Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Kings 13:24

24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him : and his carcase was cast in the way , and the ass stood by it: the lion also stood by the carcase .

For there were many Lions in Iudea, and this was brought hither by Gods special Providence.

Why doth God punish a good man so severely for so small an offence? Ans. First, His sin was not small, for it was a gross disobedience to a positive command. Obj. But he supposed, and was told by another Prophet, that God had repealed his command, and so was deceived. Ans. He had no sufficient discharge from the former command; for he neither was assured that the old man was a Prophet, nor that the message he delivered was from God; but had reason to suspect the contrary, or at least to enquire the mind of God in this doubtful point, which he grosly neglected to do, and willingly believed the message, because it suited with his own inclination and necessity. Add to this, that he being a Prophet was obliged to the greater exactness in obedience to all Gods Precepts; and therefore this sin was much greater in him than in another, because hereby God was dishonoured, and the Authority and Success of his message blasted, and Ieroboam and the Idolatrous Israelites hardened in their wicked courses; for the prevention whereof it was necessary that God should exercise severity towards him. Ans. Secondly, As his sin was not so small, so his punishment was not so great, as may be imagined. For as to his outward man, his Bodily death (which was a Debt that he owed to God and Nature) in this way was not so painful and terrible as many other kinds of death; and as to his Soul, God, by giving him a Gracious admonition both of his sin and danger, ver. 21, 22. awakened him to true Repentance, which doubtless he practised, and so was prepared for his death, and by this sudden death freed from all the miseries of an evil time and world, and speedily let in to Eternal Glory. Ans. Thirdly, As the world and all men in it were made for Gods Glory, and all their Lives and Deaths ought to be laid out in his Service; so it cannot seem strange nor harsh if God should bring his deserved Death upon him in this manner, for the accomplishment of his own Glorious Designs, as to vindicate his own Honour and Justice from the imputation of partiality; to assure the Truth of his Predictions, and thereby provoke Ieroboam and his Idolatrous followers to Repentance; to justify himself in all his Dreadful Judgments which he intended to inflict upon Ieroboam's House, and the whole Kingdom of Israel, for their Cursed Apostacy; and to warn all succeeding sinners not rashly to venture upon small sins, and especially to take heed of greater sins, for which they might expect far sorer punishments.

His Life and Soul being gone, his Dead Body falls to the ground, and lies there.

See on v. 28.

Marginal references: Chap. 20. 36.