May 7 Daily Devotional

1 Kings 12–14

The two golden calves turned the people away from God, and God was much displeased with Jeroboam. One day a prophet came out of Judah to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing at the altar to burn incense. And the man of God cried against the altar, and said, “O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord, Behold a: child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places.” When Jeroboam heard these words, he stretched out his hand, saying, “Lay hold on him.” And his hand dried up, so that he could not draw it back again. And the king said to the prophet, “Entreat now the face of the Lord, thy God that my hand may be restored me again.” And the prophet entreated the Lord, and the hand became as it was before. The king said to the prophet, “Come home with me … I will give thee a reward.” The prophet replied, “If thou wilt give me half of thine house, I will not go with thee … For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water nor turn again by the same way that thou earnest.” And he went away.

Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his son told him all about the works the man of God had done. Then he saddled his ass and rode after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” The prophet of Judah said, “It was said to me, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there.” The old prophet said, “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me … saying, Bring him back with thee … that he may eat and drink water.” But he lied to him. So he went back with him; he ate and drank. But when the prophet of Judah was going on, a lion met him and slew him, because he had been disobedient to the word of the Lord.

A son of Jeroboam became ill. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Disguise thyself and go to Ahijah the prophet; he shall tell thee what shall become of the child. And she went to Shiloh, where the blind prophet lived. When he heard the sound of her feet, he said, “Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam … I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord … Thou hast done evil … and hast made thee other gods … and hast cast me behind thy back; therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam … Him that dieth in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat … Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine house: and when thy feet enter the city, the child shall die … he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord.” And Jeroboam’s wife departed, and when she came to the threshold of her house, the child died.