DAILY READING : 1 KINGS 12 - 14

 

TEXT : 1Ki 13:11  Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. 1Ki 13:12  And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 1Ki 13:13  And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 1Ki 13:14  And went after the man of God, and found him si tting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. 1Ki 13:15  Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 1Ki 13:16  And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 1Ki 13:17  For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 1Ki 13:18  He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 1Ki 13:19  So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 1Ki 13:20  And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: 1Ki 13:21  And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 1Ki 13:22  But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

 

THEME : DECEPTION

 

As Rehoboam takes the throne of his father Solomon in Judah, Jeroboam rises to power in the north. Jeroboam, prophesied to take over the ten northern tribes known as Israel, Rehoboam reigns over Judah [and Benjamin] because of God's oath to David his grandfather. It is interesting to observe how God can prophesy the future, yet man has responsibility for his sin. The relation between God and Man is, or should be cooperative. It is a fellowship where Man's will is involved giving him limited sovereignty while God maintains unlimited sovereignty. As mentioned, God had prophesied through Ahijah to Jeroboam that Jeroboam - the servant of Solomon, would reign over Israel.

 

Yet, it is because of Rehoboam's refusal to heed the wise counsel of the elders, and his error of taking the advice of the young men he grew up with [presumably, or perhaps his friends] that permits Jeroboam to take the throne of Israel. How mysterious and deep are God's ways. God knows all things, hence He is able to predict the future accurately. Yet in many cases, it is Man who caused the outcome through sin or human error.

 

"The tribes complained not to Rehoboam of his father's idolatry, and revolt from God. That which was the greatest grievance, was none to them; so careless were they in matters of religion, if they might live at case, and pay no taxes. Factious spirits will never want something to complain of. And when we see the Scripture account of Solomon's reign; the peace, wealth, and prosperity Israel then enjoyed; we cannot doubt but that their charges were false, or far beyond the truth. Rehoboam answered the people according to the counsel of the young men. Never was man more blinded by pride, and desire of arbitrary power, than which nothing is more fatal. God's counsels were hereby fulfilled. He left Rehoboam to his own folly, and hi d from his eyes the things which belonged to his peace, that the kingdom might be rent from him. God serves his own wise and righteous purposes by the imprudences and sins of men. Those that lose the kingdom of heaven, throw it away, as Rehoboam, by wilfulness and folly." [Matthew Henry]

 

It is accurate to say Rehoboam was deceived by his own pride and ambition - fueled by his friends who encourage his foolishness, so that in the end everyone suffers. However, in the case of the prophet who speaks a word against Jeroboam who has set up altars in Dan and Bethel, he is deceived by his own disobedience. It is one thing to be deceived by another. Yet, when we deceive ourselves, we have no one to blame. Rehoboam might make a case that he received bad counsel, such as our courts make provision for a defendant if they receive "ineffective assistance of counsel."[1] On the other hand,  the "Man of God" sent to rebuke Je roboam for his idolatry had no one to blame but himself. Still, the results are the same in both cases - judgment. Yet, it is more frustrating and vexing when we realize we did this to ourselves!

 

"The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went unpunished, while the holy man of God was suddenly and severely punished. What shall we make of this? The judgments of God are beyond our power to fathom; and there is a judgment to come. Nothing can excuse any act of wilful disobedience. This shows what they must expect who hearken to the great deceiver. They that yield to him as a tempter, will be terrified by him as a tormentor. Those whom he now fawns upon, he will afterwards fly upon; and whom he draws into sin, he will try to drive to despair." [Matthew Henry]

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : WE MUST NEVER CONTRADICT THE WORD OF GOD!

 

"God told me." This is the bane of the Church in the last one hundred years. Many Christians, sincere and committed,  have fallen to the deception of "God told me to tell you." Now, it is not that God does not speak through His Spirit today. M ost certainly He does. However, not many Christians take the time to study the Word of God or search it like the Bereans to sift these "prophecies" through the colander of God's Word and test them to see if they are true. Most of these dreams, visions, "words," trances, voices, etc. are spurious.

 

Further, when they are not overtly demonic [as many are], then they are merely the imagination of Man's heart. [Jer_9:14  But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: /Jer_23:16  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. /Jer_23:26  How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; /Eze_13:17  Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,]

 

In these verses, we clearly see how "prophets" [and they are called prophets] speak from the depths of their own capricious and unstable hearts. When Man speaks from his own heart, we are under no obligation to obey him. "People are under no religious obligation to hear anything but the revealed will of God, and are not to obey those that call to them for what that doth not call to them." [John Wesley]

 

This was a grave mistake made by the Man of God who spoke to Jeroboam. He was sensible enough not to be deceived by Jeroboam's invitation to dine with him. Yet, when another prophet comes along and says - "God told me to tell you" [even though we read the old man claimed it was an angel] the Man of God has no discernment! Truly, there is nothing new under the sun! The "God told me to tell you" deception was prevalent in the Old Testament as much as it is now. It was deception then. It is deception now.

 

Jesus warned us of false prophets and teachers that would abound prior to His Second Coming. Certainly, we are living in those days for not since the days of Jeremiah do people seem so willing to be deceived, not caring about truth.

