Today, we examine 1 Kings Chapter 13. The theme is straight to the point: The fate of those who disobey the command of the Lord.

Once God's decree is set, do not test it. Once you cross that line, you may not be able to turn back. Take the Lord’s commands: the Ten Commandments are non-negotiable. Do not covet your neighbor's house; honor your father and mother. Go and observe for yourselves. Look at the end of those who disrespected their parents, or those who lusted after another’s property. When you violate God's law, God will not excuse your ignorance. Ignorance is no defense.

When my grandfather passed away, I was not yet born. My mother was a young woman in her twenties. Think about it—what kind of authority does a daughter-in-law of twenty-six or seven have? Yet she cared for my grandfather until his final breath, tending to his daily needs. My aunts kept quiet. Why? They feared spending money; they were poor. But my mother was a woman of firm resolve. She took care of him to the very end. When he died and his body stiffened, she washed him and cut his hair. He could not sit up, so she physically hoisted his body so the barber could trim his hair. Remarkable, isn't it? Years later, my aunts came to our home in utter dire straits. One aunt told my mother, "Look at your son, and look at mine." Because my mother honored her father-in-law, our family was abundantly blessed. I was born the very next year. She was truly blessed.

Today, how many people fail to grasp this simple reality: honoring your parents brings blessing! Forget theology for a moment; leave God aside and just observe real life. If you do not honor your parents, if you judge them and harbor bitterness, the feud runs deep. The grudge matches between children and parents today are as bitter as any grand rivalry.

We used to have a sister in our local church. I could foresee her outcome without even trying; I always had a knot in my heart about her. Whenever she spoke of her parents, her face twisted in annoyance: "Don't bring them up, stop talking about them." I thought to myself: Can such a person be a preacher? Make no mistake: those who disobey the command of the Lord face a grim outcome. There is no doubt about it. Whether you like it or not, what God has established cannot be altered.

Do not harbor judgment against your own parents. After you were born, they raised you through all the dirt and mess when you were completely helpless. You have no right to resent them. Ponder this carefully; the Lord has laid down many such decrees.

Jeroboam Disobeys God's Command

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. (1 Kings 13:1)

Jeroboam built two golden calves—one at Bethel and one at Dan—and went to the altar to burn incense. Why? Because he followed a pragmatic political logic: "I am king over Israel. Ten tribes are here in Israel, and two small tribes are in Judah. As king, I must manage my state." He faced a hard choice: Should I govern according to God’s command, or according to my own logic? It was tough. Jeroboam focused on money first. Money clouds men's judgment. As the old Chinese saying goes: "Man dies for wealth, as birds die for food." Jeroboam ran the numbers and found it unprofitable. Why? His people would take 17% of their income as offerings and send it across the border to the Temple in Judah.

Put anyone in that position, and they struggle. Imagine Singaporeans having a temple in Malaysia, and having to send 17% of their money over there—to a foreign nation! I understand Jeroboam’s dilemma. Almost any king would find that a hard pill to swallow. Could you cross that hurdle? I couldn't. I would surrender; I wouldn't want to be king of Israel under those terms. How do you rule a country like that? That is the logic of money, not the logic of God.

If I were Jeroboam, King of Israel, and I strictly obeyed the word of the Lord without making golden calves, encouraging all Israel to go to Judah to give their offerings, what do you think would happen?

How could God not be greater than money? There is a crude saying: "Money is the ultimate master." Without it, you feel helpless. The test of money is brutally difficult. So Jeroboam calculated, built two golden calves, and led his people astray on the altar. Did he deliberately set out to disobey God? No, he wanted to obey, but he felt reality left him no choice! Does this resonate with you? I understand those who feel this way; I will not criticize you outright. This is why men fall into this trap. Never test yourselves when it comes to faith; you may well fail.

In Jesus' time, He rebuked His disciples: "How slow you are to believe! Do you not know the power of God?" Brothers and sisters, do you know God's power today? If His power surpasses the entire universe, put your trust in Him. What is 17% of Israel's income to Him? It is nothing! Disobeying the Lord brings no good fruit. Today we often fall into this pit: "Pastor, if I follow your way, how am I to survive?" Why wouldn't you survive? With an almighty God providing your daily bread, how can you not survive? The problem is that people constantly complain about a lack of jobs or resources. How could you lack a job when you have God?

Jeroboam walked up to the altar pleased with himself, thinking he was clever. He saved 17% in taxes for Israel, thinking, "The offerings stay in my pocket, and I control the altar." But he violated God's command, and his entire family met a horrific end! So, brothers and sisters, do not be recklessly foolish. Do not disobey the Lord’s commands! Disobedience leads to death—plain and simple!

