1 Kings 13

The adamant, says Pliny, is insuperable, the hammer cannot conquer it: sinners have adamantine hearts. The altar of stone, when the prophet spoke to it, rent asunder (1 Kings 13:2). But sinners' hearts are so hardened in sin, that nothing will work upon them, neither ordinances…

Jeroboam devised worship at Dan and Bethel, though he pretended by it to worship the true God, and advance the worship of Jehovah; yet he worshipped nothing but the Devils, and Calves that he made (2 Chronicles 11:15). And it became a sin to Jeroboam and his house, to destroy it…

Wise men may guess when they see probabilities, and foretell that which depends on natural causes; the Devil can many times shrewdly interpret the predictions of the word, but a certain prescience of what is future, and merely in itself contingent, is the prerogative of God (Isa…

[Exodus 13:1. And declare to your son in that day, saying: For this has the Lord done these things to me, when I went out of Egypt. 9 So shall it be to you for a sign upon your hand, and for a monument between your eyes, that the doctrine of the Lord may be in your mouth: to wit…

It prevents abundance of sin, which else wicked men would commit, Genesis 19:11 The Sodomites were greedily pursuing their lusts: God providentially hinders it, by smiting them blind. Jeroboam intends to smite the Prophet; Providence interpos'd, and wither'd his arm, 1 Kings 13:…

So is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], used by our Apostle (Romans 1:27), excellently expressed by Solomon (Proverbs 1:31): Sinners shall eat of the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devises. Such rewards we have recorded: Numbers 15:30; 1 Samuel 6:6; 1 Kings 13:…

This was a famous and very particular prophecy of a person named near two hundred years before he was born, and those things punctually foretold of him which he should afterwards perform. The like we have (1 Kings 13:2), where the prophet declaims against the idolatrous altar an…

Oh take heed of unbelief, it destroys this holy violence. We read of Jeroboam's arm being withered (1 Kings 13:4). Unbelief withers the arm of the soul, that it cannot stretch itself forth to any spiritual action.

In so saying, I honor good works more than Mr. Baxter does, who makes them as good as Christ's blood, even the price of pardon (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14). Yes, and 7. we could be satisfied with dumb and scrupulous influences and inspirations contrary to, and separated from…

But if the Scripture hold forth, as it does, that the Lord by his strong and invincible dominion does indeclinably, and without any possible failing bring forth his decreed effect, some impulsion of God immanent, transient, or mixed, which is terminate upon all second causes the…

Moreover, the prophecy of Jericho, that he that did begin to build it again, should lay the foundation of it in his eldest son, and set up the gates of it in the youngest, which was fulfilled (1 Kings 16, last verse). So likewise, the prophecy of Josiah, it was a distinct prophe…

Flesh and blood will not so easily bear us out against the secret ensnarings of the heart. The young prophet does thunder out his message against the king (1 Kings 13:3), yet was enticed by the wiles of the old prophet. So we may stand out against an open assault, and apparent v…

Obdurate Sinners shake out the Arrow of Conviction, Scorn Reproof. When the Prophet cried to the Altar of Stone it rent, 1 Kings 13:2. But Sinners Hearts rend not; these are like to have the Wrath of God flame about their Ears, 2 Thes. 1:8.

And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your minds. Good men may deceive us; true and faithful ministers may err both in doctrine and manners, as the old prophet seduced the young one to his own destruction (1 Kings 13:18). He said to him, I…

And it was by much fair speech, or importunity that the harlot prevailed with the young man, who it may be was going about his business, and thought no hurt, till she importuned him (Proverbs 7:13, 21). By lying to men in the name of the Lord, as the old prophet did to the young…

Deuteronomy 18:20, 22. But the Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that Prophet shall die. When a Prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor…

But is it possible that such should do this work for the devil? yes, such is the policy of Satan, and the frailty of the best, that the most holy men have been his instruments to seduce others, Abraham he tempts his wife to lie, Say you are my Sister. The old Prophet leads the m…

As if he had said: I did all this to someone near you, in your sight, that you might be humbled and turn to me. This was also the case of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 13 — God sent the prophet to him with signs and wonders, tearing the altar and withering his hand — and yet Jeroboam went…

God smites them with blindness, so that they could not find the door where they thought to have used violence for the compassing of their ends; their lives were continued, and their will of sinning, but their power is cut short and abridged. His dealing with Jeroboam (1 Kings 13…

(6) Because, though the Israelites worshipped the true God, by an image (for Aaron built an altar, and made proclamation, and said, tomorrow is a feast to the Lord) yet are they accused of the sin of idolatry, and for that cause severely punished (Exodus 32:21, 27, 35). (7) Beca…

(6) Because, God commanded his people the Jews to seek the peace of the city — that is, the welfare and prosperity of Babylon — where he had caused them to be carried away captives (Jeremiah 29:7). (7) Because, the Prophet, the man of God, besought the Lord in behalf of Jeroboam…