Scripture Daily

Context No. 3081 of 4322 · 1 Kings

Context · Reflection

1 Kings 13:7-11: in context

7The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 8The man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place; 9for so was it commanded me by the LORD’s word, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, drink no water, and don’t return by the way that you came.’” 10So he went another way, and didn’t return by the way that he came to Bethel. 11Now an old prophet lived in Bethel, and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.

A man of God has just prophesied against King Jeroboam's altar. The king, impressed, invites him home to eat and be rewarded. But the man refuses: even if you gave me half your house, I would not go in with you, nor eat bread nor drink water here, for the LORD commanded me to eat and drink nothing and not return by the road I came. So he leaves by another way.

At first the man of God stands firm. Offered the king's hospitality and reward, he holds fast to the specific command God gave him. He will not be bought or bent by royal favor. It is a resolute beginning, obedience even under the strong pull of a king's honor. What follows in the chapter, when he is later deceived by another prophet's false word, is a sober warning that standing firm against a king is no guarantee against being deceived by a fellow believer. But here the lesson is plain: hold to what God has actually said, even when honor and influential people press you to bend.

Do I hold firmly to what God has commanded, even when honor, reward, or influential people press me to bend?

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