Bad Counsel

1 Kings 13:1-24

            This passage illustrates  how easy it is for us to receive and accept bad counsel. We have an unnamed man of God doing everything right. If this story ended in verse 10 or even in verse 17 we would say this man of God was at the top of his game and totally doing the will of God. But it doesn’t end there, he receives and accepts bad counsel and pays the ultimate price for it.

In this passage, God sends this man of God to inform king Jeroboam of the judgment that will come against his sin. The king had set up two calves of gold in Bethel and Dan to worship, and burnt incense with their offerings upon the altar. [1 Kings12:25-33]

The Testimony of the man of God      “…there came a man of God out of Judah”

1. Unnamed, yet called “man of God”, we can assume several things, Verse 1
   1. He Believed God
   2. He Feared God
   3. He Loved God
   4. “came by the word of the Lord”, Doing God’s will, believed the book, Verse 1
   5. Sold out, persecution no problem, “ lay hold on him” Verse 4
   6. He was getting things done for the Lord, great results. Verse 6
   7. He was against wicked places, verses 2-3
   8. He was against wicked people, verse 4
   9. He was against wicked provisions, verses 7-9
   10. Did not yield to temptation from a king [verse 7] or a prophet [verse15] when asked to disobey God.

The Testimony of Bad Counsel           “Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel;”

1. Old doesn’t mean wise, Job 32:9
2. His testimony was he dwelt in Bethel, not good
3. He offered his counsel- Be careful when counsel comes looking for you!
4. He used strange doctrine, angels (be careful with angels, Gal.1:8, Col.2:18, 2Cor.11:14)
5. He lied, what he said was not true (always check things out – Acts 17:11)

The Temptation that defeated the man of God

1. He did not use what he knew – the words of God – Bible
2. He did not use who he knew – The Lord
3. He forgot all he knew. – Stay in the Game