8But the man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place. 9For the lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’” 10So he left Bethel and went home another way.
11As it happened, there was an old prophet living in Bethel, and his sons came home and told him what the man of God had done in Bethel that day. They also told their father what the man had said to the king. 12The old prophet asked them, “Which way did he go?” So they showed their father which road the man of God had taken. 13“Quick, saddle the donkey,” the old man said. So they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it.
14Then he rode after the man of God and found him sitting under a great tree. The old prophet asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”
“Yes, I am,” he replied.
15Then he said to the man of God, “Come home with me and eat some food.”
16“No, I cannot,” he replied. “I am not allowed to eat or drink anything here in this place. 17For the lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’”
18But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’” But the old man was lying to him. 19So they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet’s home.
24and the man of God started off again. But as he was traveling along, a lion came out and killed him. His body lay there on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. (1 Kings 13:8-19,24 NLT)
I have only a couple of thoughts today, and they will be brief:
1. Good for the first prophet for being a man of God, and sharing the hard truth with the king. This was a difficult thing to do, and could have cost him his life. I hope I have the same gumption if ever called upon.
2. Good for him for standing up to the king, and not staying to eat with him. He heard the voice of the Lord, and obeyed it. Again, either choice could have led to his death.
3. What was he thinking when he stayed to eat with someone he didn’t know? He did the right things when it was hard-twice, but when it was easy he caved? It really doesn’t make sense to me.
4. The lesson is, if God says it obey it. It doesn’t matter who is talking to you. It could be your pastor who also hears from the Lord. It could be a parent who also hears from the Lord. It could be your spouse who also hears from the Lord. If you hear something specific from the Lord, obey it regardless of what anyone else is telling you. Remember we are accountable for our actions not what anyone else does. If God says, we should believe it and obey it!
Daily Devotional 