The events of 1 Kings 13 occur during the time when the kingdom of Israel was divided. After Solomon’s reign, the northern kingdom was ruled by Jeroboam, while the southern kingdom was ruled by Rehoboam. Jeroboam feared that if the people continued traveling to Jerusalem to worship, their loyalty might return to Judah. To prevent this, he established two golden calves in Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:26–30). What began as a political strategy quickly became spiritual compromise. Because of this idolatry, God sent a man of God from Judah to deliver a prophetic message against the altar at Bethel.…