Lesson from a Lion: A Fresh Look at First Kings 13
Introduction
Prophets with no names, lions that do not clean their plates, altars that split without an axe and a king with an arm that looks like a raisin: all these elements contribute to an intriguing and sometimes baffling story found in First Kings 13. Evangelicals are attracted to it because the story contains powerful prophetic fulfillment. Charismatics love it because signs and wonders are displayed. The Emergent crowd likes it because the story values authenticity and relationship. What do we make of this prophecy for the ages?
Power Encounter
A fascinating story of prophetic courage and failure is found in First Kings 13. If the story were only verses one to ten, it would rank with Elijah’s confrontation with the Baal priests at Mt. Carmel as one of the great bold strokes in Old Testament history ( v. 1-3 ). The Judean “man of God” (a euphemism for prophet) confronts the Northern Kingdom’s ruler, Jeroboam. Jeroboam’s idolatry and false altar (he worships at Bethel instead of Jerusalem) calls forth Yahweh’s judgment. The man of God prophesies that King Josiah will be born from the house of David (Southern Judean ruler) who will judge the idolatry of the northern kingdom. This prophecy is truly remarkable. Not only does the man of God precisely describe the actions of Yahweh three hundred years before the event, but also he calls the future king by name. This is prophetic accuracy at its finest (see 2 Kings 23:15-20 ). The man of God truly must have been a man of God; intimately acquainted with the ways, heart, and character of Yahweh ( Isaiah 55:8-9 ). In addition, the man of God prophesies a split altar signifying Yahweh’s displeasure with Israel’s idolatrous worship ( v. 3 ). The word is fulfilled as God performs his own version of Demolition Day ( v. 5 ). The prophet walks in the intimacy with God and the power of the Spirit: the words and works of Jesus.
By Whose Authority?
High drama continues when Jeroboam points his finger at the man of God, demands his arrest, and the king’s hand withers ( 1 Kings 13:4-6 ). In our culture, finger pointing is simply an added gesture for emphasis. In some parts of Africa, pointing is considered rude beyond all measure. In Bible times, pointing the finger symbolized authority. In scripture, the right hand is a symbol of intense power and strength.1 The king by his right hand was leading the Israelites in false worship, but God’s mighty power reduced the king’s hand into a dry shriveled appendage. “The withering of Jeroboam’s hand demonstrated the superiority of God’s authority.”2 The man of God displays Yahweh’s mercy and kindness when he heeds the king’s request to restore his hand. Then, Jeroboam tries a little manipulation by inviting the prophet to dinner ( 1 Kings 13:7 ).
Manipulation
Actions Not Words
The next section ( 1 Kings 13:11-34 ) is confusing and complicated for the postmodern reader. The 21st century reader, like it or not, is affected by Freudian psychoanalysis: we want to know the prophet’s thoughts, feelings, and background. We want to know why he was so easily persuaded to eat with the old prophet. We want to know what was going through the man of God’s mind when he decided to disobey the “command of the Lord” ( 1 Kings 13:9, 16 ). What was in his background that allowed him to be so easily seduced? Was he stubborn, lonely, or just naïve? Was his heart impure? Initially, did he simply obey the Lord’s command out of duty and not conviction? The Bible does not answer these questions because Old Testament writers are not concerned with inner thoughts as much as they are with actions. For the Old Testament man or woman, it was not what a person felt that was important, but what they did ( Micah 6:8 ). Actions demonstrate an individual’s character not sincerity or good intentions ( Matthew 15:18, cf. James 2:14-26 ).
Disgrace
With great sadness, we watch our hero killed by a lion for disobeying God’s explicit command. We ask, “Why did the man of God suffer the absolute punishment of death for his disobedience?” The answer is relatively simple. By not being completely obedient to the word of the Lord, the prophet’s actions call into question the validity of the judgment pronounced on King Jeroboam. We do not know why the older prophet lied (possibly loneliness?) or why God would use him to pronounce a righteousness judgment. What we do know is that the lion was clearly sent by God for it did not eat the donkey or consume the prophet’s body ( 1 Kings 13:24 ). A normal lion would eat all that it could obtain. The older prophet was deeply moved by the man of God’s life and prophetic announcement; he desired to be buried next to him ( 1 Kings 13:31-32 ). “So powerful an effect had the whole series of events produced on him, and so assured was he that all the man of God had predicted would surely come to pass, that the old prophet longed, at least in death, to be united with this holy man.”4
The Character Issue
The episode should remind us as Christians that the character of our lives must match the words that proceed from our mouths. Especially for those in Christian ministry, what we teach must be lived. “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment ( James 3:1, NASB ). Though we may not be eaten by lions, our poor behavior can call into question Yahweh’s great name. Let the Apostle Paul’s goal be our pursuit, “So our aim is to please him [Jesus] always, whether we are here in this body or away from the body” ( 2 Corinthians 5:9, NLT ).
