1 Kings 13:14-24
14 He followed the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “I am,” he said. 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 But he answered, “I cannot go back with you, eat bread, or drink water with you in this place, 17 for a message came to me by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or go back by the way you came.’” 18 He said to him, “I am also a prophet like you. An angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet deceived him, 19 and the man of God went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water. 20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back, 21 and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because you rebelled against the command of the Lord and did not keep the command that the Lord your God commanded you— 22 but you went back and ate bread and drank water in the place that He said to you, “Do not eat bread and do not drink water”— your corpse will never reach the grave of your fathers.’” 23 So after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, the old prophet saddled the donkey for the prophet he had brought back. 24 When he left, a lion attacked him along the way and killed him. His corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey was standing beside it; the lion was standing beside the corpse too.
God didn’t want the man of God to eat bread and drink water in Bethel (Israel was in full blown rebellion against God by worshiping Idols) because He didn’t want him to participate with unbelievers or else he might get deceived which that is exactly what happened for disobeying God. A false prophet came looking for the man of God to deceive him because God used him to attack Satan’s domain. Satan got angry and sent his emissary after him (the false prophet) to deceive him into sinning against the Lord. The man of God’s disobedience cost him his life. Satan is the same way today for Christians, wanting to destroy our faith in Jesus Christ and kill us physically if possible. Whenever you are being used by the Lord, you better be aware that demons will be headed your way to destroy you through deception so brace yourself for impact. Satan (through someone) will try to deceive you by claiming a new revelation by way of angelic visitation which goes against scripture as illustrated in Galatians 1:8 which says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!.”
The false prophet told the man of God that an angel gave him a new revelation which contradicted God’s Word. We must know scripture very well so that we won’t be deceived like the man of God was. False religion has sprung up because of demons masquerading as angels from the Lord and gave new revelations to specific men to deceive the masses. Examples of this are The Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventist, Baha’i and Islam to say a few who got new revelations from so called angels.
A lion met the man of God outside and mauled him to death which is an illustration of Satan as seen in 1 Peter 5:8 which says, “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”
Spiritual Minefield 
I’m sorry but this scripture is not about a ‘false’ prophet for God never speaks to a false prophet the way He did in this passage. He was an ‘older’ prophet but one who had compromised his position with God but God still spoke to him because the young prophet disobeyed God.
This is actually a story about obedience. If the young prophet had received instructions from another prophet because God told that prophet to give him instructions, then any change in instructions would also come through another prophet. However, the story reveals that God spoke to this young prophet Himself, directly and not through an intermediary. So, no changes to his instructions COULD come from another prophet. Only if God Himself spoke a change should he give his ear.
The young prophet paid for his error. Many today in positions of authority may abuse that authority to speak their own commands to one that received his/her commands via the Holy Spirit. I experienced just such a paradox. The Holy Spirit instructed me to minister to a man and his wife. Once I had, then the Holy Spirit told me my work was done and I was no longer to even visit this couple. Then, after this, the fellow who was in charge of my home group came to me and commanded me to visit that same couple. When I told him what the Holy Spirit had instructed me, he asserted his ‘right’ to authority over me and commanded me to follow “his” instructions instead of the Holy Spirit’s. Having already been shown those scriptures about the young and old prophets and its interpretation, I refused to obey this man’s orders. Needless to say I got in trouble with the hierarchy of this church which routinely ignored Jesus’ command “not to lord over one another” as the gentiles do.
God’s favor continued to rest on me and although this fellow who tried to have me disobey the Holy Spirit failed to do so, I was eventually exonerated by someone higher up the ladder than he.
Those who hold themselves as authorities in the church, demanding others obey them, are in disobedience to Jesus’ command not to lord over one another. We are to entreat one another as brothers. Those who see themselves as leaders, oftentimes lord over others they see as below themselves. This is the way of the world and not the way of God. Some may say that those of the 5-fold ministry should be obeyed and they have a right to lord over others. Being a member of this 5-fold ministry as a prophet, I was never given the authority over any of my brethren. In fact, when we go back and read the responsibilities of those gift ministries, they are called to assist/teach others of the brethren for the work of the ministry. Their calling is also to bring the body of Christ to that place of maturity where EVERY joint supplies so that the body will build ITSELF UP in love.
Again, to reiterate, God does not speak through any “false prophet”, especially in judgment as is seen in the scriptures shared above. True, this older prophet lied about receiving a message by an angel of the Lord, the scripture say this as well. Being an older prophet, he thought to use his experience and age to intimidate this younger prophet. Why did he do this? Only through conjecture can we know the reason why but understanding the way of the flesh, I am convinced there was a note of jealousy and envy in this older prophet because God chose to use a younger man instead of himself, who actually lived closer to that king. In the book of James, we find that wherever there is envy and self-seeking exists, there is confusion and every evil thing (James 3:16-18). The young prophet was confused and failed to remember that he received his instructions directly from God and thus, any changes must also be received directly from God. So I do have to say that this older prophet “acted” in the role of a false prophet by giving for the ‘word of God’ a lie. But, he was NOT a false prophet but he WAS a wayward prophet of which the book of Jeremiah and Ezekiel speak much warnings about.
