Solomon’s legacy extended all the way through Malachi. The idolatry he established through his pagan wives, continued to plague Israel throughout its history. In fact, there steadfast refusal to acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah, keeps them imprisoned in false, idolatrous beliefs even to this day. So what happened to Jeroboam?
1 Kings 12:32-33 Jeroboam instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
Then he went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.
Jeroboam devised his own religion. He actually began to believe in it himself! How could this be? He created golden calves, ordained his own priests, set up altars, and initiated and led worship to the very idols he created.
1 Kings 13:1-3 Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
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.'"
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.'"
God sent a prophet to Jeroboam at the exact moment of his going up to the altar to burn incense. What did God think of all this false worship?
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.
Evil men never like being corrected by godly men. Their response is mostly silencing them, as they cannot defend their evil deeds. Does this sound like today?
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.
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.
Right in front of his eyes, this prophecy and curse became reality. Yet, now Jeroboam asked the prophet to entreat the prophet’s God, not his god. Why did Jeroboam not ask his god to save his hand? He trusted in the God of the prophet to heal him, but not enough to worship Him.
13:7-10 Then the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward."
But the man of God said to the king, "If you were to give me half your house I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place. "For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came.'"
So he went another way and did not return by the way which he came to Bethel.
The prophet had very explicit and exact instructions and commandments from God. Even he was not immune from the curses of disobedience.
More later.