Do We Still Need Lions?
Fundamentally, we need to examine what is the difference, if any, between an Old Testament prophet and a New Testament prophet. The best book on the subject of New Testament prophecy is Wayne Grudem‘s The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today [Editor’s note: Read a full chapter from this book]. In the Old Testament the prescription was clear, “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death. You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?’ If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him” ( Deuteronomy 18:20-22, NIV ).
If a prophet failed in his prophecy, he dies because his word does not come to fruition. Clear, tangible, visible evidence helps the observer know whether a prophecy is true or false. The lion killing the prophet seems to say that his prophecy about Josiah was false. However, the old prophet asked to be buried next to the man of God as a way of affirming the accuracy of the condemnation of idolatry at Bethel.
Presently, the New Testament believer has within him (or her) the presence of the Holy Spirit and resident are all the spiritual gifts ( 1 Corinthians 12 ). One of those gifts is the spirit of discernment ( 1 Corinthians 12:10 ): it assists each believer and the whole body to know whether a prophetic word is from the Lord, the flesh, or even the devil ( 1 Corinthians 14:29 ). Thus, we are able to know whether a prophetic word is valid by an inner witness ( 1 John 4:1-3 ). Therefore, we no longer need lions outside our church doors.
Accountability
Exactly to whom is a New Testament prophet ( 1 Corinthians 14:28, Ephesians 4:11 ) accountable? Israel was governed by the king with the prophet hearing from God with the priest directing the community’s worship. The king was in-charge and the prophet maintained contact with the Angel of the Lord who directed the spiritual armies of God (see 2 Kings 3 ). The prophet would advise the king of Yahweh’s commands. In the New Testament, apostles and elders (i.e. bishops and presbyters) govern the church ( Titus 1:5-9, 1 Timothy 3:1-7 ) and it is the prophet’s responsibility to edify, exhort, and comfort ( 1 Corinthians 14:3 ).
A number of years ago at a Baptist church I once attended, a self-proclaimed prophetess announced to me that I was not supposed to marry my future wife. She stated emphatically, “This is not the Lord’s will.” I countered by saying that the elders were in agreement about the Lord’s blessing on our marriage and that I would proceed. She became very angry because she did not respect church authority. The New Testament prophetic office is subject to the elders of a local church.
God’s Grace
Whether it is a fast growing Emerging Church or a contemporary Third-Wave Charismatic fellowship, people attend who think themselves the prophetic voice for the age. They have an independent spirit; they are subject to no one, and cause pain and confusion to young believers. In 1 Kings 13, we see that actions are more important than words, character more than self-assertion. We must look to Jesus for grace to obey his every command (young prophet) and to maintain fire and zeal for the Lord in a time of spiritual apostasy (old prophet). Grace is Jesus being the desire, ability, and power in me to respond to every life situation according to the will of God ( 2 Corinthians 9:8 ). Grace is God’s heart extending itself towards me in the midst of my weaknesses, failures, and inadequacies. Grace is the ability to see that Christ is bigger than all my incompetence. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly” ( Titus 2:11-12 ).
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have seen that 1 Kings 13 is difficult to exegete, but is still relevant for us. In this postmodern age, the issues of authenticity, obedience, and intimacy with God are just as important now as they were in ancient Israel.
Notes
1. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 361.
2. NKJV Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 507.
3. Richard D. Patterson, 1 Kings, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary [CD-ROM], ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998).
4. Ibid.
This article first appeared on the Pneuma Foundation resources website on April 21, 2006. The Pneuma Foundation is the parent organization of PneumaReview.com.
