1 Kings 14:1-3 Fortune Teller’s!

 “At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please arise, and disguise yourself, that they may not recognize you as the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Indeed, Ahijah the prophet is there, who told me that I would be king over this people. Also take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him; he will tell you what will become of the child.”” ‭‭I Kings‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick: Jeroboam was a king, but even kings have trouble common to men. His sick son troubled him and prompted him to seek the help of a prophet.

i. “Prophets were commonly consulted on health matters (2 Kings 1:2; 4:22, 40; 5:3).” (Wiseman)

b. Disguise yourself, that they may not recognize you as the wife of Jeroboam: This was a familiar pattern for Jeroboam. In his time of need, he turned to the true God and men of God. He knew that idols could not help him in any true crisis. Yet he also knew that he had rejected God and His prophets, and so he told his wife to wear a disguise.

i. “How foolish! Jeroboam thought that the old prophet could penetrate the vail that hid the future, but not the disguise in which his wife wished to conceal herself.” (Meyer)

c. He will tell you what will become of the child: Jeroboam did not tell his wife to pray for their son, or to ask the prophet to pray. He wanted to use Ahijah the prophet as a fortuneteller instead of seeking him as a man of God.

i. “It would have been more pious if he had begged the prophet’s prayers, and cast away his idols from him; then the child might have been restored to him, as his hand was. But most people would rather be told their fortune than their faults or their duty.” (Matthew Henry)

(Guzik)

Fortune Teller’s!

Matthew Henry’s commentary is to the point, Jeroboam didn’t repent and was just interested in knowing the fortune for the child!

“But most people would rather be told their fortune than their faults or their duty.” (Matthew Henry)

But there’s a difference in going to a prophet of God for prayers and a soothsayer for fortune telling!

“For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.” ‭‭

Zechariah‬ ‭10‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

King Saul had the same problem, instead of repenting he sought out a soothsayer wanting to know his fortune!

When we are troubled, instead of wanting to know our fortune, repent and seek the Shepherd Jesus and it will be well with your soul.

Blessings 

1 Kings 13:33-34 He Failed!

 “After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from every class of people for the high places; whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. And this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it from the face of the earth.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭13‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way: He should have turned, but he did not. God’s dealing with the man of God from Judah was warning enough to Jeroboam, but it was a warning he ignored.

i. “All these wonderful accidents, as God’s hammers, did but beat upon cold iron.” (Trapp)

b. He became one of the priests of the high places: In ancient Israel, God commanded a strict separation between the office of king and priest. Jeroboam blurred this separation and this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam.

i. Jeroboam had great opportunity, especially in light of the promise of God through Ahijah recorded in 1 Kings 11:38: Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.Jeroboam did not obey God and honor His commandments, and he never fulfilled his potential or promise.

ii. The same principle works in servants of God today. We are not called because of obedience, or used out of merit; but our disobedience hinders our potential for full use. Paul put it this way in 2 Timothy 2:21: Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter [works of dishonor], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.God uses vessels of honor, separation, usefulness, and preparation to their fullest potential.

iii. In his failure, Jeroboam became the prototype of the disobedient kings of Israel. The phrase He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin was used of many subsequent kings of Israel. These include:

· Baasha (1 Kings 15:33-34).

· Omri (1 Kings 16:25-26).

· Ahaziah (1 Kings 22:51-52).

· Jehoram (2 Kings 3:1-3).

· Jehu (2 Kings 10:29-31).

· Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:1-2).

· Jehoash (2 Kings 13:10-11).

· Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:23-24).

· Zechariah (2 Kings 15:8-9).

· Menahim (2 Kings 15:17-18).

· Pekahiah (2 Kings 15:23-24).

· Pekah (2 Kings 15:27-28).

iv. One curious exception was Ahab, who was noted as worse than Jeroboam (1 Kings 16:30-31).

v. Jeroboam had great opportunity, but instead became a great curse to every generation of the northern kingdom after that. Even at the end of the Kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam’s sin was remembered: For He tore Israel from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and made them commit a great sin. For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them, until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day (2 Kings 17:21-23).

vi. All in all, Jeroboam is an example of sinful failure.

