MAN WILL LIE TO YOU

PROCLAMATION

“He said unto him, I am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of The Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’  But he lied to him.”  1 Kings 13:18 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  There came a man of God out of Judah speaking out against Bethel and King Jeroboam. (1 Kings 13:1-3)  The king stretched out his hand against the man of God and it dried up.  He asked the man of God to pray for him and restore his dried up hand.   He prayed and the king’s hand was restored.  The king wanted to reward him and feed him but he told the king that The Lord God had told him not to eat or drink while he was in Bethel. (1 Kings 13:4-10)  There was an old prophet who dwelt in Bethel with his sons.  The sons had heard what the man of God had said and done to the king.  The old prophet went out after the man of God.  He found him along the way sitting under an oak tree and invited him to come home and eat with him.  The man of God explained to the prophet that he was forbidden from eating or drinking.  But the old prophet said unto him, I am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of The Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’  But he lied to him.  So the man of God went with him and did eat and drink.  As they sat at the table, the word of The Lord came unto the prophet and he cried unto the man of God from Judah.  Thus saith The Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed Me, thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.  When he left Bethel, a lion slew him and stood by the carcass. (1 Kings 13:11-24)  As men passed by, they saw the carcass and the lion, and went back and told the old prophet.  He went and found the carcass; the lion had not eaten it.  The prophet took up the carcass and laid it upon the donkey, and took it back to the city and buried it.  The prophet mourned for the man of God and told his sons that when he died, he wanted to be buried beside the man of God. (1 Kings 13:25-31)  These events became well known in Bethel regarding the punishment for the disobedience of God.  However, Jeroboam did not repent from his evil ways.  His sin would lead to the house of Jeroboam being destroyed.

APPLICATION

When we know what The Word of God says for us to do, we ought to obey it.  It is clear that disobedience will result in punishment.  To paraphrase a quote from Maya Angelou, “When you know better, you should do better.”  Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)  As believers we need to be doers of The Word and not just readers and hearers of it. (James 1:22)