The Dead Man of God

A tendency we can have as Christians is to negatively judge the character of others by their mistakes, that because of what people have said or done they could not be men or women of God.  The flip side of this error is to put those we respect or admire on a pedestal as a man or woman of God who can do no wrong even when they are imperfect like the rest of us.  The Bible demonstrates many times how godly people can make foolish and sinful choices, but this does not negate their good standing with God--despite the negative consequences and discipline that follows.

1 Kings 13:1 says, "And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense."  This man of God was a prophet through whom God spoke judgment upon the priests who committed abomination in the land and burned incense upon the altar king Jeroboam had made.  The man of God spoke of Josiah by name before his birth, that he would desecrate the altar by burning the bones of the corrupt priests upon it.  When the man of God cried out against the altar in Bethel, the king reached out his hand and commanded he be arrested.  Immediately the hand of Jeroboam was withered and he could not move it any more.  1 Kings 13:6 reads, "Then the king answered and said to the man of God, "Please entreat the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." So the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him, and became as before."

The man of God spoke the message God gave him to speak, and the LORD heard and answered his prayers.  But being a man of God did not prevent him from folly, deception and sin.  Jeroboam invited the man to be refreshed with a meal but he declined, citing God told forbade him from eating or drinking and to return to Judah a different way.  He was able to refuse the invitation of a wicked king, but he was deceived by a fellow prophet who lied and said an angel spoke to him the word of the LORD that he should share a meal with him.  During the meal the old prophet of God in Bethel spoke the word of the LORD, that because of his disobedience he would not rest in the tomb of his fathers.  The word of the lying prophet came to pass in 1 Kings 13:24:  "When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse."  The old prophet of Bethel retrieved the dead body and buried the man of God of Judah in his own tomb and lamented over him like a dear brother.

While we cannot know the motives of heart, it is clear a man of God can be disobedient to God.  The passage shows God's dealing with a disobedient prophet in the short term was more severe than with a wicked king, for Jeroboam's withered hand was healed whilst the man of God perished from the earth.  This is instructive to all God's people by demonstrating the people of God do not receive a free pass for sin, but God will chasten and discipline those whom He loves--so others will hear, fear and avoid sin.  Finally, having received the truth of God's word we ought not be swayed from it even if a prophet and man of God leads us to disobey what God has spoken to us.  Paul said in Galatians 1:8, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed."  An prophet, angel or apostle can lead us astray, so we ought to hold fast to what God has said to us so we might truly live as God's people.  The dead man of God still speaks and leads us to obey God always.