1 Kings 13: Lesson on False Teachers and False Prophets

We get too distracted with the transition from Solomon to the divided kingdom between Jeroboam and Rehoboam, so we tend to skip over 1 Kings 13 because we think that it is just a narrative of prophetic warnings against Jeroboam.

A Closer look, however, reveals a stern warning about the basis for our personal belief and action.

The young prophet was instructed directly by God "by the word of the Lord" to prophesy against Jeroboam and NOT to eat nor drink anything anywhere until he comes back to his home.

Verses 1 to 10 show how faithfully the young prophet followed the Word of the Lord. But then verses 11 to 25 narrate the dire consequences of believing some "divine" directive out of NON-DIVINE sources. Regardless of the motive of the old prophet (which is really irrelevant to discuss here), he enticed the young prophet to disobey the direct word of God by claiming the following:

1. He too was a prophet like him
2. An angel spoke to him
3. He claimed that the angel spoke the word of the Lord
4. Food and water was tempting after his exhausting mission

The rest is history. God punished the young prophet, not exactly for disobedience, but for believing that a NON-DIVINE source was God's voice! We say, "Oh how tragic!" But today, it is happening around us and we don't even know it. We have popular beliefs and doctrines today that have no EXPLICIT foundation from the Word of God. Instead they come from inferential or allegorical interpretations supposedly coming from Scripture. The following, for example, HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO EXPLICIT BASIS FROM THE WORD OF THE BIBLE, other than by allegory or inferential reasoning (which should NEVER substitute for Scripture!)

Any allegorical or inferential interpretation is ALWAYS subject to alternative interpretations, and therefore cannot be the basis for doctrine or belief

As you go through the following list, be honest and ask yourself, "Did I learn these principles from reading the Bible, or did I learn it because some one told me?" Remember, the young prophet was deceived by the old prophet (someone else other than God's word). This is an object lesson NOT to accept everything a pastor, teacher, Bible writer or evangelist says without verifying that it is EXPLICITLY so in the Word of God.

•        Prosperity Gospel variations – “abundant life”

•        Emphasis on physical/material vs. spiritual.

•        Emphasis on blessings and not God (seeking his hand vs. seeking his face)

•        Emphasis on positive reinforcement and not sin

•        Emphasis on laws and rules vs faith

•        Preaching on grace without faith

•        Emphasis on escape vs endurance regarding trials

•        Emphasis on life in the Spirit without death of self

•      Rapture before the Tribulation

•        There are only 4 passages in Scripture about the rapture

•        Matthew 24:29-31

•        2 Thessalonians 2

•        1 Corinthians 15:50-52

•        1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

All passages, if we read the "last trumpet" or the Seventh trumpet in the book of Revelations, show that the rapture occurs AFTER the tribulation

Revelations 20 EXPLICITLY DECLARE that there are ONLY TWO resurrections, the resurrection of the saved AFTER the tribulation and the resurrection of the condemned AFTER the 1,000 reign of Christ and the saints. The first resurrection was NEVER DIVIDED into two.
To respond to common terms, "thief in the night" does not refer to the kind of appearance of Christ. It ALWAYS refers to the timing of the Second Coming of Christ. 
"One will be taken, the other one left" in Bible language means that the one taken is taken away to judgment and punishment and not to some rapture.

•        Once Saved, Always Saved

•        Verses to the contrary are more explicit

•        2 Peter 3:9 – repentance of “Christians”, not referring to the world

•        Philippians 2:12

•        2 Peter 1:10-11

•        2 Peter 2:20-21

•        1 Corinthians 10:12

•        In fact, there are more Scriptural support for "Once lost, always lost" meaning, once you fall away you are lost forever like the fallen angels (no room for repentance at all)

•        2 Timothy 2:12

•        Hebrews 6:4-8

•        Hebrews 10:26-31

•        Hebrews 10:38

•        2 Peter 2:4-10

               •        Predestination. 

•        John Wesley who came from a decidedly hyper-Calvinist denomination, even declared it to be "despicable teaching". It was mentioned as a word by the apostle Paul, but no such explicit explanation as it is being taught today. All teaching on this subject is purely inferential based on word study ignoring the whole Biblical context of man's free will.

There are a plethora of teaching today that I do not wish to mention so as not to offend more people than I should. Perhaps, I might be that "old prophet" in 1 Kings 13, telling all other "prophets" and learners out there not to depend on my word but to check it out honestly yourself. 

Is what you believe EXPLICITLY DECLARED in Scripture or are you just inferring that it might be the right interpretation? Faith, true faith, can come only by the word of Christ according to Romans 10:17. Once you get on the wrong road, you begin to believe non-biblical sources and that is the start of your "falling away" from the word of truth. Stop it before you begin to actually fall away from a genuine, no-holds-barred, intimate relationship with God. You may even get into the "Once lost, always lost" category.

Let everyone declare, I LIVE AND STAND ON THE WORD OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD ALONE!