My apologies Spaniard for this. I would have preferred to contact you privately first but since you have this posted and is already made public, I felt it necessary to provide a different perspective, especially since God made this very real to me many years ago.
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Nice to see you again Jerry, The Bible clearly teaches that God can use whomever He likes. In Numbers 24 Balaam was used by the Lord to bless Israel. In Joshua 13:22 it says of Balaam “In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination.”
In the New Testament Balaam was condemned as a wicked person
1 Peter 2:15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.
In Galatians 1:8 states that if anyone gives you another message that goes against God’s Word let him be accursed. In other words that person is not from God but from the enemy. I don’t know Jerry but you are miss hearing from God because the text is clear.
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I gave you what was given to me by the Spirit of the Lord. I will let the Holy Spirit teach you this as He has me. If not now, at some other time.
Without a doubt, I am convinced this older prophet was a wayward prophet just as there are many Christian leaders who use their position for selfish gain. They will have to face a holy God who will not excuse their sin.
Yes, God can speak through whomever He chooses but in this case, it was a question of authority. For how else would this young prophet know whether to believe another prophet, whom he obviously regarded as a prophet. If this older prophet was NOT KNOWN by this young prophet, he would not have given ear to him at all but would have dismissed his claims.
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Also, the protection against deception, in all its forms, is to never give an ear to what men say but always hear and obey what the Holy Spirit is saying. We can weary ourselves attempting to learn every conceivable form of deception, cunning craftiness of men, and deceitful plotting of the enemy. Instead, we are called to “learn of Me”, of Jesus for He is the real truth and not the counterfeit. He has also sent to us another Comforter who will take all that Jesus said and give it to us. He will also lead us and guide us into all truth. This is so that we will not be able to be deceived by anyone. This young man prophet also failed in being a respecter of persons which opened the door for his deception and consequent disobedience to God.
We are called to obey God rather than man and when we walk according to the Holy Spirit, we leave behind the ways of this world and follow after Jesus according to the ways of the kingdom of heaven where all God’s angels walk in complete obedience to His every word. So should we do and in doing so, we will find that rest Jesus spoke of.
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I understand Jerry that you said that the Holy Spirit gave you that but the Holy Spirit will not contradict what’s plainly in scripture already. I think the verses I gave you speaks for themselves. I will never teach anything contrary to what the Bible clearly states.
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I agree with you to obey God rather than men. I posted 1 Kings 13 that the old prophet was a false prophet because he went to the man of God to deceive him and only Satan does that. If you notice that the Bible distinguishes between both of them by calling one a man of God and the other just an old prophet almost to let the reader know who truly was from God. I teach what the Bible says if I feel that I’m getting a message from God but it contradicts the Bible then you know full well Jerry that it wasn’t from God. Everything you hear Jerry you must line it up with the Bible to see if the message is from God or not.
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You know Spaniard, I really do line everything up with the scriptures what the Holy Spirit teaches me. He actually takes me to the scriptures and shows me what He is saying.
We disagree as to how this section of scripture is interpreted. You see it one way and I see it another. We both gave what we each feel is the truth.
Let the Holy Spirit speak to each person that reads this and decide for themselves what the Spirit is saying.
We are all not always in agreement with each other but I also understand that each of us comes from a different course and eventually, we will all understand as the Spirit understands. In the end, we shall find agreement.
In this case, either I have not reached that part of the road you have OR it may be the other way around. We each must speak what we believe the Holy Spirit is saying. Perhaps, we are both right and both wrong. Truth is a wonderful thing. It is like a cut and polished diamond. At one point, I may look at the diamond at one of its facets and see things differently while another sees a different facet and understands differently. Eventually, we will all see the full diamond, in all its facets and come to the same knowledge and understanding. This is the hope we all have and is one I seek for.
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As brothers in Christ we can disagree while still loving each other. Saying that, to come to a pure understanding of a passage is to read it in it’s full context but there’s no place in scripture that would indicate that God can not use an unbeliever. God called Nebuchadnezzar his servant but it doesn’t mean that Nebuchadnezzer worshiped God rather God used him to punish the Jewish people for worshiping Idols. The old prophet came for the intent to lie to the man of God, there’s no true prophet in the old testament that you can quote that lied not sinned by disobedience since no one besides Christ is perfect. The difference is the intent of the heart. The old prophet not only had a malicious desire but gave a false revelation. In Deuteronomy 18 it states how do you know if a prophet is from God by what he says, if he prophesy’s something false and it doesn’t come true, that means God didn’t sent him and he must be put to death,he is considered a false prophet. There’s no way around it, either a prophet is from God and tells the truth and prophesy’s the truth or he will tell lies showing that he is false, it’s that simple.
