1 Kings 12:25-13:34
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Will the will of Jehovah fail?

I. Background and Theme

The sermon is based on 1 Kings 12:25 to 13:34, focusing on Jeroboam's rebellion in casting golden calves out of fear of losing his royal power, and the spiritual significance of the man of God sent to warn him. The core theme is “Jeroboam's Rebellion and the Fulfillment of God's Will,” exploring whether God's commands change due to human disobedience, and how God ensures the manifestation of His righteous kingdom through judgment and signs. The content extends from Old Testament idolatry to the witness mission of New Testament Christians, revealing the eternal immutability of God's will and the believer's responsibility of obedience.

 

II. Main Content

  1. Scriptural Structure and Key Points

• Scripture Division and Key Points12:25-33 describes Jeroboam building Shechem, casting golden calves, establishing unauthorized priests and festivals, and plunging the Northern Kingdom into sin; 13:1-34 describes a man of God warning Jeroboam, prophesying Josiah's judgment, and being punished for disobedience, highlighting the fulfillment of God's will. Today's focus is on analyzing how Jeroboam's rebellion and the incident of the man of God point to the witness mission of New Testament Christians.

• Jeroboam's rebellious actJeroboam made Shechem his capital, built Penuel to fortify his territory, cast golden calves in Dan and Bethel, appointed non-Leviticus priests of his own accord, and instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month to replace the LORD's Feast of Tabernacles. Imitating the sin of Exodus 32, he revealed a lack of belief in God's promises (11:31) and plunged the people into idolatry.

• The Prophet's Prophecy and JudgmentA man of God came from Judah to Bethel by command and prophesied that Josiah would destroy the golden calf altar, kill the priests, and burn human bones, with the splitting of the altar, the scattering of ashes, and Jeroboam's withered hand serving as immediate signs (13:3-5). However, the man of God was tempted by the lie of an old prophet, ate and drank in Bethel, disobeyed the command, and was killed by a lion, though his bones were protected because his prophecy came true.

• The Old Prophet and the Continuation of ProphecyAlthough the old prophet coaxed the man of God into eating by means of a lie, he buried him after his death and requested to be buried alongside him, confirming that Josiah's prophecy would surely be fulfilled (2 Kings 23:15-18), which shows that God uses imperfect people to ensure His will is accomplished.

  1. Spiritual Meaning and New Testament Comparison

• Sin and Judgment in the Old TestamentJeroboam's golden calves reenacted the rebellion in the wilderness, and Bethel fell from a holy place (where Abraham built an altar and Jacob made a covenant) to a place of sin, revealing the unbelief of the human heart. Through portents such as the splitting of the altar and the bones of the man of God, God foretold the judgment of Josiah (about 300 years later), manifesting His righteousness and faithfulness.

• The Transcendence and Mission of the New TestamentChrist's resurrection abolished the power of idols (Colossians 2:15), making Him the Savior of the whole earth, and the church is called to be Christ's witness (Acts 1:8). Today's “golden calf” manifests as self-centered messages; believers must obey God's word (John 14:15) and live out the righteousness of God's kingdom.

 

3. Spiritual Lessons

• God's will never failsJeroboam's rebellion and the disobedience of the man of God did not change God's prophecy; Josiah's judgment fulfilled God's word (2 Kings 23:15-20). In the New Testament, Christ's resurrection ensures that God's kingdom will come (Romans 8:31-39), and believers must trust in God's word and not be shaken by false information.

• The responsibility to obey God's wordThe man of God disobeyed and was judged, reminding believers not to neglect obedience, even when facing plausible “new revelations.” Christians should imitate Christ, reject self-centered “golden calf” worship (Gal. 5:24), and live out a genuine testimony.

• The Temptations of the Church and True RevivalThe northern kingdom “prospered” because of the golden calf yet fell into sin. If today's church pursues numbers or worldly success rather than Christ, it will inevitably deviate from God's will. True revival is centered on Christ, preaches God's word, and lives out justice and mercy (Micah 6:8).

• The expansion of God's righteous kingdomIn the Old Testament, God upholds justice through judgment; in the New Testament, believers, through the authority of Christ, expand God's kingdom in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:17). Satan uses misinformation to divide the church, and believers must hold fast to the truth and hope for the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1).

 

IV. Summary and Application

Because Jeroboam did not believe God's promise, he cast golden calves and plunged the northern kingdom into sin, yet God manifested His unchanging will through the man of God's prophecy and judgment. Although the man of God was punished for disobedience, his prophecy and bones became signs of the fulfillment of God's justice, pointing to Josiah's judgment and Christ's redemption. In the New Testament, Christians are called to be witnesses for Christ, reject worldly temptations in the form of golden calves, and live out a life worthy of God's righteous kingdom. Today, as the church faces the temptation of misinformation, believers must hold fast to God's word, emulate Christ's obedience rather than Jeroboam's rebellion, and bear witness for the Lord amidst spiritual warfare until His return.