We Will Prove Them Herewith
The chapter 1 Kings 13 contains a surprising story about two unnamed prophets. The first prophet was from Judah and came to prophesy to Jeroboam, the new king of the northern tribes, at Bethel. He prophesied that the altar there at Bethel would one day be destroyed along with the wicked priests by a future king of Judah named Josiah. When Jeroboam put forth his hand against the man of God, “his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him” (v4). The king pleaded with the man of God to restore his hand to him, and the prophet did indeed heal Jeroboam. Jeroboam, happy that this miracle had been performed and he was made whole, invited the prophet to come home with him to give him “a reward” (v7). The account relates, “And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no...