43. A LIE IS A LIE!A wise man once said, "the truth will set you free." What lies are keeping you captive?
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Lying is a way of life for many people. People know they shouldn’t lie but it seems like they can’t resist. From their perspective, there are many circumstances where lying seems to be helpful or necessary! They lie to their landlord, the bank, and the government. They even lie to their spouses. Oddly enough some people like to believe lies! They tell lies to themselves and it encourages them. Why would someone tell himself a lie? Today’s lesson will talk about the practice, the temptation, the rewards, and consequences of lying to others and oneself.
Once there was an honest merchant who went searching for an honest land and an honest king. While traveling he met a blacksmith in a Caravan Saray that told him,
"There is a distant king of whose land I was born. My king is 'a mighty hero,' 'a humble person' and 'a man of truth'. As to his might, I know that he is mighty, since the sea surrounds his country, and on the sea stands a eet of ships with cannon, and no ship dares approach. As to his humility, I believe it because he fights side by side with his soldiers and makes no distinction between rank. But why he is called 'a man of truth' this is curious to me and I do not know. Perhaps you can find out.”
The honest merchant thought about the king all night and in the morning, he decided to make a trip to that country. The merchant
decided to learn the essence of the country before meeting it’s king. How do you think he could learn the essence of the country? By listening to the country's jokes of course. After all, jokes reveal the heart and character of a people.
The merchant took lots of money and went to the land whose king was told to be ‘a mighty hero,’ a humble person’ and ‘a man of truth.’ He found a café, sat and realized that they were telling all kinds of stories and jokes. He understood through the jokes that the country was full of lies from top to bottom. He also saw how they deceived and misled people in commerce. He saw that when men turned to the magistrate for justice, everyone there lied and accepted bribes.
The wise merchant understood that the whole country was full of lies and deceit, and there was no truth in it. He decided to do busi- ness in the country and he let himself be cheated in commerce. He planned this as a way to get into court and ultimately meet the king who he had heard was, ‘a mighty hero,’ ‘a humble person’ and ‘a man of truth.” According to plan his case went to trial and he saw that the lower court system was full of lies and bribery.
In time, the merchant's case went to the higher court and there too, everything was a lie. Needless to say, when he reached the senate it too was full of lies and bribery. At last, he was called to meet the king himself.
He was delighted to be ushered into the king, as that was his wish from the beginning. When he came to the king he felt sure he would meet the “man of truth” he had waited so long to see. As all honest men appreciate one another, he thought he would find here an immediate friend. He told the king his thoughts,
"Honorable king, there is trouble in your land because it is full of lies, all of it, from top to bottom. And there is no truth in it!"
To his surprise. The king frowned.
“Why have you come to our land?”
The merchant replied, “Oh king, you should know that your reputation is known afar. My story is thus, I am an honest merchant and I was seeking an honest king. While I was staying in a Caravan Saray two moons travel from here, a blacksmith told me about you. He said, “There is a king who is a mighty man, a humble man, and a man of truth.”
The king said, “As to being a mighty man, I have no equal. The strength of my little nger is stronger than another king’s leg. As to my humility, it is exaggerated. It is a virtue which is easier than kindness. But as to the rumor that I am a ‘man of truth,’ I am most delighted and curious, as I have not heard this before. Who told you this?”
The merchant replied, “It is as I told you, the blacksmith from the Caravan saray.”
The king asked, “And what was the blacksmith’s nationality? Did he tell you from what land he was from?”
The merchant replied, “He was born in your great land sir.”
Then the king motioned to the guard, who drew a great sword from his belt.
“So are you saying he is a liar?” The king asked.
That is where the story ends. Sadly, the merchant was right. The kingdom was full of liars from top to bottom! This legend provides a perfect backdrop for our Bible lesson. In the book of 1 Kings we can read about the lives of Israel's kings after Solomon, most of whom turned away from God to idols, perversion, and warfare. Only a few of them were honest and followed God. The sins of the kings quickly corrupted the people, and the character of their leaders polluted the nation.
As soon as Solomon died his son Rehoboam became king. Almost immediately he rejected the advice of his heads of state and by his shortsighted leadership ended up splitting Israel into two parts. An old enemy of Solomon named Jeroboam was appointed by the people as king of the northern part of Israel. It became known as “Israel”. While the southern part of Israel was referred to as “Judah.”
