Originally posted: 2/21/2020
In 1 Kings 13, we read this repeated phrase, “the word of the LORD,” nine times. And with this much attention focused on “the Word of the LORD,” it would behoove us to turn our attention and dig in, that we might gain greater understanding of the magnitude of His Word.
Let’s get ready to dig…
Consider the Word of the LORD
- The Word of the LORD came to testify to the truth.
- Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, (13:1).
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- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6).
- …Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice,” (John 18:37).
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- The Word of the LORD came to decree the outcome.
- He cried against the altar by the word of the LORD… The altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD, (13:2, 5).
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- For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus, (Philippians 1:6).
- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, (1 Peter 1:3-5).
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- The Word of the LORD came forthright with guidance.
- “For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came,’”…“ For a command came to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came,’” (13:9, 17).
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- “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you,” (John 14:26).
- “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come,” (John 16:13).
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- The Word of the LORD is opposed by deceit.
- He said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. (13:18).
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- Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” …The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,” (Genesis 3:1, 4-5).
- “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” 9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition…13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that,” (Mark 7:8-9, 13).
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- The Word of the LORD must be obeyed.
- Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21 and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have disobeyed the command of the LORD, and have not observed the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, 22 but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water”; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers,’” (13:20-22).
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- “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” (John 14:15).
- “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you,” (John 15:12-14).
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- The Word of the LORD delivers His judgment.
- Now when the prophet who brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God, who disobeyed the command of the LORD; therefore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to him.” (13:25).
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- For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do, (Hebrews 4:12-13).
- From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, (Revelation 19:15).
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- The Word of the LORD will surely come to pass.
- For the thing shall surely come to pass which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria.” (13:32).
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- [the following transpired nearly 300 years after the prophecy against Jeroboam] Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he [Josiah] broke down… according to the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things…. 19 Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the Lord; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel. 20 All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem, (2 Kings 23:15-20).
- “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant,” (1 Kings 8:56).
- “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away,” (Matthew 24:35).
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How do we respond to the Word of the LORD?
- Accept His truth in faith.
- For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe, (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
- Believe His outcome of love and freedom promised in Christ.
- Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death…37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Romans 8:1-2, 37-39).
- Follow His guidance graciously provided in His Word.
- Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path, (Psalm 119:105). - And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail, (Isaiah 58:11).
- Your word is a lamp to my feet
- Detect deception through time, study, and commitment to carefully guard and defend His Word.
- See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ, (Colossians 2:8).
- Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you, (1 Timothy 1:13-14).
- Obey His Word as an act of love.
- “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments,” (John 14:15).
- “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you,” (John 15:12-14).
- Believe His Faithful Word will surely come to pass.
- Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, (Romans 15:13).
- “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” (Revelations 3:21).
What an amazing gift we have been given. The Word of the LORD given that we might know Him and His Ways. Let us pray we would never take His Word for granted.
Oh, that we would so grow in our appreciation, understanding and love for His Word, so much so that the Word of the LORD would, in reality, become our very life.
“Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law. 47 For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life… (Deuteronomy 32:46-47).