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Jerry, I couldn’t approve your last post because it was very alarming. Prophets in the N.T. is to rely on God’s Word not new revelation like prophets in O.T. times. Only Pentecostals claim to have prophets. The Bible is clear that we already have God’s Word there is no need for prophets because we all (Christians) have the Holy Spirit to guide us with His Word.
Hebrews 1:1-2
Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him.
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I’m glad you made that distinction concerning prophecy. It is an alarming trend in some circles today the heavy em phasis on continued prophecy, particular when that prophecy counters God’s Word, or takes that Word in a direction it never went in the first place
What you said about prophecy being simply proclaiming God’s Word today was also true in much of the OT. Most of the prophets spent more time simply preaching than they did predicting the future, and we often forget that fact.
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Amen Wally, I like to quote Hebrews 1:1-2 that basically states that in the past God spoke to us through His prophets who gave God’s Word but now through his Son Jesus Christ/Bible. Some people I guess want the office of prophet like that will get them closer to God. Jesus Christ is what gets us closer to God the Father.
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You misunderstand Spaniard. When Peter said, “Where else can we go for we know and are sure that You are the Messiah, the Son of God and Jesus responded by saying, “flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my Father in heaven.”
This is that “rock”, revelation knowledge, which the gates of hell will not prevail. The ONLY truth can be revealed THROUGH revelation knowledge. The Holy Spirit was sent to lead and guide us into ALL truth. He does this through “revelation”. In other words, He opens our understanding to receive His truth where we cannot otherwise find it. Anyone who thinks they can find the truth WITHOUT revelation from the Holy Spirit is in grave error.
Yes, God speaks to us by His Son but He does this through the Holy Spirit. Most SAY they are led by Him when as yet, they never come to Him for daily guidance but determine for themselves what they perceive is good versus what is evil and then act on what they perceive is good. Is this not what you fathers have done since the beginning?
Well did Isaiah speak of this generation when he said, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin…Isa 30:1-3”
When a new testament prophet prophecies, he speaks according to the Spirit of God and not from himself. The reliance of the new testament prophet is on the Spirit of God and not just the written word. You have replaced the Spirit of the Holy One with your own knowledge and your own ability to understand. Yet, the word of God says “it is NOT in man that walks to direct his own way”. At no point can man rely on his own knowledge and his own understanding. Like Martha, you are distracted through your serving and complain when another is not doing as you are doing but Mary has chosen to SIT (wait of the Lord) and listen (to hear what the Spirit is saying by way of Jesus). Her’s is the better part.
Your doctrine says there is no need for prophets today and yet, in Ephesians 4, there is listed among the 5 gift ministries, apostles and prophets. These were not relegated to the first century as there is NO word that proves this lie. When I say I am serving in the office of a prophet, you dismiss this as if I am deceived and deluded. From the time I came to Christ, the Spirit of the Lord has told me He has called me to be a prophet to His church. Those 5 gift ministries are gifts to the church. They are not to do the work of the ministry to the outside world but are there to minister to the body so that the body will do the work of the ministry. They are there to work with the Holy Spirit in bringing the body of Christ to a mature man where every joint supplies UNTIL the body of Christ builds itself up in the love of the Father.
Your contention is not against me but against God’s own Word. You deny the need for prophets because we have God’s Word but none of the New Testament was written during the book of Acts and the Word of God (the scriptures) they operated in was what we consider the Old Testament.
You are in error because of that doctrine of devils which removes the power of God and replaces it with the reasoning of man.
I will not be returning to this blog as I see that you love your darkness rather than the true light. Unless you repent, the judgment in God’s house that is coming soon will gather you in as well and count you as one of those who do not know Jesus. They all claimed they knew Jesus but Jesus said otherwise. Unless you repent, you too will be cast into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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That’s new, now I’m in darkness because I believe in God’s Word as authoritive. You can insult me all you like Jerry I will not do that to you. It seems that you like new revelation over God’s Word and that’s a shame. Jesus said whoever loves my Word loves Me. Jerry how can you have the Holy Spirit if you reject what the Bible clearly teaches? You want me to aknowlegde you as a prophet but I cannot do that because all we need as Christians is Jesus Christ and His Word not your new revelation. Your always welcome to come to my Blog I will never kick you out. I think you are in extreme error and I pray that you may wake up from your stupor.
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Christians condemning other Christians simply because of a matter of opinion is exactly what the enemy wants to achieve within the body of believers. People will never see eye to eye on certain things – (except the things pertaining to fundamental beliefs) but when it comes to people asserting non-fundamental beliefs clearly contrary to what is revealed in scripture to the body of Christ, the apostle Paul clearly warns us about that in 1 Corinthians 4:6 “not to go beyond what is written.”
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