Although both kings had complete rule over their part, Jerusalem was the focal point of the people because Solomon’s temple was there. Because it was the center of worship, King Jeroboam began to fear that if his subjects (the northern people) traveled to Jerusalem they would side with the kingdom of Judah in disputes. So King Jeroboam established a false worship system by setting up two golden calves for the people to worship. Does this sound familiar to a lesson we studied in Exodus? Yes, just like the gold idol that Aaron made when Moses was on Mt. Sinai.
Let’s read the story in I Kings chapter 12 verses 28-30:
28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one.
It goes without saying that their idol worship infuriated God. So He sent a prophet to rebuke and correct the king. In the Bible, we are not even told the prophet's name. But this man of God did a brave work. He couragously stood in front of that idol's gold altar where King Jeroboam was worshipping and said that God was against him and his idol. Let's read it I Kings chapter 13 verses 1 and 2:
1 And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the LORD.
Of course no liar likes to hear someone expose their lie! It shames them and makes them the fool. An idol of course is nothing more than a lie with eyes and a body. Surely the King knew this but he wanted to believe his own lie. Let’s see how King Jeroboam responded in I Kings chapter 13 verses 4 and 5:
4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him." And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
We don't know if it was an earthquake or the hand of an angel that destroyed the altar, but we do know that the altar fell into pieces. God was with this young prophet! He had spoken on behalf of God and God immediately showed His strength. Can you imagine how frightened King Jeroboam became standing in front of that golden cow with a withered hand? According to the Bible, he was so scared that he immediately asked the prophet to intercede for him. Let's continue by reading verse 6:
6 And the king said to the man of God, "Entreat now the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." And the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
Yes, the merciful God we serve healed this rebellious king’s hand. We can learn from this that God’s forgiveness is immediate and He hears our prayers for other people, as undeserving as they may be. Let's see what happend next in verse 7.
7 And the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward."
So why do you think King Jeroboam invited the prophet to eat din- ner? Did he want to seek guidance about being a better king? Or maybe, as the scripture says, he just wanted to pay the prophet for healing his hand! Let's see if the prophet accepted his invitation by reading verse 8:
8 And the man of God said to the king, "If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
The young “man of God” had done well because he chose to obey God’s word rather than get a reward from the King. Turning down the kings offer could have cost his life, but he had chosen the straight course. But oddly, this is where the prophet's story takes an unusual twist. We can continue reading in I Kings chapter 13 verses 11-17:
11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They alsotold to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am." 15 Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread." 16 And he said, "I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'"
It seems that the “man of God” clearly understood God's orders. God had told him what to do and he was determined to obey Him. Likewise, we too must be clear about what God asks us to do and willing to obey. If we are ever in doubt, we simply need to look in the Bible, especially the 10 commandments. How different the world would be if Adam and Eve had obeyed God in the Garden of Eden!
Here is where the story becomes a bit strange. It seems that the old prophet didn't respect God's orders to the young prophet. Perhaps the older man’s culture of hospitality made him obligated to insist further. We don’t know his motive, but we can see what happened in verses 18 and 19:
18 And he said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.
What is this? The old prophet wanted to host the younger prophet so much that he lied to him! Perhaps the old man remembered times when God had used him mightily. Maybe angels had visited him in the past and he wished he too had recieved a “word from the Lord”. Instead of accepting the fact that God didn't use him this time, he lied to bring the focus on himself.
As we read, his plan worked. The young prophet decided to go with the old prophet. We don’t know if the young prophet was truly convinced by the lie. Maybe he really thought that the older prophet had told the truth. But it seems more likely that the young prophet wanted to believe the lie. Maybe he was so hungry that his desire for food overpowered his desire to obey the command of the Lord. Maybe he wanted companionship, or rest. Whatever the “man of God’s” motive for joining the older prophet was, it was against God's will and resulted in a very serious consequence. Every lie has a consequence and every time we follow a falsehood we put ourselves in a dangerous situation.
