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Where's A Man of God When You Need One or Doh! I
Knew That!
1 Kings 13:9
Where's a dependable man of God when you need one? After reading through the
account of the duping of the man of God in 1 Kings 13, one might be tempted to
ask that question.
The man of God had delivered a scathing rebuke to king Jeroboam and the northern
nation of Israel for their idolatrous worship and had even refused a dinner
invitation from the king himself for God had said, "You shall eat no bread, nor
drink water, nor return by the way which you came." (1 Kings 13:9) The stranger
from Judah was intent on keeping that command. That is, until an old prophet met
up with him.
By falsely saying that an angel told him it would be alright, the old prophet
misled the man of God into disobeying God's express command. The man of God went
to the old prophet's house to eat and drink. Even as they were eating, God's
word (for real this time) came to the old prophet and rebuked the man of God for
his disobedience. The duped man of God must have slapped himself on the forehead
and said to himself, "I knew better than that! Why didn't I just obey God as He
commanded me?" Further, his punishment was pronounced on the spot and carried
out directly on his way home. Torn up by a lion and buried far from home, the
man of God met a miserable end after having courageously proclaimed God's word
to a disobedient king!
Where's a dependable man (or woman) of God when you need one? In a time when
anything goes religiously, where are the men and women of faith who'll stand
against a tide of lies and liars to simply obey God's commands? Perhaps they're
conversing with angels who say "Following the gospel as revealed by Jesus and
His apostles isn't all that necessary as long as you're sincere." Or maybe the
angel is saying, "All paths lead to heaven anyway!" However, a real man of God
said, "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel
contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" Then, for good
measure, he repeats the same warning again! (Gal 1:8-9)
True, there are some who don't want to know the way of truth and just want to
hear what they want to be true. Then there are those who know the truth and
disregard it such as the ones spoken of in 2 Peter 2:20-21. Read it for
yourself; if you know better and get caught up in sin again, you'll be worse off
than you were before.
The point is this: "To the one who knows the right thing to do and does not do
it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) However, the one who does what he knows is
right will be blessed! (James 1:25) That's a promise from the Promise Keeper of
all time! Be a real man or woman of God; listen and obey.
By Zeke Flores
From Expository Files 12.5; May 2005
