November 4, 2012 Obey God or Die

Obey God or Die 1 Kings 13:7 The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift.” 8 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.’” 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel. I KNOW. The title of this meditation is dramatic, and it might cause you to say, “Really?” My answer is, “Yes, really.” Read 1 Kings 12 & 13. You will see how God judges two very different men turn from absolute obedience to God. The first is King Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. Although God raises him up to be king of Israel, Rehoboam chooses to leave God behind. Everything he does as king opposes God’s will for his people. As a result, God divides the Kingdom of Israel into Israel and Judah. A nation died because one man disobeyed God. In 1 Kings 13, you see a prophet, a Man of God, powerfully prophesy for the Lord. As in the scripture above, he is inclined to obey God. But then he believes a man’s word over God’s word. God judges him with death from a lion along a road. A man of God must never turn from his sovereign Lord. In God’s New Testament of grace under Jesus, it is difficult to understand God’s harsh judgment. But you must know that turning from God will destroy your life. You may not die in your disobedience, but you will lose the blessings God desires to offer you. If your disobedience persists, God will judge you eternally. After all, he is Lord. It’s True! God will not tolerate disobedience.