Punishment And Kingdom Consequences (1Ki 12:1-16:34)
The Reign Of Jeroboam. (1Ki 12:25-14:20).
Jeroboam’s Warning From God (13:1-34).
THE TRAGEDY OF BELIEVING A LIE
1Ki 13:1-34
Reading:
Songs:
Theme: obedience toward God’s word is commanded (cp. Mat 12:27-28)
INTRODUCTION
A. Have you ever had people lie to you? The hardest part of having been told a lie is having believed it than finding out it was a lie you believed. Finding out, you might feel disappointed, betrayed, humiliated, tricked, victimized. Even religious people sometimes lie when they have motive. Unfortunately, sometimes it is too late to do anything about having believed the lie.
B. Let’s consider the results of believing a lie from an account in the Bible. The accounts in the Bible never grow outdated. With every new generation, the accounts still find a present, spiritual and moral application. This only makes sense, since God put them in His word for our guidance (Psa 119:18; Joh 20:30-3; Ro. 15:4).
C. After Solomon's death the kingdom divided: 10 tribes followed Jereboam becoming the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and 2 tribes remained under Rehoboam becoming the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Jereboam feared the Northern Kingdom would want to return to Southern Kingdom, back to the house of David, through worship at Jerusalem, so he divised a plan. He created a new religion, making changes to God’s word. The First Book Of Kings, chapter thirteen is a great account from the Bible in which a prophet from Judah was commissioned with an important task by God, to go speak to Jeroboam.
I. SIN’S REPROOF (13:1-10). (Not in Chronicles.)
Worship at Bethel Denounced
A. ... there came a man of God ... And he cried against the altar ... (12:25-33; 3:1-5).
KJV
1 ¶ And, behold, there came <0935> (8804) a man <0376> of God <0430> out of Judah <03063> by the word <01697> of the LORD <03068> unto Bethel <01008>: and Jeroboam <03379> stood <05975> (8802) by the altar <04196> to burn incense <06999> (8687). {burn: or, offer}
2 And he cried <07121> (8799) against the altar <04196> in the word <01697> of the LORD <03068>, and said <0559> (8799), O altar <04196>, altar <04196>, thus saith <0559> (8804) the LORD <03068>; Behold, a child <01121> shall be born <03205> (8737) unto the house <01004> of David <01732>, Josiah <02977> by name <08034>; and upon thee shall he offer <02076> (8804) the priests <03548> of the high places <01116> that burn incense <06999> (8688) upon thee, and men’s <0120> bones <06106> shall be burnt <08313> (8799) upon thee.
1. While Jeroboam was in the midst of sacrificing at his altar, a prophet came to him (vs 1-2).
a. This is an account written for our learning.
b. It has to do with two men, one, a rebel who stood against God’s will and one who stood with God’s will. The unnamed prophet was sent from Judah by God on a mission with very specific instructions to take to Bethel in the Northen Kingdom.
c. He was to cry out against the idolatrous worship promoted by King Jeroboam.
(1) Would it not be great if God would directly send someone to us to declare verbally his disapproval whenever we outright disregarded his word, so we could stay on track.
(2) When we really give it consideration, we realize that is exactly the effect God’s word is supposed to have on us when we allow ourselves to be strongly influenced by the teaching of it.
(3) God’s speaking directly to men shouldn’t be anymore affective than hearing his inspired words spoken by those faithful to it (Exo 20:4; 32:1-9; Luk 16:27-31)!
d. In his message, the prophet announced to Jeroboam the eventual overthrow of the false and unacceptable worship.
e. The prophecy was literally fulfilled with King Josiah (see 2Ki 23:15-20).
Jeroboam’s Reaction And Fate
3 And he gave <05414> (8804) a sign <04159> the same day <03117>, saying <0559> (8800), This is the sign <04159> which the LORD <03068> hath spoken <01696> (8765); Behold, the altar <04196> shall be rent <07167> (8738), and the ashes <01880> that are upon it shall be poured out <08210> (8738).
