In 1 Kings Chapter 13, two prophets are described. The first prophet scripture calls him "man of God". He came to Bethel by the Word of the Lord. While Jeroboam stood next to the altar to burn incense, the man of God prophecy. When Jeroboam did not like what he was hearing, he thrust at the man of God and his arms dried up. To validate furthermore that the man of God was from God, the altar spit and the ashes fell out. Scripture then says Jeroboam asked the man of God to entreat for him the favor of the Lord so his arms would be back to normal. The man of God entreated the Lord and Jeroboam's arms were restored.
Impressed, Jeroboam asked the man of God to stay with him and that he would reward him. The man of God replied that he could not eat, drink or go back the way he came. The man of God even said if Jeroboam was to give half his house, he would not comply.
Yet, on his way out, the man of God was intercepted by a old town prophet. The old town prophet (lying prophet) sought the man of God to invite him to eat with him. The man of God, of course, replied that he was ordered by the Lord not to eat, drink, or return by the same way. However, the old town prophet or lying prophet lied to the man of God. He said an angel of the Lord spoke and said he was able to eat and drink water in his house. The man of God complied and went to the lying prophet's home.
But during their meal, scripture says the Word of the Lord came to the lying prophet. Basically, the message was that the man of God who was now in disobedience was a dead man.
There are several facets we can observe in this rich chapter. Let us first look at the old town prophet. Why would the lying prophet attempt to stumble the man of God? The man of God told the old town prophet that he was on orders by the Lord not to eat, drink, or go the same way back. Yet, the old town prophet LIED which costed the other prophet's life and even his soul. The old town prophet heard about what had happened at the altar and he rushed with his sons to find the man of God.
It is but the human nature of "misery likes company." When people whether they are excelling for the Lord or even in this world, the human nature is to bring them down. Even in schools, how many times do other students give the other student a high five for getting an "A." No, they give more high fives for each receiving failing grades.
The bread and water are not only basic necessities for the human body but here it represents the comforts of the flesh. It represents the test whether to obey God or satisfy the needs of the flesh. The old town prophet lured the man of God with the comforts of the world. The bread and water was to satisfy his flesh.
We must also learn here God will still speak through a lying prophet. But why didn't God send the old town prophet to Jeroboam instead one from Judah? Our callings and gifts are irrevocable. We must always learn to discern at each event, time, and/or with people. One moment, even a prophet can be lying and the next moment, God could be speaking through him/her just as described in this chapter. Both spirit and flesh can work together when a person speaks or acts. One moment, a person may be spiritual speaking for God and the next they may be adding or taking away to the prophecy because of their flesh out of emotions or passion. We must learn to discern each moment for it can be a sight of hand trick by the enemy through the flesh.
The man of God was slain on the road by a lion. The lion did not eat him but stood next to him. If the people who lived in that time did not understand what had just happened, they might have carelessly concludes that it was dangerous walking in the desert or wilderness. They may conclude that was an random act and dangers of life. Today, there are no lions. If God wanted to take out a disobedient servant, what methods would He use today in modern times? We must be wise to know such things still do occur.
Another question we must ask is why did God not immediately punish the lying prophet. The disobedient prophet was quickly dealt with and most severely. Perhaps, directly disobeying God's command has a greater degree of severity. The man of God was given DIRECT orders not to eat, drink, or go back the same way. He knew better but he gave into his flesh. He could have been tired from his journey. He could have been tired from being taxed by other people. This lesson teaches us that even though we are tired and taxed by people or our circumstances, we must OBEY. It is LIFE or Death. We must be careful for it can be God's own people who stumble one another. The narrow road we are travelling is not an easy one. In fact, it is very dangerous. Only your obedience in HIM will keep you safe. Please empty yourselves and put down that flesh that attempts to add or take away God's Word. Please ask the Holy Spirit to help all of us in this area. I pray we all grow in His Grace moving from Glory to Glory and make it home.
1 Kings 13:1-29 AND BEHOLD, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 2The man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you shall he offer the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on you.
3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Behold, the altar shall be split and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. [Fulfilled in II Kings 23:15, 16.] 4When King Jeroboam heard the words the man of God cried against the altar in Bethel, he thrust out his hand, saying, Lay hold on him! And his hand which he put forth against him dried up, so that he could not draw it to him again.
5The altar also was split and the ashes poured out from the altar according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.6And the king said to the man of God, Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me. And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.7And the king said to the man of God, Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.8And the man of God said to the king, If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you, and I will not eat bread or drink water in this place. 9For I was commanded by the word of the Lord, You shall eat no bread or drink water or return by the way you came.10So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.11Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king they told also to their father.12Their father asked them, Which way did he go? For his sons had seen which way the man of God who came from Judah had gone.13He said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled the donkey and he rode on it 14And went after the man of God. And he found him sitting under an oak, and he said to him, Are you the man of God who came from Judah? And he said, I am.15Then he said to him, Come home with me and eat bread.16He said, I may not return with you or go in with you, neither will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.17For I was told by the word of the Lord, You shall not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way that you came.18He answered, I am a prophet also, as you are. And an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.19So the man from Judah went back with him and ate and drank water in his house.20And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who brought him back. 21And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, Thus says the Lord: Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command which the Lord your God commanded you,22But have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which the Lord said to you, Eat no bread and drink no water--your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.23And after the prophet of the house had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the man he had brought back.24And when he had gone, a lion met him by the road and slew him, and his corpse was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it; the lion also stood by the corpse.25And behold, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown in the road, and the lion standing by the corpse, and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.26When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and slain him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him.27And he said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. And they saddled it. 28And he went and found the corpse thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion stood by the body; the lion had not eaten the corpse or torn the donkey.29The prophet took up the corpse of the man of God and laid it upon the donkey and brought it back, and the old prophet came into the city to mourn and to bury him.
God Bless
Fire of God!
Steve Yong Kim
No comments:
Post a Comment