How To Throw It All Away

1 Kings 13-14

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 14. READ 14:7-16

Have you ever received a gift beyond your expectations … only to lose it because of your own bad choices?

There was that Christmas – for months, you had been eyeing the Sears Catalogue (if you are old enough to remember what that was) or mesmerized by the commercial on tv – the ad for that special radio control car … you didn’t dare ask for it because … well, there was ‘just no way’. So you asked for the much more reasonable ‘Hot Wheels’ – they were cheap. On Christmas morning - you took the package with your name on it – carefully opened the wrapping paper - and, sure enough - it wasn’t the ‘reasonable’ gift you asked for - it was the radio controlled car you had wanted the whole time! But then you decided to take it to your friend’s house to show it off … the friend with the rough big brothers. Dad said, “I don’t think you should – those boys are pretty rough on things.” You insisted – and you took it … and, lo and behold, you came back with your car in pieces and nobody to blame but yourself.

The specifics may be different – but we’ve all experienced that story in some way in our lives: a toy, a relationship, a career … You had more than you could ever dream of – and you threw it all away by your own foolish choices.

That’s where Jeroboam is in 1 Kings 13-14. This morning, we’re dealing with both of these chapters and the question we want the answer to is this: “How did the king get here - to this devastating judgment?”

This was a young man, minding his own business - when a prophet from God - intercepts him on the highway home from work, with the message that God has big things for him … He isn’t going to just work in government - He’s going to be the king of a vast majority of Israel. The prophet takes his own jacket - tears it into strip after strip after strip - and says that 10 of these tribes are going to be yours.

In fact not just is Jeroboam going to be king - he is going to head up a dynasty - so that, when he dies, his descendants are going to step up and take their seats on his throne - for generation after generation … Who could have seen this coming?

There’s a catch … God will do this for Jeroboam, If … and that’s a big ‘If’ … but it’s a doable ‘if’ - God will do this IF Jeroboam follows God’s word.

1 IGNORING GOD’S WORD IN WORSHIP, 13:1-10

The first story takes place at church. Go back to v. 1 of chapter 13. See Jeroboam, the king - standing, in his royal robes, beside the altar - smoke from the sacrifice wafting into the air. Well, this is a good thing, isn’t it? Here’s a king who isn’t so proud that he pushes religion off to the side as silly superstition. He sees the importance of worship. God matters. In fact, he takes it so seriously that he’s willing to get his hands dirty. I mean, his kingly garments are going to smell of smoke after this work over the altar - but he doesn’t care. He wants to be hands-on, in the worship service.

There’s an air of solemnity in church that day as not just any priest, but the king himself is leading worship. But suddenly, the solemn stillness of worship is broken, as a nameless man pushes his way, from the back of the assembly, through the crowd, to the front.

He gets to the place where nobody is standing between him and the king - so he can see him fact to face - and immediately, he launches into a tirade against this altar.

READ Chapter 13:1-3.

First, this man of God with no name interrupts church - but then he goes on to look hundreds of years into the future and prophecy that a coming descendant of David, whom he names already - don’t miss that - Josiah ...

Josiah will slaughter priests on this altar and completely desecrate it by offering human bones on it.

And as proof that this prediction is more than just a sour-grapes temper tantrum - he announces that this altar, in use at this very moment - is about to be torn apart, with the ashes spilling out - as these very people look on. It’s a picture of what God thinks of the sacrifices made here: He’s vomiting the residue onto the ground.

It’s obvious, this prophet is from the Southern Kingdom - He’s come into the North of this divided Kingdom - to stir up trouble. But what a way to wreck the atmosphere of a worship service.

Well, Jeroboam didn’t become king by letting anybody, especially an OUTSIDER, walk all over him. So, his royal highness takes charge. He reaches out his hand - pointing his finger directly at this troublesome prophet - and, hot with anger, spits out his command to his secret service: “Seize him”.

