(1), marvels(3), miracle(1), miracles(1), sign(8), symbol(1), token(1), wonder(4), wonders(17). Exod. 4:21; Exod. 7:3; Exod. 7:9; Exod. 11:9; Exod. 11:10; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 6:22; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 13:1; Deut. 13:2; Deut. 26:8; Deut. 28:46; Deut. 29:3; Deut. 34:11; 1 Ki. 13:3; 1 Ki. 13:5; 1 Chr. 16:12; 2 Chr. 32:24; 2 Chr. 32:31; Neh. 9:10; Ps. 71:7; Ps. 78:43; Ps. 105:5; Ps. 105:27; Ps. 135:9; Isa. 8:18; Isa. 20:3; Jer. 32:20; Jer. 32:21; Ezek. 12:6; Ezek. 12:11; Ezek. 24:24; Ezek. 24:27; Joel 2:30; Zech. 3:8 See SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN Split (tear, rend, cut) (07167) qara means to tear or rip apart, as when Reuben and Jacob tore their clothes when they realized Joseph was gone from the pit (Ge 37:29, 34; cf Ex. 28:32; Jer. 36:23, 24, Nu 14:6 = Joshua and Caleb's reaction to Israel's grumbling about the promised land; Josh 7:6 = Joshua's reaction to their defeat at Ai; Jdg 11:35 = Jephthah's reaction when he saw his daughter who he had to offer to the Lord to keep a vow; of David when he heard of Saul's death 2 Sa 1:11; of Tamar in mourning for being violated - 2 Sa 13:19; David's reaction 2 Sa 13:31; of Elisha when Elijah departed - 2 Ki 2:12, cf 2 Ki 5:7, 8, 6:30, 11:14, 2 Ki 18:37, 19:1, 22:11,22:19 = Josiah when he heard the words from the book of God which had been lost in the house of God! O my, does this describe much of the American church?; Ezra 9:3, 5; Mordecai's reaction when he heard the ruling to kill all the Jews in Persia - Esther 4:1; Job 2:12 = when Job's friends saw his sad state!; Isa 36:22, 37:1). Of the priest tearing a faded mark from a garment (Lev 13:56). Of the king cutting Jeremiah's scroll (Jer 36:23) but refusing to "rend their garments." (Jer 36:24) 1 Kings 13:4 Now when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” But his hand which he stretched out against him dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. KJV 1 Kings 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. BGT 1 Kings 13:4 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ιεροβοαμ τῶν λόγων τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐπικαλεσαμένου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἐν Βαιθηλ καὶ ἐξέτεινεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου λέγων συλλάβετε αὐτόν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐξηράνθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἣν ἐξέτεινεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθη ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὴν πρὸς ἑαυτόν LXE 1 Kings 13:4 And it came to pass when king Jeroboam heard the words of the man of God who called on the altar that was in Baethel, that the king stretched forth his hand from the altar, saying, Take hold of him. And, behold, his hand, which he stretched forth against him, withered, and he could not draw it back to himself. NET 1 Kings 13:4 When the king heard what the prophet cried out against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam, standing at the altar, extended his hand and ordered, "Seize him!" The hand he had extended shriveled up and he could not pull it back. CSB 1 Kings 13:4 When the king heard the word that the man of God had cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Arrest him!" But the hand he stretched out against him withered, and he could not pull it back to himself. ESV 1 Kings 13:4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him." And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. NIV 1 Kings 13:4 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 toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. NLT 1 Kings 13:4 When King Jeroboam heard the man of God speaking against the altar at Bethel, he pointed at him and shouted, "Seize that man!" But instantly the king's hand became paralyzed in that position, and he couldn't pull it back. NRS 1 Kings 13:4 When the king heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him!" But the hand that he stretched out against him withered so that he could not draw it back to himself. NJB 1 Kings 13:4 When the king heard how the man of God denounced the altar of Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, 'Seize him!' But the hand he stretched out against the man withered, and he could not draw it back, NAB 1 Kings 13:4 When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God was crying out against the altar, he stretched forth his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched forth against him withered, so that he could not draw it back. YLT 1 Kings 13:4 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the word of the man of God that he calleth against the altar in Beth-El, that Jeroboam putteth forth his hand from off the altar, saying, 'Catch him;' and his hand is dried up that he hath put forth against him, and he is not able to bring it back unto him, Seize him: 2Ch 16:10 18:25-27 25:15,16 Ps 105:15 Jer 20:2-4 Jer 26:8-11,20-23 38:4-6 Am 7:10-17 Mt 25:40 26:57 Mk 14:44-46 Joh 13:20 Ac 6:12-14 his hand: Ge 19:11 2Ki 6:18-20 Jer 20:4-6 Lu 3:19,20 6:10 Joh 18:6 Ac 9:4,5 13:8-11 Rev 11:5 JEROBOAM'S DISBELIEF AND DIVINE DISCIPLINE Now when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” But his hand which he stretched out against him dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself - Jeroboam's hand was toward the altar at the very moment the sign was decreed. Talk about getting your attention! There were actually two signs. And "freezing" of his hand was not even the predicted "sign" but it clearly proved the man of God and his sign were from God. 1 Kings 13:5 The altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. 