 

Jer 5:27  As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. Jer 5:28  They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Jer 5:29  Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Jer 5:30  A and horrible thing is committed in the land; Jer 5:31  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

 

In Jeremiah's day, it was the people that loved, supported, and wanted the false prophets. Remember, a tongue is of no effect without an ear. Therefore, those who listen to false prophets get what they want - falsehood. By contrast, those who seek the truth with all their heart find what they want as well. It is all a matter of desire.

 

When Jesus told us of the proliferation of false prophets and teachers, he instructed us "not to believe them."

 

Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Mat 24:25  Behold, I have told you before.

 

Further, we are taught to "test " the spirits.

 

1Jn_4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

 

"Do not confide implicitly in everyone who professes to be under the influences of the Holy Spirit. Compare Mat_24:4-5. The true and the false teachers of religion alike claimed to be under the influence of the Spirit of God, and it was of importance that all such pretensions should be examined. It was not to be admitted because anyone claimed to have been sent from God that therefore he was sent. Every such claim should be subjected to the proper proof before it was conceded. All pretensions to divine inspiration, or to being authorised teachers of religion, were to be examined by the proper tests, because there were many false and delusive teachers who set up such claims in the world." [Albert Barnes]

 

We are blessed to have the written Word of God. The Authorized Version has 31, 102 verses in it. That is enough truth to keep the most ambitious and fecund mind busy for a lifetime. It is the more sure word of prophecy, even as the Bible says.

 

2Pe 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2Pe 1:17  For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 2Pe 1:18  And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

"Here is as direct an assertion of the Divine origin of Scripture as that of 2Ti_3:16. But there is more here than a simple assertion of the Divine origin of Scripture. We are advanced somewhat in our understanding of how God has produced the Scriptures. It was through the instrumentality of men who "spake from him." More specifically, it was through an operation of the Holy Ghost on these men which is described as "bearing" them. The term here used is a very specific one. It is not to be confounded with guiding, or directing, or controlling, or even-leading in the full sense of that word. It goes beyond all such terms, in assigning the effect produced specifically to the active agent. What is "borne" is taken up by the "bearer," and conveyed by the "bearer's" power, not its own, to the "bearer's" goal, not its own. The men who spoke from God are here declared, therefore, to have been taken up by the Holy Spirit and brought by His power to the goal of His choosing. The things which they spoke under this operation of the Spiri t were therefore His things, not theirs. And that is the reason which is assigned why "the prophetic word" is so sure. Though spoken through the instrumentality of men, it is, by virtue of the fact that these men spoke "as borne by the Holy Spirit," an immediately Divine word. It will be observed that the proximate stress is laid here, not on the spiritual value of Scripture (though that, too, is seen in the background), but on the Divine trustworthiness of Scripture. Because this is the way every prophecy of Scripture "has been brought," it affords a more sure basis of confidence than even the testimony of human eyewitnesses. Of course, if we do not understand by "the prophetic word" here the entirety of Scripture described, according to its character, as revelation, but only that element in Scripture which we call specifically prophecy, then it is directly only of that element in Scripture that these great declarations are made. In any event, however, they are made of the prophetic element in Scripture as written, which was the only form in which the readers of this Epistle possessed it, and which is the thing specifically intimated in the phrase "every prophecy of scripture." These great declarations are made, therefore, at least of large tracts of Scripture; and if the entirety of Scripture is intended by the phrase "the prophetic word," they are made of the whole of Scripture." [International Standard Bible encyclopedia]

 

We would do well to study the written Word and seek for the "old paths." The sure Word of God is found in the Bible, not the specious words of [false] teachers in the Church today. For the safety of our own lives and those we care about, we need to learn a lesson from the Man of God who was deceived by the old prophet. Obey God, and do not enter into the trap of - "God told me to tell you." In particular, we cannot fall into the pit of hopeless contradictions that abound in the Church today. Let us look unto Jesus, and Jesus alone, for He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. May God help us all never to contradict the [written] Word of God though the Church be full of men who say - "God told me to tell you."

 

Ineffective assistance of counsel at trial and on direct appeal violates the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial. In analyzing an ineffective assistance of counsel claim, the overriding concern is to determine whether counsel's conduct so undermined the functioning of the adversary process that the trial cannot be relied upon as having produced a just result. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 686 (1984).

 

First, the defendant mus t show that counsel's performance was deficient. This requires showing that counsel made errors so serious that counsel was not functioning as the 'counsel' guaranteed the defendant by the Sixth Amendment. Second, the defendant must show that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This requires showing that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable. Unless a defendant makes both showings, it cannot be said that the conviction or death sentence resulted from a breakdown in the adversary process that renders the result unreliable. Id. at 687. Review of counsel's performance is highly deferential, and courts must indulge a strong presumption that counsel's conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional assistance. Id. at 689.

 

'Actual or constructive denial of assistance of counsel altogether is legally presumed to result in prejudice. So are various kinds of state interference with counsel's assistance.' 466 U.S. at 692 (citing U.S. v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648, 659, n.25 (1983). In Cronic, the Court described the type of situation from which prejudice is presumed. When counsel is totally absent, is prevented from assisting the accused at a critical st age of the proceeding, or when counsel entirely fails to subject the prosecution's case to meaningful adversarial testing, courts will presume prejudice. Cronic, 466 U.S. at 659 & n.25. From the "Lectic Law's Library Lexicon" - http://www.lectlaw.com/def/i083.htm