1Kings 13 The Unfortunate Power of Lies

INTRODUCTION:

·       We have moved from King David, the fighting king, through King Solomon, the building king, reign. 

·       King Solomon’s sin near the end of his life led to his son having most of the tribes of Israel torn from him with Jeroboam chosen to be king over them. 

·       Last time we saw the recently installed king over most of the tribes use man-made religion for political purposes. 

·       We were left with the solemn words, “He offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel” — 1 Kings 12:33 (CSB)

·       This first king of the north is the first to institute man-made religion.  We will see that others will follow suit.

·       How does God respond?  Is it possible for us to make this same mistake, creating for ourselves a religion or a god in our own image? 

·       Chapter 13 is a chapter of judgement, grace, and the impact of believing a lie.

·       What is clear, is that chapter 13 of 1Kings is a challenging story to fully understand if we just read it at face value.

·       This is what John Woodhouse says about this chapter.

“This enormously enigmatic tale contains the key to the whole story of 1^st and 2^nd Kings and points us to the key to the history of the world.”  [1]

·       Is Mr. Woodhouse, right?  Is there something here that is much deeper and perhaps foundational?

SCENE 1: The of God.  (1-8)

1.     How he came. 

o   “by the word of the LORD”

o   This phrase has only appeared four times to this point in 1Kings but will be used 28 times moving forward.

o   This is a foundational principle in 1 and 2 Kings and the entire Bible.

o   Word is singular even though it manifests in the use of many words.  More importantly it points to God’s singular message and purpose throughout the history of mankind. 

o   It reminds us of the greatest manifestation of this principle.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. — John 1:1-5 (CSB)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  — John 1:14 (CSB)

2.     What he said.

o   He seems to just pass over the kings and addresses the altar directly.

o   A prophecy was spoken.  It will take 350 years for this to be fulfilled.

He even tore down the altar at Bethel and the high place that had been made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. He burned the high place, crushed it to dust, and burned the Asherah. As Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mountain. He sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar. He defiled it according to the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who proclaimed these things. — 2 Kings 23:15-16 (CSB)

o   A sign was given that appeared almost immediately. 

3.     How the king responded.

o   First was defiance

o   We see the power of a king versus the power of God.

o   Jeroboam received the kingdom that had been torn from the hand of King Solomon’s son Rehoboam.  Now the king will raise his hand against the “word of the LORD”.

o   The sign was fulfilled, and judgement was carried out.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE: This theme of the power of an earthly king versus the power of God will continue through the end of the age.  The final showdown is found in Revelation,

Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against his army. But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with it the false prophet, who had performed the signs in its presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image with these signs. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds ate their fill of their flesh. — Revelation 19:19-21 (CSB)

o   Second was a plea for mercy.

o   Mercy is extended despite the king saying, “of the LORD your God”.

o    Echoes of King Saul.

“But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered. “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder ​— ​the best of what was set apart for destruction ​— ​to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”  — 1 Samuel 15:20-21 (CSB)

o   The king who instituted man-made religion offers the reward of man. 

SCENE 2: The of believing a lie. 

·       The beauty and power of “truth” is plain throughout Scripture.  In contrast, the ugliness and devastations of “lies” is also apparent.  Lies can be devastating when they come from people closest to us or from people whose position should warrant honesty.

“How many people have walked away from church, not because of the message, but because of the messenger?”  Pastor James Combs

·       This section of Chapter 13 is a story of the latter, someone who should be trusted to speak the truth. 

1.     Where he was from. (Bethel)

o   Was this prophet complaisant with the false altar, or just silent?

2.     What he heard.  (All the deeds and words that he had spoken.)

3.     What he asked.  (Which way did he go?)

o   The phrase “the way” is a used repeatedly in this story.

o   Early Christians were referred to as followers of “The Way”.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE:  Our behavior is as foundational as what we believe and know. 

4.     What he said. 

o   He extends the same invitation the king offered.

o   The prophet replied almost with the identical answer, “no”.

o   The prophet did not give up as easily as the king but presents a three rooted lie.

1)   I am like you. (I am also a prophet.)

2)   I heard from God. (An angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD.)

3)   Appeals to his flesh. (so that he may eat food and drink water)

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE:  Satan does not give up so easily.  He may temporarily retreat but will often return from another direction with a new strategy.  His landing ground is always our flesh.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”` — Matthew 4:1-4 (CSB)

5.     The Word he received. 

o   Why did this word go to the deceiving prophet?

o   Why did the king and the receive grace and not the “man of God”?

o   Why was grace extended to the deceiving prophet?

o   Two leaders receive grace, and one does not.

o   The one who does not seems to be the most likely to HAVE been extended grace. 

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES:

1.     There is no grace. 

What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. For the Scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason so that I may display my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in the whole earth. So then, he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden. — Romans 9:14-18 (CSB)

“We must not take His grace for granted. We must never lose our capacity to be amazed by grace.” – R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God

2.     God’s are not our ways. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. — Isaiah 55:8-9 (CSB)

3.     God uses suffering and even to accomplish His will. 

o   Joseph had to Egypt.

o   Without Stephen does Saul ever become Paul?

o   In Acts Chapter 12 James is martyred and Peter is delivered.

o   This principle has a mountain peak.

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.  Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity.  And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — in heaven and on earth and under the earth — and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Philippians 2:5-11 (CSB)

EMERALD CITY:

1.     Is there a you have been believing?

2.     Are you troubled by what appears to be absent ?