This passage has to do with one of the most pathetic stories of the Bible. Following the break-up of the kingdom of Israel in the hands of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, Jeroboam was made the king of Israel, which consisted of ten tribes. Rehoboam, nevertheless, retained the kingship of the attenuated kingdom of Judah made up of only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (1 Kgs. 12:12-24).

Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, soon set up two golden calves. He placed one at Dan, in the northern part of his kingdom; the other at Bethel, the southern extremity and nonsensically described these as “the gods which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kgs. 12:29). Besides, he made shrines of high places and made priests “from every class of people which were not of the sons of Levi” (1 Kgs. 12:31). Moreover, he changed the feast of tabernacles from the fifteenth of the seventh month to the fifteenth of the eighth month “which he had devised of his own heart” (1 Kgs. 12:31-33). The obvious reason for this infringement of the law of God by Jeroboam was political expediency – he did not only fear the loss of his firm grip on the newly founded kingdom, but also the loss of his life (1 Kgs. 12:27). But the dummy he sold to the people was that he was saving them the trouble and expense of distant journey to Jerusalem (1 Kgs. 12: 28-30). Anyway, “this thing became a sin unto Jeroboam” (1 Kgs. 12:30).

However, this was a sin the Lord was not going to overlook. By the word of the Lord, a man of God from Judah came to Bethel and cried against the altar which Jeroboam had devised of his own heart. In the mind of Jeroboam, this was the height of audacity and so the exasperated king commanded that the man of God be held. But to his consternation, the hand he stretched forth to give the command could not be pulled in again. Nevertheless, the king pleaded with the man of God from Judah and “the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before” (1 Kgs. 13:1-6).

But the charge the Lord gave to this man of God from Judah was that he should “eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest” (1 Kgs.13:9). Very clear and unambiguous charge, you would say! However, there was an old prophet at Bethel, who upon hearing of the miraculous feat of the man of God, went after him and brought him back to his house to eat and drink, deceiving him into believing that an angel spoke unto him, reversing the earlier command of God. Sadly, the word of God says, “but he lied unto him” (1 Kgs. 13:18).

The question now arises: why did this old prophet deceive this man of God? Some have supposed that the humanity of the old prophet seeing the man of God sitting under an oak possibly faint with fatigue might have led him to practice this deception. Some others have argued that it might be that the old prophet was himself deceived by Satan, masquerading as an angel of light (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14-15). Whichever way one looks at it, the word of God says, “but he lied unto him.” That is the fact of the case.

That the old prophet who deceived the man of God is abhorrent to God is without question (Ps. 5:6). Isaiah spoke of “a rebellious people, lying children that will not hear the law of the Lord; which say to the seers, see not; and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits…” (Isa. 30:10). In any case, the word of God says “he lied to” the man of God and to that extent, he has his just recompense of reward – “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone” (Rev. 21:8). The only exception here is genuine repentance (Acts 17:30).

On the other hand, what about the man of God from Judah who believed lies? “A lion met him by the way and slew him and his carcase was cast in the way for disobeying the word of God” – by believing lies (1 Kig. 13:23-30). The New Testament speaks of people who “received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.” It goes further to state that “for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie; that they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10-12). Thus it is clear from the word of God that it is a serious thing not only to lie, but also to believe lies, especially in our service to God.

Application

Today, many religious leaders present themselves as General Overseers, Supreme Apostles and International Prophets and tell their members that God has revealed to them that they should bring their tithes to avert the wrath of God. If the Bible is the word of God (and we believe it is), these religious leaders who so pontificate are all liars! How? It is the very God who gave the law upholding tithe that says He was going to change that law (Jer. 31:31-34). It is in this regard that God changed the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament to the priesthood of Christ under the New Testament. And “for the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change also of the law” (Heb. 7:5-13). According to the New Testament, Christians are to give in proportion to their prosperity (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:12; 9:6-11). But now what about those who believe these religious leaders as men speaking for God? Simply put, they believe a lie!

Nowadays, many “Pastors” and “Prophets” announce over the radio and television networks that God has asked them to proclaim a seven-day gathering of people to a camp or tent, mountain or valley for “break-through” and “anointing.” That is a lie! The New Testament under which we live today commands that we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17 and “always” (Lk. 18:1). Besides, prayer, like other acts of Christian worship, has no regard for a valley or a mountain or any other place. But what is important to God in this dispensation as far as Christian worship is concerned is whether it is done “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:20-24).

Similarly today, one hears of “men of God of this generation” saying God has given them special blessings to be given to a certain number of people who would sow the seed of faith for various sums of money. Friends that is a lie! The command of God as to how to give in His church is: give as you are prospered (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:6-11). To pontificate as these so-called “men of God” do is to prove the veracity of God’s word which says such men “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly” (Rom. 16:17-18). These are people “whose god is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Phil. 3:18-19).

Moreover, one hears of bricklayers, welders, carpenters and other artisans in this present day and age throwing away their tools of trade, claiming God has called them to go and establish “churches.” That is a lie! There is one body (Eph. 4:4) and this is the church (Eph. 1:22-23). Christ has built this one church (Matt. 16:18) through the instrumentality of His apostles (Eph. 2:20). And so “other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).

It could be clearly seen from these premises that as there were false prophets among the people of old, so there are many false teachers today (2 Pet. 2:1). These bring damnable heresies and many follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of (2 Pet.2:2-3). Remember, to believe the lies of religious leaders is to follow pernicious ways which lead to damnation (2 Thess. 2:10-12). To follow blind leaders is to fall together with them into the ditch (Matt. 15:14).

Conclusion

It is a serious thing to lie to people. That is abhorrent to God (Rev. 21:8). On the other hand, it is damnable to believe a lie. Mark and avoid those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine ye have learned is the command of God (Rom. 16:17-18). We plead, put a stop to lying words that cannot profit (Jer. 7:8).