· He failed despite great blessing and favor from God.

· He failed for the sake of mere political advantage.

· He failed and led an entire nation into idolatry.

· He failed despite specific warnings to repent.

· He failed despite specific judgment and deliverance from that judgment.

· He failed despite a clear message and example of integrity. (Guzik)

He Failed!

Jeroboam’s sinful failure was a choice that separated him from the house of David and God. We are left with the same choice when Satan throws his fiery darts, will we sin and give in to the flesh or will we be strong in the Spirit?

The devil knows our weaknesses and will try to use them to get us to turn from the Lord. 

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Please pray for me as I pray for you for spiritual strength.

Blessings 

1 Kings 13:25b-32 Led into Sin!

 “Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. Now when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord. Therefore the Lord has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him.” And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it. Then he went and found his corpse thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse nor torn the donkey. And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him. Then he laid the corpse in his own tomb; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” So it was, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. For the saying which he cried out by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass.””

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭13‬:‭25‬b-‭32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him: The old prophet from Bethel was sympathetic to the man of God from Judah, even in his disobedience and resulting judgment. The prophet from Bethel was not a particularly righteous man or good prophet, having used a lying prophecy to lead the man of God into sin and judgment. He recognized the common weakness of this fellow servant of God.

i. How strange it was for the old prophet to look upon the carcass of the dead prophet, and to realize: “My sin was worse than his.” The ways of God’s judgment are sometimes past finding out, and only understandable from eternity.

b. He laid the corpse in his own tomb: Not in the tomb of the man of God from Judah’s fathers, in fulfillment of the previous prophecy.

c. When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: Though he lied to him, led him into sin, and prophesied judgment against him, the prophet from Bethel still respected the man of God from Judah. Perhaps he understood that the word he spoke against Jeroboam required a courage he did not have; therefore he confirmed the word of the man of God against Jeroboam and the altar at Bethel. (Guzik)

Led into Sin!

If we examine ourselves, are we any different than old prophet from Bethel? Is there anyone that we led into sin by offering a drink, a lie or something worse that led them on the path to perdition?

I am no different than the old prophet, what about you?

But wait there’s hope!

“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!……”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭24‬-‭25‬a ‭NKJV‬‬

Yes I thank God for Jesus Christ who washed me with His blood and made me whiter than snow!

Do you thank God for Jesus Christ?

Blessings 

1 Kings 13:23-25 More Obedient!

 “So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back. When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse. And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse.” I Kings‬ ‭13‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. A lion met him on the road and killed him: The word – the second word – of the prophet from Bethel was fulfilled. He didn’t say that the man of God would perish by a lion, but that he would not be buried in the tomb of his fathers.

i. “Lions were attested in Palestine until at least the thirteenth century a.d.” (Wiseman)

b. And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse: This demonstrates that this was no mere accident, but something unique from God. The lion did not attack the donkey (the donkey stood by it), nor did he attack the men who passed by. This lion was on a special mission of judgment from God, and seems to be more obedient than the man of God from Judah was. (Guzik)

More Obedient!

It’s interesting that a lion 🦁 was more obedient than the man of God was!

God can use anybody or anything for His purposes! If the Lord puts something on your heart to do for Him and you don’t do it He’s not limited by your stubbornness! He will find another means!

I believe once we meet Jesus face to face we will wish we were more obedient to His will!

Are you obedient to God?

