The Disobedient Prophet

by Chris Simmons

In I Kings chapter 13, we read of a man whose name is not mentioned, a prophet of God (verse 18), who teaches us all a very valuable lesson in our faithfulness and obedience towards God. This “man of God” (verse 1) was directed by God to cry against the altars that had been erected in the nation of Israel in the days of the reign of King Jeroboam. He prophesied of the judgment God would execute against the nation of Israel during the future reign of Josiah in Judah and gave a sign as evidence of that which was to come (verses 2-3).

Having heard the condemnation spoken by this prophet, Jeroboam reacted as so many do today. He attacked the messenger of truth and sought to “seize” him (verse 4). Even during the days of the first century church, as there are today, men have faced the temptation to view those who preach and stand for the truth as enemies. Paul asked the Galatians in Galatians 4:16, “Have I therefore become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Stephen preached a lesson of condemnation upon the Jews in Acts chapter 6 for being “betrayers and murderers” of the “Righteous One” (verse 53), and they reacted by rushing upon him, dragging him out of the city and stoning him (verses 57-60). Today, would we also attack the one who, according to God’s word, convicts us of sin and rather, seek those who tickle our ears (II Timothy 4:3) and tell us “peace, peace” when there is no peace (Jeremiah 8:11)?

In verses 4-6 of I Kings 13, we read that God caused Jeroboam’s arm to become withered when he sought to lay hold of the man of God and that the sign that he had spoken of happened exactly as he had said (“the altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar”). Jeroboam then asks the man of God to “entreat” the Lord on his behalf to have his arm restored, which he did and his arm returned to its original condition.

Next we read in verses 7-9 that Jeroboam asks the man of God to, “‘come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.’ But the man of God said to the king, ‘If you were to give me half your house I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place. For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came.’’” We must first appreciate the fact that God’s will for this man of God was understandable. He clearly understood what God had said as well as its application in his life. We also can clearly understand what God’s word says if we are willing to do His will (cf., Ephesians 3:3-5; John 7:17). God’s word is understandable and its truth is simple and we are to appreciate and never be turned away “from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3).

We then read in verses 11 and following of an “old prophet” who heard of what this man of God had done and said and went after him. When the old prophet found the man of God, he then asked him to “come home with me and eat bread” (verse 15). The man of God again denied and stated God’s directions to him “‘you shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came’” (verse 17). But then the “old prophet” countered by saying, “I also am a prophet like you, 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’” (verse 18). The “old prophet” told the man of God in essence that he had a “later” revelation. What he didn’t tell him is that “he lied to him.” Yet today, there are those who contend that they have a “later revelation” that had either come through some other man (i.e., the Pope or Joseph Smith), or through some mystical voice in the night that stands in contradiction to the Bible. Any claims for a latter day revelation stand in opposition to the Bible itself as we read in such passages as Jude 3, “beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 3:16-17 that God’s word is able to make us “perfect” (or complete) and “throughly furnished unto every good work” (KJV). Man has no other need for any other revelation and we must have the courage, faith and conviction to stand against such men as this “old prophet” and trust in what God has said, rather than in men.

Unfortunately, we read in verse 19 that the man of God listened to the “old prophet” and “went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water.” The consequence of his disobedience was that he died on his return home, according to the word of the Lord (verses 21-25). The consequences today of men who turn aside from what they know God’s word says, to follow after the words of men, also results in death, spiritually.

This indeed has been written so that we might not follow the example of this man of God (cf., Romans 15:4).