4 And it came to pass, when king <04428> Jeroboam <03379> heard <08085> (8800) the saying <01697> of the man <0376> of God <0430>, which had cried <07121> (8804) against the altar <04196> in Bethel <01008>, that he put forth <07971> (8799) his hand <03027> from the altar <04196>, saying <0559> (8800), Lay hold <08610> (8798) on him. And his hand <03027>, which he put forth <07971> (8804) against him, dried up <03001> (8799), so that he could <03201> (8804) not pull it in again <07725> (8687) to him.
5 The altar <04196> also was rent <07167> (8738), and the ashes <01880> poured out <08210> (8735) from the altar <04196>, according to the sign <04159> which the man <0376> of God <0430> had given <05414> (8804) by the word <01697> of the LORD <03068>.
2. With miraculous signs the prophet threatened the altar used in the false worship, the founder of the false worship and the false worshipers (vs 3-5).
a. Jeroboam had, without inspiration from God, changed the place of worship, the qualifications for priests, the date of the feast (v 24).
b. Jeroboam, a leader, had lied to the people by offering for worship different from God’s revealed was acceptable and the people that any kind of worship was pleasing to God.
c. The denominations follow the same wrong attitude as do several congregations once of the Lord’s church.
Jeroboam’s Requests
B. ... the king answered and said) unto the man of God, Intreat) now the face of the LORD ... Come home with me ... (13:6-10).
6 And the king <04428> answered <06030> (8799) and said <0559> (8799) unto the man <0376> of God <0430>, Intreat <02470> (8761) now the face <06440> of the LORD <03068> thy God <0430>, and pray <06419> (8690) for me, that my hand <03027> may be restored me again <07725> (8799). And the man <0376> of God <0430> besought <02470> (8762) <06440> the LORD <03068>, and the king’s <04428> hand <03027> was restored him again <07725> (8799), and became as it was before <07223>. {the LORD, and: Heb. the face of the LORD, etc}
1. Jeroboam cried out to the “man of God” that he petition God to restore the hand and it was restored.
7 And the king <04428> said <01696> (8762) unto the man <0376> of God <0430>, Come <0935> (8798) home <01004> with me, and refresh <05582> (8798) thyself, and I will give <05414> (8799) thee a reward <04991>.
2. The king requested that the prophet come to his home.
8 And the man <0376> of God <0430> said <0559> (8799) unto the king <04428>, If thou wilt give <05414> (8799) me half <02677> thine house <01004>, I will not go in <0935> (8799) with thee, neither will I eat <0398> (8799) bread <03899> nor drink <08354> (8799) water <04325> in this place <04725>:
9 For so was it charged <06680> (8765) me by the word <01697> of the LORD <03068>, saying <0559> (8800), Eat <0398> (8799) no bread <03899>, nor drink <08354> (8799) water <04325>, nor turn again <07725> (8799) by the same way <01870> that thou camest <01980> (8804).
10 So he went <03212> (8799) another <0312> way <01870>, and returned <07725> (8804) not by the way <01870> that he came <0935> (8804) to Bethel <01008>.
3. However, the man of God refused the king's hospitality based on "the word of the Lord, ...”
a. The prophets instructions were to, “Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest ”
b. That the prophet understood God’s instructions perfectly well is clearly understood by his turning down the invitation of the king to "come home with me."
c. God’s word was not hard to understand and is still not difficult for us to understand and follow (1Co 10:13; 1Jo 5:3).
d. It time we all began to refuse in life, society and religion, what is not according to God’s word to us.
Transition: As we will read of the man of God, through sin people certainly can be deceived!
II. SIN’S DECEPTION (13:11-22; 2Pe 2:1) (Not in Chronicles.)
The Man Of God Was Enticed
A. ... he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread ... (13:11-19).
11 ¶ Now there dwelt <03427> (8802) an <0259> old <02205> prophet <05030> in Bethel <01008>; and his sons <01121> came <0935> (8799) and told <05608> (8762) him all the works <04639> that the man <0376> of God <0430> had done <06213> (8804) that day <03117> in Bethel <01008>: the words <01697> which he had spoken <01696> (8765) unto the king <04428>, them they told <05608> (8762) also to their father <01>.
12 And their father <01> said <01696> (8762) unto them, What way <01870> went <01980> (8804) he? For his sons <01121> had seen <07200> (8799) what <0335> way <01870> the man <0376> of God <0430> went <01980> (8804), which came <0935> (8804) from Judah <03063>.
