In First Kings, chapter thirteen, verse two, the prophecy was made about three hundred years before Josiah was born. A man of God from Judah cries out at the altar with Jeroboam standing against all the worship performed. He directs his speech against the altar because the following signs would come. The future prophecy is the more wonderful: it foretells what family the child should spring and what should be his name, and in the accomplishment, would see the absolute certainty of God’s providence and foreknowledge, even in the most contingent things.
In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure forever. The prediction declared that the family of David would continue and support true religion when the ten tribes could not resist them. If God, in justice, hardens the hearts of sinners so that the hand they have stretched out in sin they cannot pull in again by repentance, that is a spiritual judgment, represented by this, and much more dreadful. Jeroboam looked for help, not from his calves, but from God only, his power, and his favor.
The time may come when those that hate preaching might be glad of the prayers of faithful ministers. Jeroboam does not desire the prophet to pray that his sin might be pardoned and his heart changed, but only that his hand might receive the restoration. He seemed affected for the present with both judgment and mercy, but the impression wore off. God forbade his messenger to eat or drink in Bethel, to show his detestation of their idolatry and apostasy from God, and to teach us not to have fellowship with the works of darkness. Those who have not learned self-denial cannot forbear one forbidden meal.