LISTEN TO THE LORD

“And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el” (1 Kings 13:8-10).

This man of God was given a commandment by God to cry against the altar regarding a prophecy concerning king Josiah which he complied with (1 Kings 13:1-2). In connection with that commandment, was the charge not to eat or drink nor to go back the way he came. This man remained true to this charge even when king Jeroboam attempted to get him to refresh himself and receive a reward (1 Kings 13:7-10). Sadly, this would change.

An old prophet located in Beth-el, found the man of God and asked him to come home with him and eat (1 Kings 13:11-15). The man of God repeated the charge (showing his understanding of God’s Word) to the old prophet (1 Kings 13:16-17). The old prophet then proceeded to lie to the man of God saying an angel had directed him to bring him back and feed him (1 Kings 13:18). The man of God believed the lie (he was deceived) and violated God’s charge by eating and drinking (1 Kings 13:19). It cost him his life as he was later slain by a lion (1 Kings 13:20-24).

God means what He says. We must be ever on alert for falsehood (cf. 1 John 4:1; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:13; 2 Cor. 11:13-15). Paul warned against accepting a false message as it relates to the Gospel even if it was brought from an angel from Heaven (Gal. 1:6-10). The faith (of which there is only one - Eph. 4:5) has been once delivered for all time (Jude 3; cf. Gal. 1:11, 23). There will be no new revelation as we have the perfect law of liberty now (1 Cor. 13:8-12; James 1:25; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3). Let us listen to the LORD through careful obedience to His Word!

Trent Thrasher