Three Days, a Donkey, and a Tomb: The Messiah in 1 Kings 13

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This chapter contains some unusual elements: a “man of God” who speaks condemnation to the false-worship altar of the now-separate northern kingdom of Israel; a prophet whose mission is interrupted by another prophet; and a scene where his body is watched over by both a donkey and a lion. However, rather than random oddities, these are deliberate messages from God—foreshadowing the coming exile of Israel, the return from exile, and the role of the Messiah.

We read about a prophet—literally, an אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים (“man of God”)—who traveled from the southern kingdom of Yehudah (Judah) to the northern kingdom of Israel to speak to Yeroboam (Jeroboam). Yeroboam was not always a wicked man. When he was young, God spoke to him and prophesied that He would give the kingdom to him, because at that time he was more righteous than Solomon (1 Kings 11:26–40).

It is commonly assumed, based on the writings of Josephus and Jerome, that the prophet in 1 Kings 13 was עִדּוֹ (Iddo or Jaddo), who served in the court of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. Some dispute this, referencing 2 Chronicles 9:29, where Iddo is described as a seer for Yeroboam—yet the prophet in 1 Kings 13 dies before he could return to Yehudah.

Regardless, this man of God comes to Beit ’El (Bethel) and speaks not to a person, but to the altar upon which Yeroboam is making sacrifices. The prophet knew this altar would remain in use for 300 years before it would be destroyed by King Yoshiyahu (Josiah), a descendant of Rehoboam.

The altar split apart when the man of God spoke to it, but it was later rebuilt and reused for fifteen generations.

Yeroboam deliberately replaced God with his own version of God. This was not only a political move but a spiritual rebellion. The Creator sent the man of God to speak to Yeroboam precisely because Yeroboam had once been righteous—but as we see, his heart had hardened in rebellion. Despite witnessing and experiencing miracles personally, he did not repent.

The man of God declared to the altar:

“O altar, altar, thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’”

Then he gave a sign that same day, saying:

“This is the sign which the LORD has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.’”

(Fulfillment: 2 Kings 23:15–20.)

Yeroboam then ordered that the man be arrested, but at that moment his arm was supernaturally paralyzed. He begged the man of God to pray for healing. The man of God prayed, and Yeroboam’s arm was restored. Still, Yeroboam did not repent—instead, he attempted to buy the prophet off. The man of God rebuffed his offer.

The old prophet had not attended the ceremony. He apparently wanted nothing to do with Yeroboam’s new religion. He was not too old or feeble to go; after all, he mounted a donkey and pursued the man of God in order to speak with him and learn about his mission.

A Mysterious Messianic Message

This is the only prophet in scripture who was specifically instructed by God not to eat or drink during his entire mission. It is a strange and symbolic story. In scripture, narratives centered on the number three and ending in death often contain messianic meaning.

The man of God goes to Bethel to speak against the altar, returns to Bethel to eat with the old prophet, and finally, his body is returned to Bethel and buried.

He is invited to eat and drink three times, and each time he tells both Yeroboam and the old prophet that he is forbidden from doing so.

The donkey is also saddled three times. In Torah, the donkey prophetically symbolizes the firstborn (cf. Exodus 13:13; 34:20).

It is recorded three times that the body of the man of God was “cast down,” treated as worthless. So worthless, in fact, that the lion does not even eat it.

There is significance in all these “threes.” The old prophet learns a lesson himself—one that parallels the experience of the Northern Tribes. Israel rebelled. They ate and drank, not at God’s altar, but at their own. They are represented by Joseph, the firstborn son of Rachel. Their rebellion culminated in exile in Babylon, symbolized here by the lion.

God is not just addressing Yeroboam and the altar—He is addressing the people. Because they chose to rebel and establish pagan altars within the House of God, their firstborn will be cast down as a worthless corpse. The fate of the altar and of Israel was sealed. Even if a righteous king were to arise later, it would not change the outcome, because God already knew that Yeroboam would not repent—and neither would his successors.

God uses the disobedience of both the man of God and the old prophet to teach a broader lesson: this is a declaration of Israel’s destruction.

There are eight sets of three in this prophecy. Biblically, the number eight represents new beginnings—e.g., circumcision on the eighth day to “redeem” newborns, and Sh’mini Atzeret, the eighth day following Sukkot. The number three frequently signifies life-and-death transitions—e.g., the three-day cleansing at Sinai before receiving the Ten Commandments, Esther’s three-day fast, and the Messiah’s three days of death and resurrection. Together, these numbers suggest that after Israel’s exile to Babylon, there would be a new beginning.

At the story’s conclusion, the man of God is buried in a new tomb, owned by the old prophet—just as the Messiah would later be laid in a new tomb.

It is truly a wonder to find the Messiah in the TaNaKh (Torah, Prophets, and Writings). He is not only in the New Testament or in a handful of prophecies. His story is told and retold in surprising places throughout the Hebrew scriptures—in hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.

Speaker: Daniel Agee. Summary: Tammy.