After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from every class of people for the high places; whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 1 Kings 13:33
The Prophet of Judah Warns Jeroboam
Judgment announced: 1 Kings 13:1-6. An unnamed prophet is sent from Judah to the Bethel worship center to confront Jeroboam. He announces that one day a king of Judah, to be named Josiah, will defile this worship center and burn the bones of the false prophets who serve it on the altar. As a sign that this is truly God’s word, the altar will crack and spill its ashes — and immediately does so.
Obedience demanded: 1 Kings 13:7-34. The prophet who carries the message to Jeroboam is himself killed by a lion before he can return to Judah. His death comes because of his disobedience to a command of God. The message is clear. If Jeroboam persists in disobedience, his own judgment is certain. But Jeroboam will not noon and continues the false system that directly violates Mosaic law.
(Prophet from Judah) To Jeroboam: For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.’ ”
To an old prophet in Bethel: And he said, “I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. 17 For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’ ”
Old prophet to the prophet of Judah: “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (He was lying to him.) 19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water. 20 Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21 and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the Lord said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’ ”
33 After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from every class of people for the high places; whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 34 And this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it from the face of the earth.
–> God hates a false worship system which is an act of direct disobedience to God. It will lead us to commit sins such as idol worship, self worship, worldliness (greed, sexual immorality etc.) resulting in facing the terrible judgement of God. Like the old prophet of Bethel, many false teachers are leading Christians astray. Without reading the Bible and praying, that is, without being guided by the Holy Spirit, it’s impossible to discern and avoid going to a place of false worship.
There is no excuse for having been deceived. God has provided us every means to avoid it — the Scriptures and God Himself as our counselor.