13 And he said <0559> (8799) unto his sons <01121>, Saddle <02280> (8798) me the ass <02543>. So they saddled <02280> (8799) him the ass <02543>: and he rode <07392> (8799) thereon,
14 And went <03212> (8799) after <0310> the man <0376> of God <0430>, and found <04672> (8799) him sitting <03427> (8802) under an oak <0424>: and he said <0559> (8799) unto him, Art thou the man <0376> of God <0430> that camest <0935> (8804) from Judah <03063>? And he said <0559> (8799), I am.
15 Then he said <0559> (8799) unto him, Come <03212> (8798) home <01004> with me, and eat <0398> (8798) bread <03899>.
1. A man of Bethal having heard of what the man of God had done decided to ask the man of God to his home.
16 And he said <0559> (8799), I may <03201> (8799) not return <07725> (8800) with thee, nor go in <0935> (8800) with thee: neither will I eat <0398> (8799) bread <03899> nor drink <08354> (8799) water <04325> with thee in this place <04725>:
17 For it was said <01697> to me by the word <01697> of the LORD <03068>, Thou shalt eat <0398> (8799) no bread <03899> nor drink <08354> (8799) water <04325> there, nor turn again <07725> (8799) to go <03212> (8800) by the way <01870> that thou camest <01980> (8804). {it…: Heb. a word was}
2. Once again, as he had done with the king, the man of God announced that God’s word prohibited him from going to anyone’s house to eat or drink.
18 He said <0559> (8799) unto him, I am a prophet <05030> also as thou art; and an angel <04397> spake <01696> (8765) unto me by the word <01697> of the LORD <03068>, saying <0559> (8800), Bring him back <07725> (8685) with thee into thine house <01004>, that he may eat <0398> (8799) bread <03899> and drink <08354> (8799) water <04325>. But he lied <03584> (8765) unto him.
19 So he went back <07725> (8799) with him, and did eat <0398> (8799) bread <03899> in his house <01004>, and drank <08354> (8799) water <04325>.
3. The man from Bethel lied to the man of God tricking him into going against God’s word.
4. There are people waiting to do the devil’s part and trap us by the deceitfulness of sin just as with the man of God in our passage.
a. The devil tried hard to temp Jesus to sin.
b. The devil will try hard to temp us to sin (1Pe 5:8).
c. Remember what Paul told the elders at Ephesus regarding God’s word (Act 20:27-31).
The Man Of God Was Reproved
B. ... the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back ... And he cried unto the man of God ... Thus saith the LORD ... (13:20-22).
20 And it came to pass, as they sat <03427> (8802) at the table <07979>, that the word <01697> of the LORD <03068> came unto the prophet <05030> that brought him back <07725> (8689):
1. In the midst of his disobedience, “the word of the LORD” was given to the man of God.
21 And he cried <07121> (8799) unto the man <0376> of God <0430> that came <0935> (8804) from Judah <03063>, saying <0559> (8800), Thus saith <0559> (8804) the LORD <03068>, Forasmuch as <03282> thou hast disobeyed <04784> (8804) the mouth <06310> of the LORD <03068>, and hast not kept <08104> (8804) the commandment <04687> which the LORD <03068> thy God <0430> commanded <06680> (8765) thee,
22 But camest back <07725> (8799), and hast eaten <0398> (8799) bread <03899> and drunk <08354> (8799) water <04325> in the place <04725>, of the which the LORD did say <01696> (8765) to thee, Eat <0398> (8799) no bread <03899>, and drink <08354> (8799) no water <04325>; thy carcase <05038> shall not come <0935> (8799) unto the sepulchre <06913> of thy fathers <01>.
2. Though the man of God was once considered of God, like Moses and Aaron who transgressed God’s word, so it was for the man of God in our passage who had transgressed God’s word.
3. It wasn’t because he lacked understanding of God’s word that the man disobeyed (1Kn 13:8-10).
(1) Many are lost because of a lack of understanding.
(2) Many are also lost even though they understand.
(3) The apostle Paul prayed that the Phillippian saints were to “abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ” (Php 1:9-10).