… And, in an instant, his rage turns to fear: no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring his finger, hand and arm back to his body. They were frozen. He was paralyzed. And to make matters worse, the altar with the sacrifice burning on top of it - that altar splits apart and ashes pour out on the floor, in front of the crowd of worshipers. Jeroboam is like a citizen of Pompeii - when Mt. Vesuvius blew - frozen in time - with ashes everywhere.

One thing the king still has control over is his mouth. And he changes his approach toward the prophet. His anger turns to pleading (paralysis has a way of doing that). He pleads with the man of God to do something. Look at v. 6, “Entreat now the favor of the LORD YOUR God (don’t miss the pronoun - not ‘my’ God, not ‘our’ God … but ‘Your’ God) ... ‘Pray’ for me so that my hand will be healed and I’ll be back to normal.”

The man prays - and his prayer is answered. The king is healthy again. And wouldn’t you know it - the king who moments before wanted to arrest the prophet, now wants to give him dinner in the castle.

READ vv. 7-10.

The prophet will have nothing to do with the king’s offer. “Even if you gave me half of your house (not just house - but everything that belongs to the house … ‘even if you gave me half of your kingdom) … I’m not taking even a crust of bread or sip of water from you.” And he makes clear it’s not a personal vendetta against the king - but this is obedience to God: “… it was commanded me by the WORD OF THE LORD!”

That’s the key right there - this whole confrontation is about ‘the Word of the LORD’. Jeroboam has proven that he doesn’t give a rip about what the Lord says.

When he’s standing beside the altar in his kingdom, sacrificing on it - he’s committing a ‘double-whammy’ of sin.

FIRST - he’s sacrificing on an unauthorized altar. God set apart Jerusalem as the place where worship is supposed to happen - that’s where He’s chosen to have His name dwell in these days. There should be NO altar in Jeroboam’s North.

And - SECOND - Jeroboam is offering sacrifices - that’s another sin. God clearly commanded in His word that the priests and ONLY the priests, properly appointed and anointed from the Tribe of Levi - they are the ones who are to sacrifice. But here’s the king - grabbing that role for himself.

God has made amazing promises of a royal dynasty to this man, who came from nowhere: “Just obey my Word” He commanded.

But Jeroboam can’t rest in the promises of God. Remember in chapter 12:27, Jeroboam is controlled by fear. “What if the people remember the good old days of one kingdom when they go to Jerusalem to worship? They’ll kill me and go back to the southern king.” So, he insists on worshiping God in his own way. He builds a worship center at home – so the people don’t make the Jerusalem trip.

Hear this friend: “Insecurity will lead you to idolatry.”

Fear has driven Jeroboam from restful, trusting obedience to God’s Word … to frantic, restless protectiveness over a kingdom he didn’t even earn himself. Even his invitation to the man of God to come for dinner - “Come and I will reward you ....” - that’s not repentance - that’s more manipulation .... the king trying to control the situation himself.

And oh, how many struggle with the same temptation. One commentator – gave the king a nickname: calls him, not Jeroboam, but ‘Slick Jerry’. I think it fits. Slick Jerry’s root issue is that he doesn’t TRUST God with his life. And if you can’t trust Him – your only other option is to try and CONTROL Him. It’s either trust or control.

And the problem with trying to control God to get what you think you need for joy – is that it can’t be done. Flailing, frantic, finite humans cannot control a Sovereign, Infinite God … and the tighter you squeeze – the more miserable you get - you will never know rest. It’s exhausting to try and control the infinite. And you will sin against the Holy God who loves you enough to send His Son to purchase you for Himself and for eternal joy.

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus …”

That’s why the prophet’s words carry such punch .... “… it was commanded me by the WORD of the LORD.” “I’m going to obey it - unlike you, the king who is now under judgment, with a broken altar at your feet.”

Just like the wise-men who came to see Jesus, the prophet heads home by a different route.

2. IGNORING GOD’S WORD IN EASE, 13:11-34

Now, among the crowd of people at the disrupted worship service that day, were the sons of an old prophet, who lived there in Bethel. They run home and tell their dad what they’ve just seen.

And that takes us to our second story, beginning in v. 11. Dad’s ears perk up at the story and he wants to find this preacher from out of town. His donkey is saddled up, he climbs on and the search begins.

