INTRODUCTION: The phrase “the word of the LORD” occurs ten times in this chapter. This compares with the Ten Commandments and the ten times “God said” in Genesis, chapter one. This chapter is about the power and importance of the word of God.

It also deals with the “man of God.” This phrase is found fifteen times in this chapter in reference to the young prophet sent to proclaim God’s judgment on the pagan altar of Jeroboam. This shows us that the preacher’s responsibility is greater than most preachers realize. His greatest responsibility is absolute obedience to the word of God. Our problem is not one of faith, but one of submission. This submission must be to the words of God.

1. THE MESSAGE OF THE MAN OF GOD (1 Kings 13:1-3 [1] And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. [2] And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. [3] And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
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1. The Authority of His Message (1 Kings 13:1And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
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1. He came “by the word of the LORD.”
2. He came out of Judah.
3. He came to Bethel where Jeroboam had set up a golden calf (1 Kings 12:28-29 [28] Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. [29] And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
   See All...; Amos 3:14That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.
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4. Note: The name of the man of God is never given. This illustrates that it is never supposed to be about the man of God, but the God who called that man.
2. The Contents of His Message (1 Kings 13:2-3 [2] And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. [3] And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
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1. The origin of His words (1 Kings 13:2And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
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1. He cried “in the word of the LORD.”
2. This means the words were not of his choosing, but they were the Lord’s words (2 Samuel 23:2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
   See All...; Jeremiah 1:9Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
   See All...; 2 Peter 1:21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
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2. The prophecy delivered (1 Kings 13:2And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
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1. Josiah will be born.
1. Prophesied at least 250 years before Josiah was born
2. Prophesied by name; compare the prophecy concerning Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
   See All...; Isaiah 45:1-4 [1] Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; [2] I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: [3] And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. [4] For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
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2. The altar will be desecrated.
3. The sign confirming the word (1 Kings 13:3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
   See All...; Mark 16:20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
   See All...; 1 Corinthians 1:22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
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1. The altar will be rent.
2. The ashes will be poured out.
2. THE POWER OF THE MAN OF GOD (1 Kings 13:4-10 [4] And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. [5] The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. [6] And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. [7] And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. [8] And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: [9] For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. [10] So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
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1. Power to Perform Miracles (1 Kings 13:4-6 [4] And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. [5] The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. [6] And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
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1. The threat by Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:4And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
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1. Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar and called for the arrest of the man of God.
2. Jeroboam’s hand dried up.
2. The fulfillment of prophecy (1 Kings 13:5The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
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1. The altar was rent.
2. The ashes poured out from the altar
3. The restoration of Jeroboam’s hand (1 Kings 13:6And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
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1. Jeroboam asked for prayer.
2. God answered the prayer of the man of God.
2. Power to Overcome Temptation (1 Kings 13:7-10 [7] And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. [8] And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: [9] For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. [10] So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
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1. Jeroboam offered hospitality and reward to the man of God (1 Kings 13:7And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
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2. The man of God refused Jeroboam’s offer (1 Kings 13:8-10 [8] And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: [9] For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. [10] So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
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1. No matter the amount of Jeroboam’s offer, the man of God must refuse (1 Kings 13:8And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
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2. This was a charge given to him of the Lord (1 Kings 13:9For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
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3. The man of God departed as the Lord had instructed (1 Kings 13:10So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
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3. THE TEMPTATION OF THE MAN OF GOD (1 Kings 13:11-18 [11] Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. [12] And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. [13] And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, [14] And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. [15] Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. [16] And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: [17] For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. [18] He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
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1. The Curiosity of an Old Prophet (1 Kings 13:11-12 [11] Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. [12] And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
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1. The old prophet dwelt in Bethel (1 Kings 13:11Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
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1. If he dwelt in Bethel, the place of the other prophet’s prophecy, why didn’t he give the message of judgment from the Lord?
2. This would lead us to believe that there was something wrong with this prophet.
2. The old prophet heard of the power and message of the man of God (1 Kings 13:11Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
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3. The old prophet inquired of the location of the man of God (1 Kings 13:12And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
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2. The Invitation of the Old Prophet (1 Kings 13:13-15 [13] And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, [14] And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. [15] Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
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1. He went after the man of God (1 Kings 13:13-14 [13] And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, [14] And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
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2. He found the man of God sitting under an oak tree (1 Kings 13:14And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
   See All...); perhaps he was resting when he should have been running.
3. He invited the man of God to come home with him (1 Kings 13:15Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
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3. The Refusal of the Man of God (1 Kings 13:16-17 [16] And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: [17] For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
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1. He informed the old prophet that he could not do so (1 Kings 13:16And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
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2. He told the old prophet of God’s charge (1 Kings 13:17For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
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4. The Lie of the Old Prophet (1 Kings 13:18He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
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1. He claimed that he and the man of God were fellowlabourers.
2. He claimed to have received a message from an angel (see Galatians 1:8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
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3. He claimed that the man of God was supposed to come home with him.
4. THE FALL OF THE MAN OF GOD (1 Kings 13:19-34 [19] So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. [20] And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: [21] And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, [22] But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. [23] And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. [24] And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. [25] And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. [26] And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. [27] And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. [28] And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. [29] And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him. [30] And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! [31] And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: [32] For the saying 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, shall surely come to pass. [33] After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. [34] And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
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1. He Went with the Old Prophet (1 Kings 13:19So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
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1. The man of God fulfilled God’s word in every detail—except one.
2. He preached boldly, prophesied accurately, proclaimed God’s judgment, planned absolute obedience, and put in action every detail of God’s word.
3. But he failed in one major detail. Success in one area of our life does not excuse disobedience in another area of our life.
2. He Received a Message of Judgment for Disobedience (1 Kings 13:20-22 [20] And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: [21] And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, [22] But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
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1. The old prophet received word from the Lord (1 Kings 13:20And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:
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2. The old prophet told him of his disobedience (1 Kings 13:21-22 [21] And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, [22] But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
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3. The old prophet told of his judgment (1 Kings 13:22But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
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3. He Died Leaving (1 Kings 13:23-24 [23] And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. [24] And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
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1. He left the home of the old prophet (1 Kings 13:23And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.
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2. A lion slew him and stood by the body (1 Kings 13:24And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
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4. He Was Buried by the Old Prophet (1 Kings 13:25-31 [25] And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. [26] And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. [27] And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. [28] And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. [29] And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him. [30] And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! [31] And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
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1. The old prophet told of the man of God’s disobedience (1 Kings 13:25-26 [25] And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. [26] And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.
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2. The old prophet buried the man of God (1 Kings 13:27-30 [27] And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. [28] And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. [29] And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him. [30] And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!
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3. The old prophet called him brother and desired to be buried beside him (1 Kings 13:30-31 [30] And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! [31] And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
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5. He Was Outlasted (1 Kings 13:32-34 [32] For the saying 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, shall surely come to pass. [33] After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. [34] And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
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1. By the word of God (1 Kings 13:32For the saying 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, shall surely come to pass.
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2. By the sin of Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:33-34 [33] After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. [34] And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
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CONCLUSION: The man of God failed to complete his mission, but the words of God will not fail. God’s word always accomplishes His pleasure (Isaiah 55:11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
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