The Old Prophet’s Deception
[ READ ] 1 Kings 13:11–25
The Prophet's Disobedience
11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14 And he went after the man of God and 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.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” 18 And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.
20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And 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 that the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.
11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14 And he went after the man of God and 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.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” 18 And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.
20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And 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 that the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.
I think sometimes we take obedience for granted. We have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit indwelling with us and we often ignore our convictions. Whether we are hearing “pray with them”, “stand up for your beliefs”, “love that person” or whatever else He may be impressing upon us, we can go the other way. Sometimes we hear the Spirit say “don’t open that app”, “don’t order that food”, or “don’t say that thing.” The Holy Spirit convicts us and we are blessed enough that God doesn’t smite us down on the car ride home.
I recently got news that someone I knew passed away in a tragic accident and met His Saviour sooner than I would have liked to see. He was a faithful man and someone I looked up to. Always obedient to share the Gospel and always encouraging his brothers and sisters in Christ. Our time here on earth is short and we would be mistaken if we wanted to hear anything other than “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) and I know he met Jesus and had the privilege of hearing those words. We can never know the time when our life will come to an end and we never know what the last thing we do here on earth will be. Will it be obedience even in the face of risk, or will it be disobedience? If I can pull anything out of this passage it would be that we should be praying the God softens our hearts in a manner we can hear and discern what the Holy Spirit is saying, and follow through with obedience, without skipping a beat.
- Quentin Parker
I recently got news that someone I knew passed away in a tragic accident and met His Saviour sooner than I would have liked to see. He was a faithful man and someone I looked up to. Always obedient to share the Gospel and always encouraging his brothers and sisters in Christ. Our time here on earth is short and we would be mistaken if we wanted to hear anything other than “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) and I know he met Jesus and had the privilege of hearing those words. We can never know the time when our life will come to an end and we never know what the last thing we do here on earth will be. Will it be obedience even in the face of risk, or will it be disobedience? If I can pull anything out of this passage it would be that we should be praying the God softens our hearts in a manner we can hear and discern what the Holy Spirit is saying, and follow through with obedience, without skipping a beat.
- Quentin Parker
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Why do you think the man lied saying he was a prophet?
+ Why do you think the man lied saying he was a prophet?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What is one thing you may be delaying your obedience on?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What is one thing you may be delaying your obedience on?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, soften our hearts. Send Your Spirit upon us and give us your wisdom as we long to be obedient to You. Thank you for the cross and Your Son’s sacrifice for our sins. God, we believe in You, help our unbelief and convict us of the things we need to be corrected on. We love You and we praise You, in Jesus’s name, amen.
+ Pray with me:
Father, soften our hearts. Send Your Spirit upon us and give us your wisdom as we long to be obedient to You. Thank you for the cross and Your Son’s sacrifice for our sins. God, we believe in You, help our unbelief and convict us of the things we need to be corrected on. We love You and we praise You, in Jesus’s name, amen.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
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