Theme: THE SIN OF DISOBEDIENCE
Text: “And the man of God said unto the King, if thou will give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: for so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest” – 1 Kings 13:8,9.
Comment: When Jeroboam became King of Israel, he made Israel to sin by committing many atrocities. See 1 Kings 12:26-33. Therefore, God sent a prophet from Judah to Bethel to pass His judgment on the unwholesome activities of Jeroboam at Bethel. (1 Kings 13:1-3) It is worthy to state that God Almighty also specifically instructed the prophet that he should not eat, nor drink, nor return home through the same route with which he travelled to Bethel as stated in the text for today. Contrary to instructions, the prophet from Judah listened to an old prophet from Bethel and returned through the same route and also ate and drank. – 1 Kings 13:11-19
While he was eating and drinking, God instructed the old prophet from Bethel to tell him that for disobeying His instructions, he would die and his carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of his fathers. Truly, after he had finished eating and drinking, he started returning home on an ass, but along the way he was killed by a lion. – 1 Kings 13:21-26.
One object lesson to be learnt here is that in our service to God, He may allow certain trials (from unexpected quarters) to come our way to test our obedience to His instructions. Hence, the service of God calls for diligence, commitment, spiritual discernment and obedience. We should like the Jews pledge solemnly that, “…The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” – Joshua 24:24.