The Price for Disobeying God's Voice

December 8

 

The Price for Disobeying God’s Voice

 

And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto him (1 Kings 13:26)

 

The prophet had just had a successful ministry in Judah in which he prophesied and it came to pass. When Jeroboam attempted to attack the prophet he suffered as a result. The prophet prayed and King Jeroboam was healed. When the king wanted to reward him for this the prophet was insistent that he would not eat in this city, “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 13:9).

Sadly, the prophet believed the lie of another prophet, thus disobeying God and began to eat and drink in the city. The very prophet that lied to him would then pronounce the judgment upon him that he would not make it alive to his destination (1 King 13:15-22). The prophet had forfeited God’s protection through disobedience.

Notice that, “the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion.” The Lord did not “send” the lion. The Lord knew the danger the prophet would be in if he did not do exactly as he was told. However, his failure to obey, nor do we see any repentance recorded for having disobeyed, caused him to forfeit the protection God would have provided from the lion:

 

Because thou hast said, The Lord is my protection, the Most High hast thou made thy refuge.... Upon the fierce lion and asp shalt thou tread: thou shalt trample under foot the young lion and serpent (Psalm 91:9, 13; Leeser Old Testament)

 

This is why we must not only train our spirits to hear God’s voice, but we must go with His personal guidance to us against any other “word” that comes from someone else. If what someone else gives us contradicts what God has told us personally then we must reject it. Failure to do so could cost us our lives. However, God cannot be blamed for our demise.

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