TEST AND VERIFY
- DAY 351
- FEAR FILE: The Man of God From Judah
- SCRIPTURES: 1 Kings 13
And he said, “I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’ ” He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (He was lying to him.) So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water. Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the Lord said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’ ”
1 Kings 13:16-22
If God tells you something, please and please do what God has told you to do. If there is a contrary word that comes, confirm with God before you change your mind. In our text today, a man of God was sent to declare God’s judgment upon the altar Jeroboam built in rebellion against the Lord because he was afraid of losing the people. God told this prophet not to eat or drink in Israel and his heart desired to obey the Lord. He rejected the offer of the king and headed home through a different part as God said.
Then, another prophet, an older one, heard of him, pursued him, and offered him a place to rest and eat, lying that he was sent by God. He believed him, maybe because he was a prophet and followed him and this disobedience cost him his life. Interestingly, it was the prophet who lied that prophecied his doom and nothing happened to the lying prophet.
We are in the last days and so many lying prophets will emerge, we must be careful not to fall for their lies. Every spirit must be tested and every prophesy verified and double-checked. It doesn’t matter how many times that prophet has prophecied truth, how long they have been in ministry, their pedigree or age. Double-check with the Holy Ghost.
This older prophet probably just had concern for him or maybe he was a test but this man fell. When God gives an instruction, best believe that tests will come to derail you. Offers will be made to side-track you. But you must purpose in your heart to do the will of God.
May the Lord help us to be discerning, wise, and obedient.
Shalom.
