The answer is: Jeroboam

2 Kings 23:15 - What Josiah did to this altar fulfilled a prophecy made hundreds of years earlier in 1 Ki 13:1-2 while Jeroboam was standing by it

Ah, the altar at Bethel has quite a story! This story isn’t just an architectural note or a national monument; it serves as a crucial pivot point in the rich tapestry of ancient Israel’s history. Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the split from Judah, set up this sanctuary filled with golden calves for worship as a means to divert the Israelites from traveling to Jerusalem. It’s like trying to keep a Netflix series going while the fan base is off watching something completely different!

This altar wasn't just altar overload in God's eyes; it embodied a terrible shift toward idol worship that alarmed many faithful followers. When Josiah, the reforming king, arrived on the scene, he boldly turned the idols in Bethel into ruins, just like a brave hero taking down an evil villain's fortress. His actions were foreshadowed in a prophetic word several centuries earlier! Talk about historical echoing back to fate.

Interestingly, this moment also reflects a recurring theme in the Bible: restoration and redemption. Prophets constantly arrived to call the people back, inviting them to realign with divine paths. Plus, isn't it fascinating that this event emphasizes how allegiance to a singular moral compass becomes the bedrock of community and identity? Each time they flickered away from it, a return would inevitably be necessary. So even thousands of years later, Josiah's cleaning out the spiritual clutter at Bethel teaches us about the importance of knowing one's foundations and restoring spiritual integrity. What a legacy!