The Seductive Power of What Seems Right in Prayer (1 Kings 13.6)

“Entreat now the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored to me.”

Background

Following the last prayer by the Queen of Sheba, the author gives us even more information about Solomon’s incredible wealth. This is a sign of God’s fulfillment of His promise to David.

But Solomon became enthralled with the wealth. God warned him, but Solomon did not listen. Chapters 10 and 11 describe how Solomon broke many of God’s commands from Deuteronomy 17: over-accumulation of wealth and wives, and allowing foreign religious influences. The vast empire that Solomon built had begun to fall apart. Enemies arose. A prophet appears to Jeroboam, the commander of the northern armies, and says that God is going to take the ten northern tribes from Solomon. When Solomon hears of it, he tries to kill Jeroboam, who flees to Egypt.

When Solomon dies, the author merely records a standard notice. His son, Rehoboam, is to be the next king, but the northern tribes refuse to accept him. Instead, they select Jeroboam, who has returned from Egypt. Israel is divided.

Jeroboam fears that if his people travel to Jerusalem to worship (in Rehoboam’s kingdom), they might become disloyal. So he set up two centers of worship, one in Bethel and another in Dan, which were two ancient holy places. Each had golden calves to mark them. Though he probably intended them as mere markers (like the cherubim statutes at the Jerusalem Temple), they later became objects of idolatry.¹

The prayer occurs at a festival that Jeroboam had also instituted. As he stood by the altar to offer incense, a man from the south (Judah), came forward and, in God’s name, denounces the altars.² Jeroboam points to the man and orders him seized. Immediately, Jeroboam’s arm withers so he cannot move it. The altar breaks and the ashes spill to the ground.