As the two prophets are sitting at the table eating, the Spirit of God suddenly came upon the old lying prophet and rebuked the younger prophet for disobeying. Let's read about it in 1 Kings chapter 13 verses 20-24:
20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, "Thus says the LORD, 'Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD and have not kept the command that the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water," your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.'" 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body.
How sad that this old prophet’s lie led to the death of another man. We have seen in earlier lessons that prophets are men and women subject to temptation. They are blessed by God through their obedience to God. Yet just like other men, for example Adam, they too can be punished for disobedience.
In this story we see that one man’s sin, does not excuse the disobedience of another person. Children ghting will often say to their parents,
“Well, he hit me first.”
It’s no excuse. One man cheating will say,
“Well everyone is doing it.”
It doesn't matter. People love to make excuses for their lies and disobedience. But no matter how much you try, excuses can't alter God’s commands and believing something you know to be a lie will never bring the sympathy of God.
Let’s finish this story by reading it's interesting conclusion in verses 25-31:
25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. 26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, "It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the LORD; there- fore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD spoke to him." 27 And he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!" 31 And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones."
It seems that now the old prophet saw the consequence of his lie and was remorseful. How he must have regretted his sin against this young man. How he must have wished to save the young prophet's life. It seems he would have loved to have said to the young prophet,
“I lied, I am deeply sorry.”
But it was too late for apologies! Fortunate for us, it is never to late to ask forgiveness from God. Sin brings consequences which God does not reverse even when we repent. In his grief over his lie he said,
“Put my bones next to this man’s bones.”
Perhaps at the resurrection he intends to make things right. When they come back to life, he will be standing next to that young man of God, ready to confess his sin, and embrace him. Do you think that might have been his reasoning?
The Bible doesn't describe the old prophet's punishment for lying, other than the grief he felt the rest of his life. But we know that God will settle accounts with lying in the judgment even though people seem to "get away" with it in this life. The consistant message of scripture is that God will certainly deal with sin just as faithfully as He dealt with the young prophet. Therefore we need to confess our sins now while we are still alive because there won't be an opportunity at the resurrection.
This is a very serious story and should lead us all to some deep per- sonal re ection. We need to ask ourselves,
“What lies am I telling and how do they effect or mislead others?”
The old prophet lied for personal pleasure and convenience. He wanted that young prophet at his table! How many times do you twist the truth to try and bring about events that you desire? Or are you like the young man who really wanted to believe the lie even though it is against God’s clear word?
It is much better to live the truth and be honest. A compelling story from history reminds us of the importance of integrity.
The great Antartica explorer, Ernest Shackleton, was once asked to tell of his most terrible moment in the ice fields of the Arctic. Many cold and terrifying experiences could have been shared. But he said his worst was spent one night in an emergency hut. They were in a dangerous situation and all knew they could die. After giving out the last ration of biscuits, he laid down a short distance from the other men. A short while later, all the men appeared to be asleep.
Then Shackleton saw one of the men turning from side to side surveying the situation. The man obviously made up his mind that all were asleep. In the darkness the explorer watched the shadowy figure stretch over the next man and draw the other man’s biscuit bag to himself. Shackleton said he lived through an eternity of suspense. He would not have trusted his life in the hands of that man. Did this man have the character of a thief under such terribly tragic circumstances? Was he really going to steal another man's last biscuit?
Shackleton strained his eyes to see what would happen next and was surprised as he watched the same man open his own box, take out his only biscuit, and put it in his comrade's bag. Then he stealthily put the bag back at the sleeping man’s side. A secret deed of kindness. Shackleton said,
"I dare not tell you that man's name. I felt that that act was a secret between himself and God."
Everyday we live and work with lying men, lying television pro- grams, and lying newspapers. It is easy to become jaded. Even worse it is easy to get caught up in the lie, accept it as normal, and actually enjoy it. But it is just as easy to live with integrity. Commit yourself to live truthfully, to tell the truth, and believe the truth; even if it means giving up your last biscuit to save another person. A wise man said,
“The truth will set you free.”
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think motivated the old prophet to make up the story about an angel visiting him?
