1 Kings 13-15

In 1 Kings 12 we see God give Jeroboam the son of Nebat the northern portion of Israel as a kingdom of God not ruled by the sons of Solomon. Yet Jeoboam, like Adam and Eve sought to elevate himself rather than God. While Solomon violated the first and second commandments Jeroboam rejected the first four commandments: he created his own gods, he cast idols to worship, he devised a plan to empty the LORD's name of all meaning, and he rejected God's Sabbath by establishing his own holy days. When God confronted him in a manner similar to Nathan's confrontation of David Jeroboam reacted to order to silence the naysayer (1 Kings 13:4). It wasn't God's message of rejection that got his attention it was God's protection of his prophet. But the king didn't focus on his sins; all he saw was the consequences. He had been living in his sin for so long it had become normal to him. The prophets words seeking to correct his rebellion were ignored. It took God's intervention in his body to wake him up; but only part way. After his command to seize the prophet the king's accusing arm was frozen in place. I imagine that Jeroboam's realization of a divinely immobilized arm was accompanied by a scream that halted the idol worship ceremony. I wonder if Jeroboam immobilized the rest of his body to match his frozen arm? What did he say and do and he begged the prophet to do something? Finally, the words fell out of his mouth; the name of the one who he was trying to erase from Israel. "Beseech him on my behalf was the kings request. The prophet did and God restored the arm. But the only thing changed that day was the altar table; it was broken while Jerosboam's heart was untouched by God's power and mercy.
How often am I like Jeroboam?
Stuart