Biblical illiteracy is on the rise and the lack of knowledge of the Scriptures has opened wide the door to deception. As a nation neglecting God’s laws we have opened doors to alternate spirituality. False teachers and prophets are on the rise. The Psychic services industry has grown steadily over the past five years, offering a new “spirituality” while raising up churches complete with mediums and healers as ministers. In the church arena, where we think it is “safe to trust” how do we know what is genuine and authentic? Jesus cautioned that even the elect could be deceived. After all, deception happens when you trust someone who you believe is telling you the truth.
For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time (Matthew 24:24,25).
In the Old Testament, 1Kings 13, an intriguing story of a man of God was deceived by an older prophet. This gives us a powerful lesson on deception – when we least expect it.
A LITTLE HISTORY
King Solomon had drifted away from God and worshipped other national gods of Ammon, Moab, and Zidon. He not only promoted idol worship, but he also allowed the sacrifices of children to those pagan gods (see my previous post, A Wise King Who Did A Stupid Thing).
God called Jeroboam, a leading court official of Solomon’s, to succeed Solomon. You will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel if you keep my commands (1 Kings 11:37-39). Instead of having God’s blessings, Jeroboam rebelled and led the nation into deep idolatry and sin. Jeroboam innovated new worship, complete with golden calves at two convenient high places – Dan and Bethel. Jeroboam appoints priests (not Levites) and new feast days, violating God’s commands for worship. Jeroboam so provoked God, fourteen other Kings of Israel are identified with the horrendous sin of “Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin” (1 Kings 15:34; 1 Kings 16:7, 19, 26, 31; 1 Kings 21:22, 2 Kings 3:3; 2 Kings 10:29, 31; 2Kings 13:2, 6; 2 Kings 13:4, 2 Kings 4:24; 2 Kings 14:9, 2 Kings 15:18, 24,28 1 Kings 17:21,22; 2 Kings 23:15).
THE STORY 1 Kings Chapter 13
God sends a prophet from Judah to Bethel, where King Jeroboam and the people are worshipping golden calves, with a message: God intends to remove evil Jeroboam as King and to desecrate the altars of idolatry.
By the word of the Lord, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2 By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” 3 That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out” (1 Kings 13:1-3).
SEIZE HIM!
King Jeroboam tries to shut down the young prophet and tells his guards to “Seize him!” Immediately, the King’s arm shrivels up. The King pleads for the young prophet to pray to ask God to restore his arm. The prophet intercedes, and the King’s arm is restored (1 Kings 13:6). The King then invites him to his home to eat and receive a gift, but the prophet refuses.
THE MAN OF GOD OBEYS
But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’” I Kings 13:8-9
The obedient prophet unable to be manipulated by an evil King, heads back home to Judah.
THE OLD PROPHET LIES
An old prophet, distant from God, hears the prophecy against Jeroboam’s idolatry worship from his sons who were present. The old prophet makes his way to find the young prophet resting on the way back home, and invites him to his house, back in Bethel. The man of God repeats God’s instructions and refuses (1 Kings 13:16,17).
The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house (1 King 13:16-19).
THE MAN OF GOD DECEIVED
The man of God was obedient to bring the word of God to King Jeroboam, but is easily deceived by an old prophet whom he trusted. His disobedience cost him his life.
Back in idolatrous Bethel, as the prophets were eating, the old prophet who just lied, now speaks a real word from the Lord.
You have defiled the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers. (1 Kings 13:21).
On the way back to Judah he was killed by a lion. The old prophet found him, took him back to Bethel and buried him, fulfilling God’s prophecy.
HOW TO AVOID DECEPTION
There’s much more to this intriguing story (another blog post), but the main point for you and me is to listen to God’s voice through the Scriptures and do what He says. Not even an angel from heaven should deceive us (Galatians 1:7, 8) God’s Word is eternal and it does not change.
Peter, an eye-witness to Jesus, affirms that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. Neither was its origin in the human will. But God spoke to the prophets as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21).
God’s values don’t change. People change. Norms and mores change, but God’s values stay the same. In this day and age when our society is quickly moving away from God and seeking popular trends and other spiritual avenues, we can avoid deception by being in the Word.
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Grow in Bible knowledge.
It’s easy to go along with the crowd. Don’t be deceived by the culture or those who claim to be Christians yet don’t believe or obey God’s Word. Don’t be as those who God called “destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Learn the Word. Read it daily. Meditate upon it. Teach it to your children. Spend time with people who love God’s Word. Talk about it. Keep learning and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Do what it says.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1:22).
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Test the spirits.
Truth and error often run side by side to a point. An example is in Acts 16. Several days a fortune teller who earned a great deal of money for her owners followed Paul and shouted, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” That was true! Paul was preaching and leading people to the Lord, but he knew the deception of this fortune teller and cast out the demonic spirit within her (Acts 16:16-18).
When we know the Scripture, we can discern truth from error. Deception can be avoided!
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1-6).
God’s Word is everlasting and will never pass away (Matthew 24:35). Let God’s Word be the truth we heed, speaking louder than the culture, a family member, a friend, an angel, or an old prophet. How do we judge things to be authentic or false?
Test all things; hold fast what is good ( 1 Thessalonians 5:21)
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Let Scripture be your truth standard.
My husband would often use this question when people were uncertain of truth, “Where is that in the Bible?” Believe the Bible and know what it says. Then we will see the truth and avoid deception.
Have you read the Word today? Discover God’s secrets!