CHANGING TIMES. 1st Kings 13 The life and character of Jeroboam stand in stark contrast to those of David. God told both of them they would become kings. David knew God had given him that position and would keep him in it. Jeroboam tried to stay in that office by his efforts. When David was faced with his sins, he confessed it. Jeroboam, by contrast, attempted to arrest the man of God from Judah.
The Lord sent a prophet, a man of God from Judah, to Jeroboam with a prophetic message. Even as he told the message, the altar split, and the ashes poured as a foreshadowing of the long-term prophecy three hundred years later. It was apparent that Jeroboam did not serve the Lord or respect God. He referred to Him as “The Lord thy God.” he appealed to the man of God to restore his hand.
When Jeroboam invited the man of God to share a meal with him after his hand had been restored to use and implied that he would reward him by giving a gift to pay back the healing of his hand, the man of God from Judah refused just as God had told him. God does not accept false worship and cannot be bought and paid for by anyone. He knew the heart of Jeroboam was not changed and that he would not turn from his evil ways but “made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places.”
It is inevitable that as generations pass, things that were once practiced and believed are no longer considered important or even necessary by the new generation and the society in which they live. Those who know the Lord, follow Him, and are guided by the Holy Spirit through the word of God cannot follow society's path if it discards and disregards God's word. God knows what is happening in our lives now and can indicate the seriousness of sin even before the main event occurs.
There had been no miracles recorded since the time of Samuel, but in this chapter, some miracles took place, authenticating the prophetic words that revealed God's displeasure at what was happening among His people. Jeroboam's arm stuck out like a stick, and his hand shriveled as the altar broke and the ashes spilled on the ground. In grace, God listened to His man who interceded for Jeroboam. Jeroboam knew who "the Lord your God" was and also knew he was out of line with the Lord. The healing response from the Lord should have moved Jeroboam to repentance. Perhaps his invitation to the prophet to come to his home was an attempt to regain the prestige he would have lost with the people when his withered hand stuck out in front of him on his stiffened arm.
When people think they are in control of a situation, they need to be sure they have not imposed their own will and way into an area of service God has not given them. To change divine orders and to insert man's ideas into the worship of the Lord is almost like daring God to do something about it. God has His way of dealing with those who would usurp His authority. Even when consequences follow bad judgment and wrong choices, it is hard to admit our guilt and humble ourselves in true repentance that brings correction and change. If the invitation had been accepted, it would have indicated everything was all right. Outward actions and forms do not always indicate inward repentance and change. That is evident when guilt and wrong are admitted and forsaken; how displeasing it is to God when apostate worship takes place at the house of God!
Such acts as giving gifts, making sacrifices, or making financial contributions are not ways to avoid the kind of life and service God wants from His people. A consistent life and commitment to the Lord, His assembly, and His people is what He desires. We are to be faithful stewards of the Lord, whether it be in attending to the responsibilities we have been given and gifted to accomplish or rejecting the counterfeit religious activities and beliefs that contradict the plain teaching of the Bible.
The "old prophet in Bethel," an apostate, may have proclaimed God's word in past times, but he remained in Bethel, where he was content to be associated with the changing practices of the changing times. He no longer spoke for God and was willing to lie to the man of God from Judah to undermine the message God had given. All the man of God said and did at Bethel was negated when he disobeyed God's instructions. His public act for personal interest undermined the respect for the divine authority behind all he had said and done.
Sadly, the treacherous old prophet deceived the man of God from Judah. Jealousy, curiosity, and animosity may have been behind his deceit. Despite his failure, the man of God whom a lion killed was honored after his death. Neither the man's body nor his donkey were eaten by the lion that stood there, testifying to the fact that his death was an act of God upon one who disobeyed God's word.
What a startling awakening it must've been when the old lying prophet predicted what would happen to him because of disobedience to the word of the Lord. The old prophet knew how far he had strayed, so when he buried the one who had delivered a true message but failed personally, he gave instructions to bury him beside that man. He had delivered a lying message and wanted to be known personally as one who was true.
When our work for the Lord makes people uncomfortable, we must be on our guard. Some are willing to deceive those who want what is right by claiming the authority of age and experience. Any contradictory message that comes from the position of "I think," one's imagination, or "that will make the people uncomfortable" needs to be carefully examined in the light of "thus saith the Lord" in the scriptures of truth. We must disregard what others claim to be messages from God if it contradicts what the Bible says. Avoid hearsay and trust the word of God. In changing times, the responsibility to "try the spirits" or "test the teachings" of others is very important. We must take seriously all that God says, even when something is taught by a spiritual believer that goes against the tried and proven instructions of the word of God.
There is no way to make amends for deliberate and fatal deception. Lying and deception have become widespread and even acceptable in these changing times. One's word cannot be relied on for the most part, and one's handshake and promise to most people are not binding. In these changing times, many "choose to be a minister" rather than being set apart by the Lord "for the work set before them." In such cases, those people have made the work of the Lord a person's own chosen occupation instead of a "call from God."
Jeroboam's disobedience brought the downfall of spiritual worship in the northern kingdom of Israel. He continued the evil practices he had started, even after the miracle of the withered hand, stiff arm, and recovery. Instead of Levites only as priests, he allowed anyone who wanted to be a priest to take a counterfeit priesthood.
I must never forget that God does not change. Even His Word is settled forever. Sometimes, His commands may seem strange to others with little or no experience following God and obeying His word. I must never alter them to suit my purposes or attempt to change them for any other person with a conflicting message. What he has to say would be wrong – even though he is a brother, because God is the Author of every passage of scripture and every doctrine taught in it.
When I’ve been given a task to perform by the Spirit of God guiding me through His Word, and the pressure is on me to the world to conformis commanHis to what other people want or say, I am in danger of leaving the will of the Lord. I must never hesitate or deny the charge He gave me, which is so clear that I cannot make a mistake. Doing so leaves me open to consequences I cannot overcome or bear.
The subtle voices of men are only just that. Often, they are used by an evil enemy to turn me from God’s purposes by trying to entice me to abandon truth, to gather and please a large company of people who want to feel good about themselves. When a message differs from what I heard when God gave it to me, I need God’s grace to keep me from succumbing to the temptation to please people instead of God. I hunger and thirst for God Himself, whom I have been called to serve, live for, and spend eternity with.
When we are clear before God as to what needs to be done according to His will and then do it by faith without question or deviation from what God says, we can be preserved by Him, trusted by Him, and used by Him in ways we never would have thought about.