YOU CANNOT FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord said unto Ahijah, ‘Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick; thus and thus shalt thou say unto her; for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.’ ”  1 Kings 14:5 (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.  It came to pass that Abijah the son of King Jeroboam fell sick.  Jeroboam sent his wife in disguise to the prophet Ahijah, who told him that he would be king, to inquire as what would become of the child.  The Lord God told the prophet that she was coming to see him and what he was to say to her.  Even though the prophet had lost his sight due to his age, he heard her footsteps when she came to his door and he greeted her as the wife of Jeroboam.  Then he told her what The Lord had said for him to say. (1 Kings 14:1-16)  Afterwards she arose and departed, and when she arrived at the door of her house the child died as the prophet had said.  They buried the child and all of Israel mourned him according to the word of The Lord which the prophet Ahijah had spoken to her. (1 Kings 14:17-18)  Jeroboam and the people of Israel did evil in the sight of The Lord. (1 Kings 14:8-9)  Additionally Rehoboam and the people of Judah also did evil in the sight of The Lord. (1 Kings 14:22-23)  There was war between Jeroboam and Rehoboam for all of their days as kings.  Jeroboam reigned over the northern kingdoms for twenty-two years before he died and was followed by his son Nadab.  Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah for seventeen years and his son Abijam reigned after he died. (1 Kings 14:19-31)

APPLICATION

It is possible to fool some of the people some of the time.  There is a famous quote which says, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” (Abraham Lincoln)  While it may be possible to fool people, no one can fool The Lord God.  He knows all and He sees all, including the heart and intentions of man. (Job 34:21, Psalm 33:13, Jeremiah 20:12, and Acts 15:8)  God has given some men the gift of discernment (1 Kings 4:29) and they can read people like a book.  The best way to avoid being deceived by people is to pray for discernment. (Psalm 119:66)