提要
上帝出於恩典，差遣一位無名的先知到以色列譴責伯特利的異教祭壇，也警告耶羅波安，如果他不悔改，他和他的國都將步上毀滅之途。這位神人帶著上帝的權柄說話，他預言大衛家將有一個人來摧毀耶羅波安所設立的這座祭壇。這個奇妙的預言甚至在事件真正發生之前三百年，就明確的指出那人的名字叫約西亞（13：2；王下23：15~20）。可見那位使者和他所傳的信息都是出於上帝。當耶羅波安試著想用他的權柄使神人住口，並吩咐手下逮捕他時，上帝介入其間保護祂的僕人，並且用比耶羅波安更大的權柄使他的手枯乾。上帝也奇蹟式的使邱壇破裂，證明神人所講的預言無誤。
原本趾高氣揚、發號施令的耶羅波安，此刻溶化成一個在上帝面前哀求的人。這次，上帝憐憫他，當神人為他禱告，上帝就使他的手復原。那位神人順服上帝清楚的命令，拒絕接受耶羅波安款待的誘惑。上帝差派他到以色列只有一個目的，一旦任務達成，他就應該離開罪惡、偶像充斥的北國，直接回到猶大去。不過，在他剛踏上歸途時，就被北國的一個老先知欺騙，竟然回轉去與他一同吃飯。神人在這件事情上沒有詢問上帝，也沒有運用察驗諸靈的恩賜。如果他曉得分辨，一定會知道那位老先知在說謊，因為他應該知道，上帝不會出爾反爾。
伯特利的那位老先知可能是一個假先知，被撒但利用來試探神人，陷害他毀滅他。一個上帝的真先知不太可能會留在以色列，也不會住在耶羅波安的偶像敬拜中心裡。不過，在晚餐席上，老先知倒真的說了上帝對那位不順服之神人的審判。如果上帝能透過驢子和巴蘭（他肯定不是上帝的真先知）說話（民22：28；24：1），那麼祂也能藉著那位心懷不軌的老先知說話了。
神人在抵達猶大之前就被獅子咬死，這並非偶然，而是上帝因他的悖逆所降的直接審判。並且，如老先知的預言，他不得與自己的先祖同葬。老先知很小心的指示他的兒子，將來把他葬在神人的屍骨旁，可能是因為他知道神人的預言終必應驗，而他不想與以色列中的那些假祭司同埋。
上帝用這麼大的警告給耶羅波安一個悔改的機會，但耶羅波安卻依然故我，因此，耶羅波安家將如先知亞希雅令人驚駭的預言所說，必遭毀滅，也不再有人能坐以色列的王位。上帝抬舉耶羅波安作以色列的國王，耶羅波安不但不感激上帝，引導百姓拜祂，反而陷以色列於拜偶像的恐怖罪行中。上帝因祂的憐憫，只讓耶羅波安唯一的好兒子亞比雅死後有一體面的葬禮，沒有遭遇其他人將受的可怕審判（14：11、13；15：27~30）。
南國猶大在羅波安的治理下也步上拜偶像的邪途，甚至比他們的先祖更嚴重。埃及王示撒來攻擊猶大，搜括了聖殿和王宮的財寶，所羅門的榮耀和他遺留下來的龐大財富也離開了猶大。過去的太平歲月不再，因為原來聯合在一起的以色列國已分裂，並且耶羅波安和羅波安之間常處於交戰狀態。他們兩個人都沒有長久、成功的王朝、而且，令人遺憾的，他們死時都沒有悔改。「罪的工價乃是死」（羅6：23）。罪絕無好報，但公義使人得著永恆的賞賜。
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Overview
God, in His grace, sent an unnamed prophet to boldly denounce the pagan altar at Bethel, thus warning Jeroboam that he and his kingdom were headed for destruction if he did not repent. The man of God spoke with the authority of God and prophesied that a man from the family of David would come and destroy that very altar upon which Jeroboam had been burning incense. This miraculous prediction specifically named the man as Josiah, about 300 years before the actual event! (13:2; see 2 Kings 23:15- 20). It was clear that the messenger and the message were from God. When Jeroboam tried to quiet him and use his authority to have him arrested, God intervened to protect his servant and used His greater authority over Jeroboam by withering his arm. God also miraculously fulfilled the sign of the cracked altar, serving to authenticate the prediction.
Jeroboam, the proud king with authority to command, was reduced to a man who pleaded before God. This time the Lord showed him mercy and restored his hand when the man of God prayed (13:6). This man was obedient to God's clear command and refused Jeroboam's enticing hospitality. He had been sent by God to Israel for one purpose, and once he had fulfilled his task he was to leave the wicked and idolatrous Northern Kingdom and return directly to Judah. However, after he had begun his journey, he was deceived by the old prophet to return and eat with him. The man of God did not enquire of the Lord, nor did he exercise the gift of discernment of spirits. Had he done so, he would have known that the old prophet was lying. He should have known that God would not change His word.
This old prophet from Bethel was likely a false prophet and was used by Satan to tempt the man of God and bring his downfall. It is unlikely that a true prophet of God would remain in sinful Israel and live in one of Jeroboam's idolatrous centres; yet, while at the dinner table, he truly spoke the words of God in judgment of the disobedient man of God. If God could speak through a donkey and through Balaam, who was certainly not a true prophet of God (Numbers 22:28; 24:1), then He could speak through this man too.
It was no coincidence that the lion attacked him before he reached Judah; this was the direct judgment of God upon him for his disobedience and, just as the old prophet foretold, he would not be buried with his fathers (13:22; 13:30). The old prophet carefully instructed his sons to bury him beside this man's bones, probably because he did not want his bones to be burned with the false priests when the prophecy came into fulfillment (13:31-32; 2 Kings 23:16-18).
With this warning, God mercifully had given Jeroboam a chance to repent, but he did not change his ways; therefore, as the prophet Ahijah foretold with shocking and descriptive words, his family was doomed for destruction and would never become a lasting dynasty. God had exalted Jeroboam to the position of king over Israel (14:7), yet rather than being grateful to God and leading the people to worship Him, Jeroboam led the people of Israel into the terrible sin of idolatry (Matthew 18:6). God, in His mercy, allowed Jeroboam's only good son to die and have a decent burial, rather than suffer the terrible judgment that awaited the others (14:11, 13; 15:27-30).
The Southern Kingdom of Judah under Rehoboam's rule was also idolatrous, even more so than ever before (14:22-24). The glory and great wealth of Solomon departed as Shishak, king of Egypt, attacked and confiscated the golden treasures (15:25-26). The peace they once had was also gone, for the land that was once unified and content became torn apart and constantly in a state of war under Rehoboam and Jeroboam (15:30). Neither of them had long and successful reigns and, sadly, both died without having repented. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Certainly, sin never pays, but righteousness brings eternal rewards.
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