Blessings 

1 Kings 13:20-22 Worse Judgment!

 “Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; and 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.’ ”” I Kings‬ ‭13‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back: This prophet from Bethel spoke a lie in the name of the LORD in 1 Kings 13:18. Now he received a true prophecy while the man of God from Judah ate at his table.

b. Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD: God promised great judgment against the man of God from Judah for his disobedience. This was a hard test, but he failed it. He should have kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded, no matter how subtle and innocent the temptation was to disobey.

c. Your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers: God judged the man of God from Judah far more strictly than He judged Jeroboam or the prophet from Bethel. It would seem that they were guilty of worse sins (leading national idolatry and a deliberate lying prophecy), yet the man of God received worse judgment.

i. “For a body to lie unburied was a curse, hence the emphasis on detail of the place of burial. It was a disgrace to be buried away from the family among strangers.” (Wiseman)

ii. This is an example of an important principle of the way God works. We think that strict judgment should begin among the most ungodly, but often God begins strict judgment among His own people (1 Peter 4:17). Usually this is because God knows that the world will not be reached when His people live in compromise and disobedience.

iii. “By permitting himself to be seduced by the old prophet, when he should have acted only on the expressly declared counsel of God, he committed the sin unto death [1 John 5:16-17]; that is, such a sin as God will punish with the death of the body, while he extends mercy to his soul.” (Clarke)

(Guzik)

Worse Judgment!

There are several examples in the Bible like this one where we scratch our heads and wonder why the man of God received worse judgment that the prophet from Bethel that lied?

It’s simple, we aren’t God and we don’t sit on His throne! Christians aren’t immune either as pastors, elders and leaders that knowingly teach false doctrine instead of biblical truths can face a stricter judgement. If you question something that a pastor teaches, research it yourself in the Bible and if you find it to be false, find another church!

Do you attend a Bible teaching church?

Blessings 

https://www.gotquestions.org/teachers-judged-more-strictly.html

1 Kings 13:18-19 Resist It!

 “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.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭13‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He was lying to him: The prophet from Bethel gave a false word from God, trying to persuade the man of God from Judah to change his course from doing exactly what God told him.

i. “As he found the man of God sitting under an oak, probably faint with fatigue and fasting, for he had no refreshment, his humanity might have led him to practise this deception, in order to persuade him to take some refreshment.” (Clarke)

ii. “But his sin was great; for he did not only tell a premeditated lie, but also made God a liar, and to contradict himself, and all this without any pretence of necessity, or benefit to himself.” (Poole)

b. An angel spoke to me: Perhaps this was true, and perhaps it was a deceiving angel. Satan and his messengers can appear as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

c. So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water: The man of God from Judah listened to the lie from the prophet of Bethel. He did this for several reasons:

· The prophet from Bethel was probably older (an old prophet, 1 Kings 13:11) and had the respect of the man of God.

· The prophet from Bethel identified with the man of God (I too am a prophet as you are).

· The prophet from Bethel claimed a spectacular experience (an angel spoke to me).

· The prophet from Bethel claimed to speak for the LORD (by the word of the LORD).

· The prophet from Bethel did not seem to be an idolater who should be shunned (Bring him back with you to your house).

· The prophet from Bethel offered no reward, other than simple food (he may eat bread and drink water).

i. No matter how natural and seductive this enticement was, it was the duty of the man of God to resist it. He had a word from God to guide his actions, and should receive no other word except through dramatic and direct confirmation by God’s Spirit. His failure at this point ended his usefulness as a man of God.

ii. “When we have received a direct command fresh from the lips of Christ, we must act on it, and not be turned aside by a different suggestion, made to us through the lips of professing Christians… Deal with God at first-hand.” (Meyer)

iii. “God never contradicts Himself in His dealings with His servants. Let us be true to His commands, refusing to be deflected from the path of obedience, even by an angel from heaven.” (Morgan)

(Guzik)

Resist It!

Don’t let Meyer’s comment escape you! “When we have received a direct command fresh from the lips of Christ, we must act on it, and not be turned aside by a different suggestion, made to us through the lips of professing Christians… Deal with God at first-hand.” (Meyer)

I remember when Christ led us to adoption, we had received a direct command fresh from the lips of Christ and several people were trying to turn aside by a different suggestion! 

We followed Christ’s command and I believe He blessed us because we put God first!

If Jesus gives you a command and someone try’s to turn you aside with a different suggestion, resist it!

Blessings