The Truth About Lies

Photo by: Keyur Nandaniya

This week I experienced pain and grief like I have not felt in quite some time. Blindsided, I experienced an overwhelming, devastating, painful wreckage. The toll of the complete stress I have endured for many weeks manifested itself yesterday. During Sunday morning worship, I collapsed---body, soul, mind, and even spirit.  Complete shutdown. Okay, how did I get here, again? Then, revelation fell from Heaven and came to rest in my soul.  All this turmoil began with just one lie. 

1 Kings 13 recounts the events that led to the violent death of a prophet while on divine assignment by God. Though I have read this story many times, the tragedy always perplexed me. Here we read of a man on a mission by the Lord who traveled to Bethel to confront the king about the ritual of burning incense on the altar which was in defiance of God's law. The man of God was commanded by God to neither eat nor drink in that place nor was he to return home the same way he arrived in Bethel. The message of God’s judgment angered the king and as he reached out to seize the messenger, his hand became withered. King Jeroboam asked the prophet to go before the Lord on his behalf that his hand be restored. God healed the king so, in gratitude, King Jeroboam offered the prophet a reward and a place to rest. In complete obedience, he declined by saying, “not even if you were to offer me half of your kingdom.” The journey home began.

As the traveling prophet rested under an oak tree, an old man from Bethel approached him extending an invitation for dinner.  The prophet from Judah, again, explained he could not accept the invite by command of the Lord. So, the elderly man from Bethel replied, "I am a prophet also, as you are.  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.’"  Then, scripture so ominously reveals, “But he lied to him.” The man of God naively followed the lying prophet home where he ate and drank water.

As the God-appointed man headed home, he encountered a predatory lion on the side of the road, was savagely dragged from his donkey, and completely devoured. Many times, I have wondered... how can a prophet whom the Lord speaks to directly find himself in this situation? Sadly, this prophet who had just completed his assignment by boldly delivering a message of judgment to a temperamental king, witnessed a protective and healing miracle of God, and declined a royal reward in total obedience to his Lord, disregarded the words he knew to be true for the tempting invitation of a stranger. Why would he do that?  Simply because the words appealed to his senses. The words were what he needed to hear at the point in his journey when he was hungry, thirsty, and tired. Unfortunately, in his wearied state, the prophet believed a ruinous lie that lulled him to a place of disobedience and ultimately death.

Ding, ding, ding! Another aha! moment for me.  Think about this.  

1 Peter 5:8 warns us, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  Scripture also tells us in John 8:44 the devil "holds no truth" and that "when he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  I, too, believed a calamitous lie and continued to believe lie, after lie, after lie until I was entangled in them.  So easily deceived by words I needed to hear, words that appealed to my senses, I became easy prey and was nearly devoured.  But God.  He is so merciful. 

What the liar in my story didn't know, was that every day, multiple times a day, I prayed God, give me ears to hear what I need to hear and eyes to see what I need to see.  Even though God knew it would be devastatingly painful, He did let me see what I needed to see, and it was ultimately for my good.  He did not let me fall too far nor did He let me go back.  Then, once again, He restored me. Oh, how God loves me, and He loves you, too.  Our Shepherd is faithful to guide us every step of the way if we will listen and obey.  That promise can be found in Isaiah 30:21, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  

2 Timothy 4:17-18, "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all... might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack...To him be glory forever and ever. Amen."