Believing A Lie (1 Kings 13)

Should we believe those who claim to have a message from an angel, or obey the word of God? Let’s begin in 1 Kings 13.

What dangerous mission did an unnamed man of God embark upon? Did he make a prophecy of Josiah, over 300 years in advance?

A man of God came from Judah to Bethel by a revelation from the Lord while Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense. The man of God cried out against the altar by a revelation from the Lord: “Altar, altar, this is what the Lord says, ‘A son will be born to the house of David, named Josiah, and he will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’” He gave a sign that day. He said, “This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: ‘The altar will now be ripped apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.’” (1 Kings 13:1-3 HCSB)

How was the man of God protected from Jeroboam’s threats?

When he heard the man of God curse the altar in Bethel, the king pointed at the man of God from where the king was standing at the altar. “Seize him!” he ordered. But all of a sudden his hand that he had stretched out dried up, and he could not bring it back to his side! Also, the altar broke apart and the ashes that were on it spilled out from the altar, providing just the proof that the man of God had predicted in his message from the Lord! “Please!” the king begged the man of God, “Ask the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored for me!” So the man of God asked the Lord, and the king’s hand was immediately and fully restored, just like it had been before. (1 Kings 13:4-6 ISV)

What did the man of God say? Do many people similarly want to obey God?

And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 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 Bethel. (1 Kings 13:7-10 KJV)

How was the once obedient man of God set up for disobedience by a prophet’s lie?

Now an old prophet was living in Bethel; and his sons came and recounted to him all the work which the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king, these also they recounted to their father. And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons had seen the way which the man of God who came from Judah had gone. Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it. So 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.” Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” And he said, “I cannot return with you, nor go with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. For a word came to me by the word of Yahweh, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came.’” (1 Kings 13:11-17 LSB)

How easily was a man of God lied to? Did the founders of Mormonism, Islam and the SDA’s tell similar stories about angels? Should we always verify such claims with the word of God?

Then he said to him, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water. (1 Kings 13:18-19 NASB)

What happens when a prophet is forced by God to admit his lies? What did the man of God do? Does the severe punishment emphasize caution over allowing religious leaders to make us stray from God’s word?