He finds the preacher at a rest stop, on the side of the highway and calls out, “Hey! I’m a prophet too! We men of God have to stick together in days like these. I’m not going to sit inside my comfortable home, eating all my food - when I know you’re here, in this neck of the woods, sitting underneath a tree by yourself. Come with me - we’ll go to my place and I’ll feed you dinner.”

The prophet from out of town says to the man what he’s just told the king: “No way.”

READ vv. 16-17.

The old man won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. “Funny you should say you can’t come over - because I’ve actually got a new message for you.” READ v. 18.

So, what does the man of God do? Well, if there’s a change of orders, he’ll go for lunch, that’s what he’ll do. And off the two of them ride - off to the lying prophet’s house to eat.” Verse 19

There they are - seated around the table, eating, talking - probably swapping stories about being a prophet in changing, difficult times. Suddenly, mid-meal, the old prophet receives a REAL word from the LORD and he faithfully announces it.

VERSES 21-22.

God says, ‘BECAUSE you disobeyed my word - my DIRECT commands (He even uses the exact words of the command in v. 22) … Because you haven’t listened to and obeyed my word - you are going to die a dishonorable death - you will NOT be buried, with honor, in your family plot.’

Does that seem a little harsh to you? Well, we aren’t done yet. They finish their meal (even though I’m pretty sure the mood was killed after that bad-news message) … then the man of God packs up and heads for home. But he doesn’t make it home.

READ vv. 23-25.

If you’re tempted to think, after reading that: “what a stroke of bad luck! First, the man of God hears judgment FROM God simply for being fooled by a lying prophet - and now he gets mauled by a lion before he even gets home” .... if that’s what you are thinking right now - let me make sure you understand: this is no stroke of bad luck. God is in control.

This is no normal lion attack - the narrator makes that clear. Lions are meat-eaters - they don’t hunt for trophy kills. But this lion kills the man of God - and then just stands there - posing - like he’s about to post a selfie on Instabook or FaceTok. He doesn’t eat the man. He doesn’t eat the man’s donkey. And there’s no way that the donkey is sticking around after his owner is slaughtered - just posing with a lion, when the passers-by arrive on the scene.

THIS IS AN ACT OF GOD.

When he hears the news, the old prophet who had tricked this man of God into coming over in the first place - he mourns over the death. VERSES 26-27.

He saddles up - goes to get the body. The lion and the donkey are still there - the body still untouched - and the old man brings the body home to bury it and grieve and declare his wish to be buried right beside this fallen prophet - because this was a TRUE man of God.

Now, we get to the end of that story and do you find yourself thinking: “Well, that seems so … so … so EXTREME! The man of God got fooled. Sure - God has every reason to point out his failure … to correct him … get a little mad, even … but strike him dead on his way home?! Isn’t that a little over the top?!” Is that your response to this story? It’s mine - I’ll be honest. And do you know why that is?

It’s because God is a God of Grace and Mercy - and we know it - We’ve experienced it. We all have. We are so used to God’s longsuffering, patient love - that bears my sin without striking me dead … that I come to expect that He will ALWAYS respond like that.

He won’t. “The soul that sins - it shall die”. That’s God’s promise, friend - and He isn’t a liar. And the very fact that I am standing here before you today - and you are here, listening - is because God’s love holds back his judgment … time after time after time. But this story is a warning - don’t get casual with God’s grace. He does hate sin.

And the man of God knew God’s command - He had heard God’s word to him saying - “Don’t stick around in Bethel - don’t eat or drink. Do your job and get out of there.” And he listened … and he obeyed when the king invited him home … but when the old prophet invited him - he let his guard down.

And when that old prophet said - “I’ve got a message from God for you - to come with me” … I’m reminded of what Paul says in Galatians 1:8,

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you - - let him be accursed.”

It’s actually very likely that when Paul writes those words of warning to the church in Galatia - he’s thinking of this very example. So, when we read the story and read that the old prophet is lying to the man of God - don’t you find yourself wanting to shout a warning: “Don’t listen to him - - he’s lying! Stick to God’s Word and you’ll be safe!”