2. What is the best way to set straight a lie that we have been involved in telling?
3. Can you think of any lies people enjoy believing?
4. Are you resolved to always tell the truth yourself?
5. Discuss this quote, “Glorify a lie, legalize a lie, arm and equip a lie, consecrate a lie with solemn forms and awful penalties, and after
all it is nothing but a lie. It rots a land and corrupts a people like any other lie, and by and by the white light of God's truth shines
clear through it, and shows it to be a lie.” –E.H. Chapin.
Once there was an honest merchant who went searching for an honest land and an honest king. While traveling he met a blacksmith in a Caravan Saray that told him,
"There is a distant king of whose land I was born. My king is 'a mighty hero,' 'a humble person' and 'a man of truth'. As to his might, I know that he is mighty, since the sea surrounds his country, and on the sea stands a eet of ships with cannon, and no ship dares approach. As to his humility, I believe it because he fights side by side with his soldiers and makes no distinction between rank. But why he is called 'a man of truth' this is curious to me and I do not know. Perhaps you can find out.”
The honest merchant thought about the king all night and in the morning, he decided to make a trip to that country. The merchant
decided to learn the essence of the country before meeting it’s king. How do you think he could learn the essence of the country? By listening to the country's jokes of course. After all, jokes reveal the heart and character of a people.
The merchant took lots of money and went to the land whose king was told to be ‘a mighty hero,’ a humble person’ and ‘a man of truth.’ He found a café, sat and realized that they were telling all kinds of stories and jokes. He understood through the jokes that the country was full of lies from top to bottom. He also saw how they deceived and misled people in commerce. He saw that when men turned to the magistrate for justice, everyone there lied and accepted bribes.
The wise merchant understood that the whole country was full of lies and deceit, and there was no truth in it. He decided to do busi- ness in the country and he let himself be cheated in commerce. He planned this as a way to get into court and ultimately meet the king who he had heard was, ‘a mighty hero,’ ‘a humble person’ and ‘a man of truth.” According to plan his case went to trial and he saw that the lower court system was full of lies and bribery.
In time, the merchant's case went to the higher court and there too, everything was a lie. Needless to say, when he reached the senate it too was full of lies and bribery. At last, he was called to meet the king himself.
He was delighted to be ushered into the king, as that was his wish from the beginning. When he came to the king he felt sure he would meet the “man of truth” he had waited so long to see. As all honest men appreciate one another, he thought he would find here an immediate friend. He told the king his thoughts,
"Honorable king, there is trouble in your land because it is full of lies, all of it, from top to bottom. And there is no truth in it!"
To his surprise. The king frowned.
“Why have you come to our land?”
The merchant replied, “Oh king, you should know that your reputation is known afar. My story is thus, I am an honest merchant and I was seeking an honest king. While I was staying in a Caravan Saray two moons travel from here, a blacksmith told me about you. He said, “There is a king who is a mighty man, a humble man, and a man of truth.”
The king said, “As to being a mighty man, I have no equal. The strength of my little nger is stronger than another king’s leg. As to my humility, it is exaggerated. It is a virtue which is easier than kindness. But as to the rumor that I am a ‘man of truth,’ I am most delighted and curious, as I have not heard this before. Who told you this?”
The merchant replied, “It is as I told you, the blacksmith from the Caravan saray.”
The king asked, “And what was the blacksmith’s nationality? Did he tell you from what land he was from?”
The merchant replied, “He was born in your great land sir.”
Then the king motioned to the guard, who drew a great sword from his belt.
“So are you saying he is a liar?” The king asked.
That is where the story ends. Sadly, the merchant was right. The kingdom was full of liars from top to bottom! This legend provides a perfect backdrop for our Bible lesson. In the book of 1 Kings we can read about the lives of Israel's kings after Solomon, most of whom turned away from God to idols, perversion, and warfare. Only a few of them were honest and followed God. The sins of the kings quickly corrupted the people, and the character of their leaders polluted the nation.
As soon as Solomon died his son Rehoboam became king. Almost immediately he rejected the advice of his heads of state and by his shortsighted leadership ended up splitting Israel into two parts. An old enemy of Solomon named Jeroboam was appointed by the people as king of the northern part of Israel. It became known as “Israel”. While the southern part of Israel was referred to as “Judah.”