1Ki 13:3 1Ki 22:28,35 Ex 9:18-25 Nu 16:23-35 De 18:22 Jer 28:16,17 Mk 16:20 Ac 5:1-10 THE SIGN FULFILLED THE WORD OF THE LORD The altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD - Altar also suggests that as Jeroboam's hand froze, the altar also split apart. The fulfillment of the near prophecy (sign) assures the fulfillment of the remote prophecy. 1 Kings 13:6 The king said to the man of God, “Please entreat the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before. now: Ex 8:8,28 9:28 10:17 12:32 Nu 21:7 1Sa 12:19 Jer 37:3 42:2-4 Ac 8:24 Jas 5:16 Rev 3:9 besought: Ex 8:12,13 Nu 12:13 1Sa 12:23 Mt 5:44 Lu 6:27,28 23:34 Ac 7:60 Ro 12:14,21 Jas 5:16-18 Lord: Heb. face of the Lord JEROBOAM NOW A "BELIEVER" The king said to the man of God, “Please entreat the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored (shub/sub; Lxx - epistrepho) to me - All of a sudden Jeroboam becomes a believer in the power of prayer (much like Pharaoh in Ex 8:8, 28, 9:27-28, 10:17, 12:32), asking the man he was going to terminate to be the one to terminate his distress! It is not request for prayer from a repentant heart! Notice he calls the LORD your God so clearly Jeroboam is making to pretense to have had a miraculous conversion. And clearly even Jeroboam seems to acknowledge the difference between his false gods and the true and living God. And neither did he seek intercession from his counterfeit priests. THOUGHT - The rapid change of the prophet's condition from persecuted to intercessor reminds me of Ro 12:14, 17-21. In this case the LORD immediately vindicated His prophet. But rest assured, child of God, all wrongs unjustly done against you will be made right in this life or the next and let this immutable truth serve as motivation to obey the instruction to "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men (AND)....Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord." (Ro 12:17, 19+). It is notable that restored (shub/sub; Lxx - epistrepho) was what he asked for physically when what he really needed was spiritual restoration. In fact the same Greek verb epistrepho was used of Jesus in Lk 1:16 stating "He will turn many of the sons of Israel back (epistrepho) to the Lord their God." Jeroboam had no interest in spiritual restoration much to his and the Northern Kingdom's detriment. It is interesting to me that commentators try to explain how Jeroboam's arm became still - e.g., saying it was muscular spasm or nervous reaction to shock of the prophet's words, a sudden blockage of the brachial artery, etc. Without meaning to be rude why do we need a medical explanation (I am a physician)? God simply caused his arm to stiffen supernaturally! So (term of conclusion) the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before. - Jeroboam obtained healing of his stiff arm but continued to manifest a stiff-neck as described by Stephen in Acts 7:51+ declaring "You (MEN OF ISRAEL) men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did." We see the amazing grace and boundless mercy of God being offered to this incredibly rebellious king. This should have been Jeroboam's wake up call! One would think that this dramatic reversal would have shocked Jeroboam into reality (that God is real and in control) and caused him to consider trashing his counterfeit gods for the real God. But pride and self-will are strong opponents of humility and the truth of God. As the story unfolds Jeroboam shows no evidence of repentance and continued his abominable practices. Philip Ryken - In the fall of 1547, a member of England’s royal court was sitting under the proclamation of the Word of God. The preacher’s name was Hugh Latimer, the famous Reformer. The listener’s name was John Bradford, and he was starting to feel very uncomfortable. Like a reforming prophet, Latimer was preaching on integrity—especially the need for honesty and integrity in financial dealings. As he listened to the man of God, Bradford began to be convicted of his sin. In his work as a paymaster in the army, he had colluded with Sir John Harrington to defraud the crown. Now he realized that he had a choice to make. Would he reject the rebuke of the Word of God, or would he repent of his sin and make restitution?One of Bradford’s biographers tells us what he decided: “Master Latimer … did earnestly speak of restitution to be made of things falsely gotten. This did so strike him to the heart that he could never be quiet till by the advice of the same Master Latimer a restitution was made.”9 That restitution was very costly. It exposed Bradford to public shame. It also made him some enemies in high places, men who did not want their own crimes to be exposed. But John Bradford did what was right. When the Word of God rebuked him, he did not keep going his own way, but made a full repentance. The Word of God calls us away from idolatry to repentance, faith, and the glory of God. Make whatever repentance is needed. Do not reject God’s Word. Do not try to work religion to personal advantage. Do not go your own way, but listen to the true Word of God. (1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly) 1 Kings 13:7 Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” refresh: Ge 18:5 Jdg 13:15 19:21 I will give: 1Sa 9:7,8 2Ki 5:15 Jer 40:5 Mal 1:10 Ac 8:18-20 1Pe 5:2 JEROBOAM'S OFFER OF A LITTLE "R & R" Then - Time phrase. Marks progression in the narrative. The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” - This might have been tempting to the man of God (who is after all still a fallen man). Philip Ryken is probably not far off with his comment that "Jeroboam was still thinking of religion as something he could manipulate for his own purposes, something he could buy and sell. In effect, he was trying to bribe God’s prophet. By purchasing the man’s loyalty, perhaps he could gain the power of his miraculous prayers....yet the man of God is not for sale!" (1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly) A compromising servant of God muddies the waters and confuses the saints. Warren