1 Kings 13:33, commentary and pictures

After this warning and judgment Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way but persisted in his evil and idolatry instead of returning to God. The clear warnings of swift divine displeasure that he ignored were the torn altar, the withered arm, and the death of the disobedient messenger from Judah. Far from repenting after them, he again made priests for the high places from the lowest and most ordinary of the people, from the least and lowest ranks, consecrating whosoever would, anyone who wanted the office and chose to serve.

In this unauthorized course he not only sinned greatly himself but also led Israel into sin. This course became guilt and sin upon his house that would cut it off and destroy it from the earth. His persistence began a long, dark apostasy in which ruler after ruler stood up in bold defiance of Heaven and led Israel deeper and still deeper into idolatry toward utter ruin.

Even so, God did not at once give Israel up but did all that could be done to lead them back to allegiance, sending message after message through His prophets and giving every opportunity to stay the tide of apostasy. So the kingdom was never left without noble witnesses to His mighty power to save from sin, and even in the darkest hours some remained true, living blameless amid idolatry as the goodly remnant through whom His eternal purpose would finally be fulfilled. The verse warns that people can harden their hearts against plain messages from God and follow claims that contradict them, and that rejecting God's word in favor of human influence leads to sinful action and grave consequences.