Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, "O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: 'Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on you.'"
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.
--1 Kings 13:2, 24 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on June 13, 2013 of Psalm 106:40-48; 2 Corinthians 8; 1 Kings 13-14:20.
The united kingdom was split into two pieces because of the unrepentant sin of King Solomon. Rehoboam, his son, assumed the throne in Jerusalem over Judah and Benjamin, but Jeroboam ruled over Israel in the north. Jeroboam sinned greatly by turning from God. He had cast golden calves and idols of other gods set on the high places for the people to worship and offer sacrifices. A young prophet, a man of God, came up from Judah to Bethel and spoke at the altar in Jeroboam's presence and where all could hear. He very clearly and accurately foretold the final punishment God would exact against Jeroboam and his line. This remarkable prediction, as recorded in today's first focus verse, was not completely fulfilled until around 300 years later (please reference 2 Kings 22-23:25). By that point in time, the word of God was lost and all but forgotten. This child who became king, born of the house of David, brought that word back. The amazing thing is that God spoke directly through this unnamed prophet from Judah to declare His judgement on Jeroboam and the people. And we have the proof of its telling 300 years later.
As the young man of God returned home, forbidden by God to eat or drink while in that land of idolatry, he was tricked into disobeying God by an older prophet from that region. Perhaps the older man, who seemingly did possess true prophetic gifts, wanted to gain favor from King Jeroboam by getting advantage over this man who had come before the king to rebuke him. This older man was apparently more interested in self-promotion than in using his gift to prophesy for God, so he lied to the younger man and got him to eat and drink in direct disobedience to God's command to him, and then pronounced God's judgement over the young man. The results are given in today's second focus verse: death by a lion attack as he tried to return home. But the lion did not eat the young prophet's corpse nor attack the donkey, and the donkey did not flee the very obvious threat the lion posed.
Both of these incidents clearly point out the hand of God at work in the lives of mankind, as individuals and as a people. The first took 300 years to complete, the second was more immediate. But both, recorded in concise language in our Bible for all of us to see, bear clear indication of God at work, both have elements that would be impossible in the natural, but very possible in God. Read and believe. Amen.
Lord God, thank You for giving us evidence of Your hand directing our lives. In Your word we see that what You proclaim You will fulfill, now or in Your appointed time. Thank You for Your eternal and gracious faithfulness. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
As the young man of God returned home, forbidden by God to eat or drink while in that land of idolatry, he was tricked into disobeying God by an older prophet from that region. Perhaps the older man, who seemingly did possess true prophetic gifts, wanted to gain favor from King Jeroboam by getting advantage over this man who had come before the king to rebuke him. This older man was apparently more interested in self-promotion than in using his gift to prophesy for God, so he lied to the younger man and got him to eat and drink in direct disobedience to God's command to him, and then pronounced God's judgement over the young man. The results are given in today's second focus verse: death by a lion attack as he tried to return home. But the lion did not eat the young prophet's corpse nor attack the donkey, and the donkey did not flee the very obvious threat the lion posed.
Both of these incidents clearly point out the hand of God at work in the lives of mankind, as individuals and as a people. The first took 300 years to complete, the second was more immediate. But both, recorded in concise language in our Bible for all of us to see, bear clear indication of God at work, both have elements that would be impossible in the natural, but very possible in God. Read and believe. Amen.
Lord God, thank You for giving us evidence of Your hand directing our lives. In Your word we see that what You proclaim You will fulfill, now or in Your appointed time. Thank You for Your eternal and gracious faithfulness. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
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