STORY TIME..
Once upon a time, a king in Israel, King Jeroboam caused the children of God to go into idolatry at Bethel and Dan.
Therefore, God sent a message of judgement through a man of God from Judah to prophesy against Jeroboam.
However, God gave this man of God an instruction neither to eat bread nor take water until he get back to his base. He was also warned to take a different route when going back. He successfully delivered his message and he even performed a miracle of praying for the king’s hand to be restored. Afterwards, king Jeroboam presented food and water to this man of God, he simply refused and left. What a good and obedient man of God.
Alas, an old prophet heard about him and sent for him. There and then, the old prophet persuaded this man of God to eat and unfortunately he yielded which led to his doom.
But the question a simple mind would have asked is: WHY COULD THIS MAN OF GOD GIVE IN SO EASILY?
1) The Bible recorded that the prophet in Bethel as an old prophet. This means he must have probably been in the work of prophesying for a very long time.Yes it might just be that the man of God from Judah had gone back out of respect for him. Not only that, he felt because the prophet was an old prophet, it must have been God that truly spoke through him to him, instead of him to confirm again.
Is that not what many are doing today as well?
When God has clearly and specifically given them instructions, they turn aside simply because someone else that they has esteemed to be more spiritual asked them to do otherwise?
Yes, there is place of having spiritual heads but there is the place of also weighing whatever they tell you with whatever God has also told you. It is very very important.
2) If the prophet had probably rejected the food and water without mentioning that it was an instruction not to eat or drink from God, maybe the old prophet wouldn’t have been able to manipulate him.
Another lesson here: It is not every revelation or instruction you share. Only share as led by the Spirit.
3) Another thing was that the man of God was sitting under the oak tree the old prophet caught up with him.
Just maybe if he wasn’t taking a rest under the tree, he would have gone so far to be seen.
What another striking lesson for you and I: Christians, seek not yet repose (rest). That moment when you are resting might be when the devil will catch up with you.
4) Also, I was wondering why the old prophet had to even lie in the first place. Was he not a prophet after all?.
However, I realized that even though he was prophet but it was clear that he was already far away from God. Hence, the reason he could lie that easily. Also, it might be because of his jealousy and pride. He must have thought that why would God have sent someone outside his jurisdiction to come and pass such a judgement when he was probably still there?
It clearly explains that someone that is a saint today if not careful might become a sinner tomorrow.
It also explains that God can replace anyone and at anytime.
5) Another thing that struck me is that the man of God couldn’t have thought that the old prophets would be a source of temptation to him. It shows that temptation can come from any source. That’s why one need to beware.
There are so many lessons to learn from the story of this man of God and the prophet. What have you also learnt about these two men?
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