Jeroboam receives a prophecy regarding his family, the state of Israel, the fate of his firstborn. He dies, all the prophecies are fulfilled, and he and Rehoboam fight all the time.
We learn essentially that disobedience brings the wrath of God. Whereas obedience would bring blessings and protection, we are reminded of the fragile state of that covenant as the treasures of the temple are taken away by Shishak. How could The Lord have his own house polluted like this? Well, at some point, it no longer was his house, due to the iniquities of the people.
Admittedly, disobedience isn't the only reason temples are defiled. In the history of the church, the Nauvoo temple was completely desecrated, even though the saints were doing their best to follow commandments. How can we ever discern when bad things that happen to us are a result of our disobedience or someone else's? In others, when is it a punishment, and when is it a test? How do we discern the two?
Also note, prophets of The Lord do not have to rely exclusively on physical senses to discern spiritual truths. Through revelation, Ahijah discerned Jeroboam's wife, despite the fact that she was disguised.
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