Although both kings had complete rule over their part, Jerusalem was the focal point of the people because Solomon’s temple was there. Because it was the center of worship, King Jeroboam began to fear that if his subjects (the northern people) traveled to Jerusalem they would side with the kingdom of Judah in disputes. So King Jeroboam established a false worship system by setting up two golden calves for the people to worship. Does this sound familiar to a lesson we studied in Exodus? Yes, just like the gold idol that Aaron made when Moses was on Mt. Sinai.
Let’s read the story in I Kings chapter 12 verses 28-30:
28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, "You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one.
It goes without saying that their idol worship infuriated God. So He sent a prophet to rebuke and correct the king. In the Bible, we are not even told the prophet's name. But this man of God did a brave work. He couragously stood in front of that idol's gold altar where King Jeroboam was worshipping and said that God was against him and his idol. Let's read it I Kings chapter 13 verses 1 and 2:
1 And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the LORD.
Of course no liar likes to hear someone expose their lie! It shames them and makes them the fool. An idol of course is nothing more than a lie with eyes and a body. Surely the King knew this but he wanted to believe his own lie. Let’s see how King Jeroboam responded in I Kings chapter 13 verses 4 and 5:
4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him." And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
We don't know if it was an earthquake or the hand of an angel that destroyed the altar, but we do know that the altar fell into pieces. God was with this young prophet! He had spoken on behalf of God and God immediately showed His strength. Can you imagine how frightened King Jeroboam became standing in front of that golden cow with a withered hand? According to the Bible, he was so scared that he immediately asked the prophet to intercede for him. Let's continue by reading verse 6:
6 And the king said to the man of God, "Entreat now the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." And the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
Yes, the merciful God we serve healed this rebellious king’s hand. We can learn from this that God’s forgiveness is immediate and He hears our prayers for other people, as undeserving as they may be. Let's see what happend next in verse 7.
7 And the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward."
So why do you think King Jeroboam invited the prophet to eat din- ner? Did he want to seek guidance about being a better king? Or maybe, as the scripture says, he just wanted to pay the prophet for healing his hand! Let's see if the prophet accepted his invitation by reading verse 8:
8 And the man of God said to the king, "If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
The young “man of God” had done well because he chose to obey God’s word rather than get a reward from the King. Turning down the kings offer could have cost his life, but he had chosen the straight course. But oddly, this is where the prophet's story takes an unusual twist. We can continue reading in I Kings chapter 13 verses 11-17:
11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They alsotold to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am." 15 Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread." 16 And he said, "I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'"
It seems that the “man of God” clearly understood God's orders. God had told him what to do and he was determined to obey Him. Likewise, we too must be clear about what God asks us to do and willing to obey. If we are ever in doubt, we simply need to look in the Bible, especially the 10 commandments. How different the world would be if Adam and Eve had obeyed God in the Garden of Eden!
Here is where the story becomes a bit strange. It seems that the old prophet didn't respect God's orders to the young prophet. Perhaps the older man’s culture of hospitality made him obligated to insist further. We don’t know his motive, but we can see what happened in verses 18 and 19:
18 And he said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.
What is this? The old prophet wanted to host the younger prophet so much that he lied to him! Perhaps the old man remembered times when God had used him mightily. Maybe angels had visited him in the past and he wished he too had recieved a “word from the Lord”. Instead of accepting the fact that God didn't use him this time, he lied to bring the focus on himself.
As we read, his plan worked. The young prophet decided to go with the old prophet. We don’t know if the young prophet was truly convinced by the lie. Maybe he really thought that the older prophet had told the truth. But it seems more likely that the young prophet wanted to believe the lie. Maybe he was so hungry that his desire for food overpowered his desire to obey the command of the Lord. Maybe he wanted companionship, or rest. Whatever the “man of God’s” motive for joining the older prophet was, it was against God's will and resulted in a very serious consequence. Every lie has a consequence and every time we follow a falsehood we put ourselves in a dangerous situation.
As the two prophets are sitting at the table eating, the Spirit of God suddenly came upon the old lying prophet and rebuked the younger prophet for disobeying. Let's read about it in 1 Kings chapter 13 verses 20-24:
20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, "Thus says the LORD, 'Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD and have not kept the command that the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, "Eat no bread and drink no water," your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.'" 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body.
