One of God’s prophets was sent with a warning to the wicked king Jeroboam. The prophet was given a special command riot to eat bread in the land of Jeroboam, and not to return by the same way that he came.
The wicked king listened angrily, and would have killed the messenger, but God protected him, and he set out on his return journey by a different road.
Now another prophet lived in that land, who took his ass and went after the traveler and invited him to come and eat bread in his house. The prophet of God was no doubt hungry enough, but he remembered the word of the Lord and refused to come back. Finally, however, he was persuaded by lying words to return and eat bread in the forbidden place.
He had been a good and faithful man in many ways, and perhaps the man who lied was more to blame than he was, but it was disobedience to a direct command of God. Our God does not change His word, and He cannot pass over sin.
When the traveler later continued his journey, he was killed by a lion which, however, did not eat him nor harm his beast. It just stood by the dead body, because even a wild animal must obey its Creator!
You see, my reader, the Word of God must be obeyed, and although this prophet of God was a man of faith, God had to deal with him as a disobedient child. Not one of God’s redeemed children will ever be lost, but let us remember that His Word says,
ML 05/07/1950