READING FOR OCTOBER 6, 2025: 1 KINGS 13, ACTS 21, PSALM 105:16-25 1 KINGS 13 A man of God came from Judah to Bethel where Jeroboam was offering sacrifices to the god he made—a golden calf. The man of God bravely told Jeroboam that one of David’s descendants named Josiah would destroy all of Jeroboam’s priests and places of worship. This actually happened about 300 years later: “The altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jero- boam the son of Nebat, who misled Israel into sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he tore down. Then he [Josiah] burned the high place, ground the remains to dust” (2 Kings 23:15). Yes, it did take a long time to come about completely, but God also gave them an immediate sign: “This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be torn to pieces and the ashes which are on it shall be poured out” (vs.3). Do we need a sign to believe in Jesus? He says His resurrection is that sign: “An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign; and so a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah” (Matt. 16:4).
As Jeroboam pointed toward the man of God to have him seized, God withered his arm. This changed Jeroboam’s attitude, and he asked for prayer to be healed. Like everyone else, Jero- boam wants prayer when he has a physical need, but will then repent and follow God? That’s a great question for us today. It is far more important than any physical healing.
God did restore Jeroboam’s arm. In appreciation, he asked the man of God over for some refreshments. The man refused because God told him not to eat or drink but return to Judah by another route. An old prophet was living in Bethel and heard about this man of God. The old prophet found him and also asked him over for refreshments. The man of God repeated God’s prohibition. The old prophet, however, falsely stated he received a message from God saying the man should come. This was a lie, but the man believed him. Soon the man of God was killed by a lion that God sent.
What might be an application for us? It could be a writer, a teacher, a pastor, or someone who develops Bible reading guides states that something is true and suggests a certain action. Should we just believe it and act based upon our “trust” in this person? God has given all of us his word. Remember how the Bereans responded to Paul’s preaching: “Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Act 17:11). Trust God’s Word, not man’s.
Although God predicted a disaster was coming, it seems these dire prophecies have an implicit escape clause if repentance occurs--such as when Jonah prophesied to Nineveh. When Jero- boam heard the warning and saw what happened, did he repent and follow God? “After this event, Jeroboam did not abandon his evil way” (vs. 33). Too often when we receive a warning from God or even experience answered prayer, our tendency is to return to practicing our own form of Jeroboamism.
READING FOR OCTOBER 6, 2025 CONTINUED: ACTS 21, PSALMS 105:16-25 ACTS 21 Paul and company left Miletus on his voyage back to Jerusalem. At Patara they made a connection with a ship going to Tyre. During their seven-day lay over, they spent time with disciples who warned Paul “through the Spirit, not to set foot in Jerusalem.” Then when He arrived in Caesarea, Agabus said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’” So, is Paul disobeying the Holy Spirit in going to Jerusalem? Sounds dangerous. In Acts 19:21, it appears his decision to go to Jerusalem was Spirit-led. The Spirit also correctly revealed to these believers that persecution awaits Paul in Jerusalem. In their love for Paul, they sought to save him this pain, but as Paul later said, “I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” What’s more important to us, avoid pain and death or glorify the name of Jesus? As Peter learned, it’s hard to know what we would do.
In Jerusalem, Paul updated everyone about God’s work throughout the Mediterranean world. They were pleased but immediately told Paul thousands of Jewish Christians had heard he was teaching Jews to abandon all their practices. As you will recall, his point was Gentilesshould not be forced to keep the law. As a preemptive measure, the elders asked Paul to take a Nazarite vow and pay for four others to do likewise. Paul did, but before the time came to shave off his hair and be more identified as a Nazarite, some Jews from Asia spotted him in the Temple. This led to yet one more riot against Paul, from which he was saved by a Roman commander. Paul used his Greek to show he wasn’t an Egyptian terrorist, his citizenship of Tarsus to gain credibility, and his Hebrew to speak with the crowd. What can we use for God?
PSALM 105:16-25 This passage reconstructs the time of Joseph through Israel’s population explosion in Egypt. God determined there would be a famine in Egypt. Does God determine natural disasters today? Some would say that’s against God’s loving nature. Others would point to passages like this and say that, in the context of man’s fall, God employs such events to achieve his larger good. This writer opts for the latter view and the literal truth of this text: “He called for a famine upon the land.” For example, it seems God used the wickedness of Joseph’s brothers and Potiphar’s wife to position Joseph to be in prison. This allowed him to be near Pharoah, the world’s most powerful person, just when he could be most impactful. In the meantime, the passage suggests these difficulties refined Joseph’s character. Is it crazy to think we have an amazing God who can orchestrate all these events, while allowing for human free will? Joseph, a rejected brother imprisoned in a foreign jail, becomes lord over all of Pharoah’s house and teacher of all Egypt's scholars. This allowed Israel to be saved from famine and achieve stunning population growth without intermarriage with pagan nations.
