There is a brief but interesting story that takes place between two unnamed men in today’s reading. One is simply referred to as the “man of God” and the other is only known as the “old prophet”.

The Man of God goes to Jeroboam, the now-apostate king of Israel, and tells him that his kingdom will be taken from him and that his family line will be destroyed for his rabid unfaithfulness to the Lord who put him in that position! Jeroboam tries to win this man over with hospitality but the Man of God insists that the Lord told him 1) not to eat or drink anything in the land of Jeroboam and 2) to go home a different way than he came. And so, without eating or drinking at Jeroboam’s table the Man of God leaves to go home on a different path than the one that brought him.

Meanwhile the Old Prophet (who lived in the territory of Jeroboam) saddles up a donkey and rides to catch up with the Man of God. He does so successfully and invites the man over to his house to eat. The man tells the prophet no, because God said so and the Old Prophet replies that God told him it was okay. So the Man of God went and ate.

That’s it!? That’s all it takes?! God came to you and gave you a specific job and clear instructions, but ONE GUY says ‘God told me it’s alright’ and you abandon the direction God has given you and do the OPPOSITE? —— That’s what happened to the Man of God. He ended up being killed by a lion and buried in the Old Prophet’s grave.

If you have a word from the Lord, you’d better believe it! Weigh it against Scripture and seek the Lord with each step. I would go so far as to say that when the Old Prophet comes to you with something else, take it seriously and seek the Lord. Is it from Him, or is it a distraction? Has something changed (Abraham and Isaac, Genesis 22) or has nothing changed (Paul, Acts 21)?

The Lord will never lead you astray. Seek Him and you’ll bee in good shape!