Disobeying the Word
Today's reading was from 1 Kings 12:20. All but the tribe of Judah was under the authority of king Jeroboam's leadership. Unfortunately, he was a wicked king who lead the people astray. He made two golden calves and told the people that these calves are what brought them out of Egypt. He also appointed priests that weren't from the tribe of Levi, he made temples in high places, and made sacrifices there. He also instituted a feast day to offer sacrifices to the gods.
God sent a man to Bethel to go to the altar there and pronounce judgement against the sins of the false priests there. He said that a man named Josiah would be born from the dynasty of David and on this altar would burn the bones of the priests of these pagan shrines. The man of God also said that there would be a sign and the sign would be that the altar would be torn in two and its ashes poured out.
The king was angry and called for the man of God to be seized but as he was shouting and pointing his hand froze, a crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out as predicted by the man of God. Immediately the king asked the man of God to entreat God to restore his hand and so he does, and his hand is restored. Then the king requests that the man of God dine with him. But the man of God is given specific instructions from God;
'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel. (1 Kings 13:9-10 NKJV)
Unfortunately, he is befriended under a great tree and deceived to go and dine with an old prophet. The old prophet purposefully lies to him and says; I am a prophet too and God told me to bring you home so you can have something to eat and drink. So he believes the lie and goes with the old man and later on that day as he leaves, he is attacked by a lion and killed. So God's word is fulfilled.
I think this is a great lesson because many times God gives us his word to encourage us, and direct us and many times the enemy wants to steal the word away from us. When we listen to the lies of the enemy we will suffer loss, reward, and blessing. The enemy is cunning- the old man stated that he was a prophet too. Why wouldn't the man of God believe a prophet? Why wouldn't God want him to have food and drink? In our minds it all makes sense. God's ways are always higher and we can only trust him and his word.
The words of the LORD are pure words,Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6, NKJV)
"I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food." (Job 23:12, NKJV)
He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147:15
"
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." (James 1:23-24, NKJV)
God sent a man to Bethel to go to the altar there and pronounce judgement against the sins of the false priests there. He said that a man named Josiah would be born from the dynasty of David and on this altar would burn the bones of the priests of these pagan shrines. The man of God also said that there would be a sign and the sign would be that the altar would be torn in two and its ashes poured out.
The king was angry and called for the man of God to be seized but as he was shouting and pointing his hand froze, a crack appeared in the altar, and the ashes poured out as predicted by the man of God. Immediately the king asked the man of God to entreat God to restore his hand and so he does, and his hand is restored. Then the king requests that the man of God dine with him. But the man of God is given specific instructions from God;
'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel. (1 Kings 13:9-10 NKJV)
Unfortunately, he is befriended under a great tree and deceived to go and dine with an old prophet. The old prophet purposefully lies to him and says; I am a prophet too and God told me to bring you home so you can have something to eat and drink. So he believes the lie and goes with the old man and later on that day as he leaves, he is attacked by a lion and killed. So God's word is fulfilled.
I think this is a great lesson because many times God gives us his word to encourage us, and direct us and many times the enemy wants to steal the word away from us. When we listen to the lies of the enemy we will suffer loss, reward, and blessing. The enemy is cunning- the old man stated that he was a prophet too. Why wouldn't the man of God believe a prophet? Why wouldn't God want him to have food and drink? In our minds it all makes sense. God's ways are always higher and we can only trust him and his word.
The words of the LORD are pure words,Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6, NKJV)
"I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food." (Job 23:12, NKJV)
He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147:15
"
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." (James 1:23-24, NKJV)
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