Far too many people stumble over money. Why? They do not realize that the Lord is infinitely more valuable than silver and gold. If you fail to see that, you are doomed. Jeroboam had a mountain of excuses. He could quote Guan Zi, Confucius, or Lao Zi to justify himself, but it was useless! None of those philosophies can override the command of the Lord. In the end, his fate was disastrous.

God Always Gives Signs to the Disobedient

If you look at it from God’s perspective, He could crush Jeroboam like an ant. Yet God is rich in grace and mercy, so He sent a man of God.

He cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.” When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. The altar was split apart and its ashes were poured out, according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord. (1 Kings 13:2-5)

In truth, we often encounter signs. When a sign comes and comes to pass as predicted, what should you do? Do you press on down your planned path, or do you turn back to God? Every one of us has experienced this. I certainly have. Do you think I would be serving God so dutifully if not for His discipline? I would have strayed long ago.

God always gives us warnings. Try harboring judgment and bitterness, and then tell me, "Pastor, my heart feels miserable." I say, "Miserable? Good!" You ask, "How can you say 'good' when I'm suffering?" It is a sign! Without a sign, you would be arrogant enough to try to knock God off His throne! You thought you were so clever. Well, where has your cleverness gotten you? This is not taking pleasure in your pain; it is a sobering reality that without God's rescue, no one can be saved.

Every one of us will experience God. Jeroboam experienced a dramatic sign, yet it failed to dismantle his worldly logic. If you reject grace when it is offered, your next outcome will be even worse. Some people experience grace, signs, and even disasters, yet they still charge headlong down the wrong path. Jeroboam was such a man. Yet when God judges, He always grants ample grace beforehand.

God Always Grants Sufficient Grace

Jeroboam's arm shriveled like dried meat—a mummy’s arm, completely useless—the very arm he had just raised to command, "Seize him!" What conclusion should he have drawn? He should have realized: "My God is terrifyingly powerful! He made my arm like a mummy; what if He turns my whole body into one?" Yet Jeroboam refused to shatter his carnal, worldly mindset.

How much suffering must you endure before you destroy your own worldly logic? Everyone pays a price for following worldly logic. If you insist on testing it, you may reach a point of no return—charging straight into the grave!

Then the king said to the man of God, “Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored and became as it was before. (1 Kings 13:6)

The man of God prayed, and the hand was healed! Was it the prophet's prayer that was powerful, or was it God? It was God who healed him, plain and simple. What we experience daily is pure grace. Thank God we are not sitting on His throne. With our petty tempers and narrow minds, we would have crushed Jeroboam instantly. When someone offends us, we grit our teeth and think, "Curse him, why isn't he dead yet?"

But God always grants sufficient grace. To see a withered, mummified arm restored to health—is that not shocking? It should be! Yet it failed to move Jeroboam. He went right back to his old ways. God thought: "Fine, if this sign was not enough, a harsher judgment awaits." Ultimately, his entire household perished wretchedly.

This is where human stupidity lies—failing to weigh what truly matters. Ten tribes of Israel fooled Jeroboam. Did he honestly think those ten tribes belonged to him forever? When you die, the nation remains. Brothers and sisters, be careful: God gives you grace to lead you to repentance! His kindness is meant to turn your heart. But Jeroboam blew it. Do you think God cares so much about the kingdom of Israel, or about Jeroboam? Not at all.

In the Exodus, God displayed His blazing wrath. My advice to you today is simple: offend anyone, but do not offend God. You cannot bear the consequences. You cannot overpower even God's little finger with all your strength combined. I must keep a clear head myself, overcoming every temptation and never violating God’s law. You must overcome the hurdle of money. I thank God that through trial after trial, He has granted me strength so that I do not idolize wealth.

If a person is truly wise, he knows that knowing the Lord is true intelligence, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Ponder these words—they carry immense weight. I urge you today not to fixate on money. I myself nearly fell into that pit several times. But the Spirit of God leads me on the path of righteousness. How many people panic the moment money is involved? Countless!

Even the Man of God Faces Temptation

The story of Jeroboam ends here, but the story of the man of God is just beginning. To restore Jeroboam’s mummified hand was no small feat; he was indeed a true man of God, not an impostor. But make no mistake: every one of us will face intense trials. It is not just God testing you; temptations of every kind will come. How did this man of God face his temptation?

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