Do you want to shout that encouragement to your Christian brothers and sisters in our world today? I hope you do - because never have we needed to hold onto that warning more: God has given us His written Word - Could there be a more contemporary word than verse 18 of our text?

Are we not in allegedly Christian circles awash in folks blabbering, ‘The Lord said to me,’ and with teacher-types claiming to have held interviews with Jesus and quoting his ‘words’?

When I hear people telling stories: “I visited heaven and came back to tell about it ….”, I want to say: “STOP – I don’t want to hear your tale – I just want to know what the unfailing Word of God says.” When I read disaffected Christians in the blogosphere writing, “I gave up on organized Christianity – because I prefer to think that God is like this ….”. I want to ask, ‘Should I swallow your claims … or cling only to the sure and written word of the prophets and the apostles (cf. 2 Pet. 3:2in light of 2 Pet. 2)?

Surely, 1 Kings 13 teaches that the given word of God is adequate for his servants and that it is not safe to receive anything beyond or beside that word.

The most telling words in the whole chapter come at the end of chapter 13. Take a look at vv. 33-34 READ.

After all of this - the warning spoken directly to him … and the news that he surely would have heard about the very prophet who warned him … King Jeroboam doesn’t listen. He doesn’t repent … doesn’t change a thing … He keeps on worshiping God in his own way - ignoring God’s own word. And God will not stand for it.

3 FACE TO FACE WITH THE WORD OF GOD IN JUDGMENT 14:1-18

That brings us to our third and final story today. We find the story at the beginning of chapter 14. The camera focus goes back to Jeroboam. The king has a son, Ahijah - that falls seriously ill - to the point that his life hangs in the balance. Jeroboam is desperate to get the authoritative word of a prophet on the chances of survival – someone with a direct connection to God - and hopefully, that prophet will be on his side – can pull some strings and the son will get better. The problem for Jeroboam is that he isn’t doing very well with prophets these days. Maybe a different face for the royal family would be a good idea - so he enlists the help of his wife, the queen.

READ vv. 1-4

Just so you get the names straight: Abijah is the son, Ahijah is the prophet - and if the name Ahijah sounds familiar - that’s because this is the very prophet who years ago had caught up with Jeroboam, when he was a common young man - on his way home from Jerusalem for the weekend. This is the prophet that tore his own coat into shreds - giving Jeroboam the vast majority of Israel, declaring him God’s choice of king for the kingdom and promising a dynasty - if he obeys God.

Right now, that’s a problem for Jeroboam because he’s obviously done nothing but DIS-obey God, so how can he expect to get any kind of encouraging word from this man he’s let down so consistently and for so long?

That’s why he sends his wife. That’s why he tells her to disguise herself and that’s why he tells her to take along a gift. He does his best scheming and then hopes for the best.

The one thing that the royal couple has in their favor is what the end of v. 4 tells us: “Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.”

So Mrs. Jeroboam arrives at the door of the blind old prophet, with her disguise on, knocks on the door, changes her voice and says, “Amazon delivery here.”

And we wonder as we read: “Can she pull off the plan?”

Well, ummmm .... no. No she can’t.

READ vv. 5-6

No sooner does the queen plant one foot on the inside of the prophet’s door - he calls out to her by name: “Come on in Mrs. Jeroboam. Not only do I know who you are … but I have been given a message from God for you.”

The blind old prophet sees more clearly than the able-bodied queen!

And the message God has for the king is the message I read at the beginning of this sermon.

The queen came to see if, maybe, she could have the life of her son spared. The bad news is that, no - he will not live - this illness will kill him.

But the good news is - he’s the only one in the whole family that God sees any good in - and his death is going to save him from the humiliation and destruction that God’s going to bring on the whole family. This dynasty is going to end before it can even get established. The destruction will mean the end for Jeroboam’s rule. And, ultimately, it will lead to the end of the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Verse 15, “The LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water - and root up Israel out of this good land that He gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel sin.”

