1 Kings 13:21 NLT He cried out to the man of God from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: You have defied the word of the Lord and have disobeyed the command the Lord your God gave you.
In 1 Kings 13, the Lord sent a man of God from Judah to Bethel to speak of the Lord's disapproval of Jeroboam and his policies. The Lord gave the man of God specific instructions not to eat or drink anything while he was in Bethel. The Lord also instructed him not to leave the city the same way in which he entered.
In verses 8-10 and 16 he held fast to the Lord's command and did not eat or drink anything in Bethel. Well an old prophet approached him and requested that he come to eat and drink with him and he changed his mind after the old prophet announced that he too is a prophet. He proceeded to lie to the man of God by telling him an angel gave him a command from the Lord instructing him to bring the man of God home to eat and drink. After hearing this, the man of God conceded and went with him to eat and drink (exactly what the Lord instructed him not to do).
I find it interesting that after the man of God was given explicit instructions from God regarding what not to do in Bethel, he changed his mind and did those things just because someone else said they received a message from God regarding Him. He seemed pretty sure of himself before but what was it that made him change his mind? Was it because of who the old prophet announced himself to be?
When you receive specific instructions from God to do or not do something, be careful not to waiver because someone else (regardless of who they are) comes to you and tells you about some message that God gave to them for you. You're ultimately responsible for the decision that you make especially when you've already been given specific instructions (when you know better).
It is very important to seek the Lord for yourself and to spend time learning His voice and instructions. His instructions are written in His Holy Word.
Be encouraged to know that God loves you enough to lead you in the path that you should take in life. Do not allow anyone else to attempt to lead you otherwise.
Take a moment and read 1 Kings 13:1-26.
No comments:
Post a Comment