How sad that this old prophet’s lie led to the death of another man. We have seen in earlier lessons that prophets are men and women subject to temptation. They are blessed by God through their obedience to God. Yet just like other men, for example Adam, they too can be punished for disobedience.
In this story we see that one man’s sin, does not excuse the disobedience of another person. Children ghting will often say to their parents,
“Well, he hit me first.”
It’s no excuse. One man cheating will say,
“Well everyone is doing it.”
It doesn't matter. People love to make excuses for their lies and disobedience. But no matter how much you try, excuses can't alter God’s commands and believing something you know to be a lie will never bring the sympathy of God.
Let’s finish this story by reading it's interesting conclusion in verses 25-31:
25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived. 26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, "It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the LORD; there- fore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD spoke to him." 27 And he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!" 31 And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones."
It seems that now the old prophet saw the consequence of his lie and was remorseful. How he must have regretted his sin against this young man. How he must have wished to save the young prophet's life. It seems he would have loved to have said to the young prophet,
“I lied, I am deeply sorry.”
But it was too late for apologies! Fortunate for us, it is never to late to ask forgiveness from God. Sin brings consequences which God does not reverse even when we repent. In his grief over his lie he said,
“Put my bones next to this man’s bones.”
Perhaps at the resurrection he intends to make things right. When they come back to life, he will be standing next to that young man of God, ready to confess his sin, and embrace him. Do you think that might have been his reasoning?
The Bible doesn't describe the old prophet's punishment for lying, other than the grief he felt the rest of his life. But we know that God will settle accounts with lying in the judgment even though people seem to "get away" with it in this life. The consistant message of scripture is that God will certainly deal with sin just as faithfully as He dealt with the young prophet. Therefore we need to confess our sins now while we are still alive because there won't be an opportunity at the resurrection.
This is a very serious story and should lead us all to some deep per- sonal re ection. We need to ask ourselves,
“What lies am I telling and how do they effect or mislead others?”
The old prophet lied for personal pleasure and convenience. He wanted that young prophet at his table! How many times do you twist the truth to try and bring about events that you desire? Or are you like the young man who really wanted to believe the lie even though it is against God’s clear word?
It is much better to live the truth and be honest. A compelling story from history reminds us of the importance of integrity.
The great Antartica explorer, Ernest Shackleton, was once asked to tell of his most terrible moment in the ice fields of the Arctic. Many cold and terrifying experiences could have been shared. But he said his worst was spent one night in an emergency hut. They were in a dangerous situation and all knew they could die. After giving out the last ration of biscuits, he laid down a short distance from the other men. A short while later, all the men appeared to be asleep.
Then Shackleton saw one of the men turning from side to side surveying the situation. The man obviously made up his mind that all were asleep. In the darkness the explorer watched the shadowy figure stretch over the next man and draw the other man’s biscuit bag to himself. Shackleton said he lived through an eternity of suspense. He would not have trusted his life in the hands of that man. Did this man have the character of a thief under such terribly tragic circumstances? Was he really going to steal another man's last biscuit?
Shackleton strained his eyes to see what would happen next and was surprised as he watched the same man open his own box, take out his only biscuit, and put it in his comrade's bag. Then he stealthily put the bag back at the sleeping man’s side. A secret deed of kindness. Shackleton said,
"I dare not tell you that man's name. I felt that that act was a secret between himself and God."
Everyday we live and work with lying men, lying television pro- grams, and lying newspapers. It is easy to become jaded. Even worse it is easy to get caught up in the lie, accept it as normal, and actually enjoy it. But it is just as easy to live with integrity. Commit yourself to live truthfully, to tell the truth, and believe the truth; even if it means giving up your last biscuit to save another person. A wise man said,
“The truth will set you free.”
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think motivated the old prophet to make up the story about an angel visiting him?
2. What is the best way to set straight a lie that we have been involved in telling?
3. Can you think of any lies people enjoy believing?
4. Are you resolved to always tell the truth yourself?
5. Discuss this quote, “Glorify a lie, legalize a lie, arm and equip a lie, consecrate a lie with solemn forms and awful penalties, and after
all it is nothing but a lie. It rots a land and corrupts a people like any other lie, and by and by the white light of God's truth shines
clear through it, and shows it to be a lie.” –E.H. Chapin.