A few things for us to think about here.

FIRST - I have a yearning for us as a church. I long for us, as the people of Maranatha - that we would be like mighty oak trees - roots deep into the soil of God’s best for us and growing up tall and sturdy, so that when the storms of life come - while people on every side are being tossed and thrown by panic and fear - that we would stand strong, unmoved and giving shade to everyone who needs it.

Is there anything more UN-like a mighty oak, than a reed in a pond, shaken in the water - no roots. The wind blows or a boat glides by and the reed is plucked up and floats away.

SECOND - Don’t miss the DE-volution of Jeroboam’s spiritual leadership. Verse 15, “.... they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger.” That’s important. ‘Asherim’ are wooden poles used in the Ancient Near East to worship the false gods of the different nations. Jeroboam didn’t start by worshiping false gods. When he built his golden calves - and set up his altar - the alternative worship experience to Jerusalem … he was wanting people to worship the true God of Israel … he just wanted them to worship with his new inventions.

So, what started as worshiping the RIGHT God in the wrong way … ends up with the people worshiping the pagan gods of the foreign nations. And it ALWAYS goes that way, Christian. Once you step off of God’s Word – you end up sliding further than you ever dreamed - away from truth and joy - - and into false religion.

THIRD thing I want us to think about is what a tragic story this is. What a waste! Jeroboam is picked up from nothing. He’s promised a lasting dynasty, if he will just love the LORD like David did.

1 Kings 14:8, “… tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes.”

David - the mighty sinner. David, the moral failure, failure as a dad .... THAT David is the model. “Love the LORD like he did - and your throne will last through history!”

So he throws away every good gift that God has given … and ends up in dishonor and destruction. In fact, for the rest of the books of Kings - Jeroboam is the standard that measures the evil kings of the Northern Kingdom ...

So, when exactly did Jeroboam go wrong? We need to know this - because you know, as well as I do - that living in joy as a Christian - living the oak-tree life - isn’t automatic.

If you pay attention to the words of chapters 13-14 as you read … you will notice a phrase that shows up time after time after time ….

Ten Times in chapters 13-14 – either the writer or one of the characters uses the phrase, “The word of the LORD”. 13:1,2,5,9,17,18,20,26,32, 14:18. If you add to that, all the times we read, “The LORD spoke” or “The LORD has spoken” or “Thus says the LORD” and the like … well, there’s no missing what the theme of these chapters is: “GOD SPEAKS – HE SPEAKS THROUGH HIS WORD … and the only way to preserve your joy in Jesus Christ and keep from being sucked in by life-stealing error, bad philosophy and bad theology - - is by standing firm on the Word of God alone … sinking your roots deep into this written Word.

“Oh, but I don’t want to get all wrapped up in a book – I just want Jesus.” That’s what I hear some people say. And in response, I say, “You NEED Jesus – the Jesus whose death and resurrection we just celebrated last week – the ultimate proof of God’s love and power to save. If you don’t have a saving relationship with him – nothing else matters.

But l hear people who would claim to be Christians – who have walked away from Church – who say, “I don’t need all the trappings of Bible, or its teaching … I just want to focus on Jesus – his great life, his great example, his kindness ….” - And I say, ‘Well how do you know anything about this Jesus?”

You can only know Jesus through this word. See God come to Jeroboam with promises and warnings … in every word – He’s offering this man a relationship – a hope a present beyond his wildest expectations … but the king kept pushing away God’s Word … and pushed away God Himself.

The word of God is always warm with the breath of God’s own mouth and He’s never detached from His Word.

Because in this Book – the Eternal God who lives eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit – pouring love into one another in unimaginable power and joy – He is th FOUNTAIN of Love … This God offers you Himself – HERE (in Scripture). And the truth will set you free – The reason Christians are warned over and over again in the NT to beware of teaching that strays from the truth of the gospel entrusted to the apostles by the Lord Jesus Christ. This isn’t about being nitpicky … the truth is so good, so powerful and so soul and life nourishing – that anything that wanders away from the Biblical truth will only suck your joy.