How does 1 Kings 13:28 connect with Proverbs 3:5-6 on trusting God? Setting the Scene • 1 Kings 13 recounts a young prophet sent from Judah to rebuke Jeroboam’s altar at Bethel. • God’s explicit command to him: “You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came” (v. 9). • An older “prophet” lies, claiming an angel reversed God’s word, and the young man believes him. • Judgment follows: “The lion had neither eaten the corpse nor harmed the donkey” (1 Kings 13:28). Text in Focus 1 Kings 13:28: “Then he went and found the corpse lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the corpse nor harmed the donkey.” Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” What 1 Kings 13:28 Shows about Trust • God’s word stands—He judged exactly as foretold (vv. 21-22). • The unusual scene (lion, corpse, unharmed donkey) proves divine control, not random violence. • The sign exposes the prophet’s fatal mistake: he valued a man’s word over God’s direct command. How This Mirrors Proverbs 3:5-6 • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart” → The young prophet trusted partly, then doubted; wholehearted trust was required. • “Lean not on your own understanding” → He reasoned that an older prophet must be right, leaning on human logic. • “In all your ways acknowledge Him” → Obedience was to mark every step, including mealtime choices; compromise broke the acknowledgment. • “He will make your paths straight” → Had he stayed on God’s path, he would have returned safely; disobedience led to a literal dead-end. Supporting Scriptures • Numbers 23:19—God does not lie; His spoken word is certain. • 1 Samuel 15:22—“To obey is better than sacrifice.” • Psalm 37:5—“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.” • Jeremiah 17:7-8—Blessing rests on the one who trusts the LORD, not flesh. Lessons for Today • A past record of obedience does not exempt anyone from present faithfulness. • Spiritual credentials of others never override Scripture; test every message (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). • God may underscore His warnings with unmistakable signs; they highlight His reliability, not His harshness. • Trust and obedience are inseparable—belief is proven by action (James 2:22). Take-Home Points • God’s voice, once clearly revealed, is non-negotiable. • Mixing trust in God with trust in human opinion introduces deadly detours. • The God who restrained the lion is able to “make your paths straight” when His word alone guides each step. |
    |