Topic: The Deception by the old prophet
Bible Reading: 1 Kings 13-15; Luke 20: 27-47.
Memory Verse: “He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.” 1 Kings 13:18 (KJV)
In 1 Kings 13:1-3; a young prophet came to the land of Bethel and warned them, as directed by God, of the consequences of their idolatrous actions. He also stated clearly the personal instructions that God had given him not to eat or drink in the land when the king offered him hospitality. Having delivered his message from God, he embarked on his journey back to Judah. At a time he was tired and decided to rest under a tree. While he was there, an older prophet came to him and asked him to follow him to his place to eat and drink before going back home. The young prophet initially refused the entreaty stating it was contrary to the word of God but the old prophet LIED to him in 1 Kings 13:18 (KJV), “He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.” Unfortunately, the young prophet believed the lie of the old prophet and went with him, contrary to the instructions of God! He paid dearly for this disobedience with his life.
There are a few lessons to learn from this story. First, when God gives you an instruction, do not believe any contrary message no matter how highly placed spiritually the messenger is until you confirmed from God that He was changing His instructions to you. The young prophet erred by believing, without checking from God. (1 John 4:1), the lie of the older prophet.
Secondly, the devil knows when you are at your weakest moment and will come to test you at that point. That is when you need to be more careful! The young prophet was tired and possibly hungry while resting under an oak tree when the old prophet offered him food and drink; this appealed to his bodily need though contrary to God’s instruction. So, the additional sweetener added by the lying old prophet that the message was from an angel of God made it easy for the young prophet to fall for it! Remember that the devil went to test the Lord Jesus when he was hungry after fasting for forty days and forty nights to command stones to be made bread! ( Matthew 4:1-3)
Thirdly, you should be careful not to take rest early in your spiritual journey. It was while the young prophet was resting under an oak tree that the old prophet met him. If he had endured the journey, he would probably have been closer home before the old prophet will catch up with him and it would have been less attractive going back with the old prophet. Another lesson is that the young prophet didn’t need to tell King Jeroboam about his journey back home when the king offered him reward. He said to the king in 1 Kings 13:9 (KJV), “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.” If he did not say this, the old prophet would not have known how he went back to Bethel. So watch your mouth when God gives you a message. Only disclose what is necessary and not all you are told particularly if it relates personally to you. Finally, we learn that the consequence of disobedience to God’s instructions is grave; the wages of sin is death! The young prophet paid with his life!
Action point: Do not believe every prophecy that comes your way but test all by the word of God. Where you have direct instructions from God, don’t believe a contrary prophecy unless God confirms it to you.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero