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NASB | 1 Kings 13:1 Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Kings 13:1 Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word (command) of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar [which he had built] to burn incense. |
Bible Question:
Re: the whole of 1 Kings 13 What can we learn from this very unusual story from God? What would you say is the most important point for us to apply to our lives? God bless you all -- Inquisitor |
Bible Answer: Beja and Searcher, It looks like I'm not going to get much more response so here goes... Once again, I was going for a more far-reaching and powerful point from our God. I see this story as emphasizing just to whom should we as christians listen. So many times in mankind's history, a person such as Charles Russell or Joseph Smith comes on the scene and claims to be a man of God. But he teaches alien concepts in contrast to God's Word. We as christians MUST compare what we hear from our fellow man to God's Word. Our best example is from the Bereans in Acts 17:10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Notice they were listening to the great and noble Paul himself but that didn't cut no great stuff with them. They went to their scriptures to check and match his words with God's Word. We must never think we can take a man's word when it's in contrast with His Word. 1 Kings 13 makes that very clear along with Paul's words in Gal 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. God's MUST always outrank anyone else when it comes to a contrast between two or more different sets of words. We must never let ourselves be swayed by the smooth and swave words of an experienced orator. We see more warnings in 2 Tim 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. We must take these words as directed from Paul to Timothy as though they were written to all of us. We must be on guard against those who have deceived themselves and then become very powerful in their speaking the perverted Words from God. Tell me what you think and God bless, Inquisitor |