December 21, 2008 8:12 AM
Sam wrote:
I don't know how many times I've read this story, but each time it intrigues me that a 'man of God' would lie to another 'man of God'. And in this story, I have to ask WHY? MOG2 (Man of God 2) invited MOG1 to dinner, which MOG1 politely refused and told MOG2 the reason---God said so. Then MOG2 lied about also getting a vision from God (as an aside, I think lots of people in the 'Christian World' today lie about getting visions and advice from God--but that's a different topic). And I wonder why MOG2 did this. Was he lonely? Were there any other MOGs in town with whom he could dine and have discussions? Was MOG2 jealous of MOG1 for some reason? I have never been able to come up with a really good reason why MOG2 would lie about something so simple---just to get someone to dine with him? Any ideas?
Today, MOGs (well, those who consider them to be a MOG, or a 'devout' Christian) also tell lies to other MOGs FOR NO GOOD REASON. How many times have you been in a conversation and someone says something about knowing another person, or having seen a movie or something, and you lie by saying 'yes' when in fact you never met that person or saw that movie? I've done it, and don't know why. Maybe to not seem stupid? Makes no sense though, I've either seen the movie or I haven't. Maybe MOG2 was lying simply because he wanted to seem important in the eyes of MOG1...much like we like to seem 'important'??? in the eyes of others by lying about knowing another person or having seen another movies. As Solomon would have said: 'meaningless, meaningless'.
Anyway, that is my comment for today. I try NOT to tell these little white lies, as they truly do not make any sense; and am still perplexed why MOG2 would have lied to MOG1. Reply to this
One is that this reminds me of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave clear instruction, and there was a deceiver who seemed innocent enough and came up with a good sounding story that was "from God". You could almost here the old prophet say "Did God really say you would die..." Like Adam and Eve, the man of God was enticed and gave in, and paid the price.
The next thought is that maybe the man of God should have tested the old prophet. Religious people are easily taken advantage of by other religious figures - and like we just read in 1 John and other epistles, we are constantly being warned to be on our guard against such people - false prophets and false teachers.
The way v.33 is worded makes me think that this was all done as an example or warning for Jereboam - it says "Even after this Jerboam did not change his ways" - like maybe God was warning him saying 'look what happened to a man of God who disobeyed - see what I will do when I cast my judgment upon you' or something along those lines.
But it is probably that God had given the 'man of God' a specific command, and the man was persuaded by another religious figure who told him something contradictory - the man of God maybe was hungry and thirsty, and so that made it even more enticing, so that the old prophet told him "what his itching ears wanted to hear". Now that is something that happens today quite a bit.
Not sure why the judgement was so harsh though, which is what your question really is.
December 22, 2008 9:49 AM
Tony wrote:
You would think once God told you to do something that you would listen unless He told you different. God tells us what do by His word but He actually spoke to MOG1. I think like Johnbob says, he was deceived, he was being tested. What if Abraham had gone to the mountain, someone met him at the bottom and told him that God said to go home. Do you think he would have? It was a test and MOG1 failed and paid the ultimate price. If we are faltering in our faith with a certain scripture and someone tells us what we want to hear, do we listen or do we continue in the way we were originally told. MOG1 was told by God, he should have continued as told unless otherwise told by God. God was VERY strict back then, and still is today, but we have the grace and the blood of Jesus to intercede for us. Otherwise we would all be dead. Just a thought. Reply to this
I don't know how many times I've read this story, but each time it intrigues me that a 'man of God' would lie to another 'man of God'. And in this story, I have to ask WHY? MOG2 (Man of God 2) invited MOG1 to dinner, which MOG1 politely refused and told MOG2 the reason---God said so. Then MOG2 lied about also getting a vision from God (as an aside, I think lots of people in the 'Christian World' today lie about getting visions and advice from God--but that's a different topic). And I wonder why MOG2 did this. Was he lonely? Were there any other MOGs in town with whom he could dine and have discussions? Was MOG2 jealous of MOG1 for some reason? I have never been able to come up with a really good reason why MOG2 would lie about something so simple---just to get someone to dine with him? Any ideas?
Today, MOGs (well, those who consider them to be a MOG, or a 'devout' Christian) also tell lies to other MOGs FOR NO GOOD REASON. How many times have you been in a conversation and someone says something about knowing another person, or having seen a movie or something, and you lie by saying 'yes' when in fact you never met that person or saw that movie? I've done it, and don't know why. Maybe to not seem stupid? Makes no sense though, I've either seen the movie or I haven't. Maybe MOG2 was lying simply because he wanted to seem important in the eyes of MOG1...much like we like to seem 'important'??? in the eyes of others by lying about knowing another person or having seen another movies. As Solomon would have said: 'meaningless, meaningless'.
Anyway, that is my comment for today. I try NOT to tell these little white lies, as they truly do not make any sense; and am still perplexed why MOG2 would have lied to MOG1.
Reply to this
No hard answers on this one. Here are a few thoughts.
One is that this reminds me of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave clear instruction, and there was a deceiver who seemed innocent enough and came up with a good sounding story that was "from God". You could almost here the old prophet say "Did God really say you would die..." Like Adam and Eve, the man of God was enticed and gave in, and paid the price.
The next thought is that maybe the man of God should have tested the old prophet. Religious people are easily taken advantage of by other religious figures - and like we just read in 1 John and other epistles, we are constantly being warned to be on our guard against such people - false prophets and false teachers.
The way v.33 is worded makes me think that this was all done as an example or warning for Jereboam - it says "Even after this Jerboam did not change his ways" - like maybe God was warning him saying 'look what happened to a man of God who disobeyed - see what I will do when I cast my judgment upon you' or something along those lines.
But it is probably that God had given the 'man of God' a specific command, and the man was persuaded by another religious figure who told him something contradictory - the man of God maybe was hungry and thirsty, and so that made it even more enticing, so that the old prophet told him "what his itching ears wanted to hear". Now that is something that happens today quite a bit.
Not sure why the judgement was so harsh though, which is what your question really is.
Those are my random thoughts.
Reply to this
You would think once God told you to do something that you would listen unless He told you different. God tells us what do by His word but He actually spoke to MOG1. I think like Johnbob says, he was deceived, he was being tested. What if Abraham had gone to the mountain, someone met him at the bottom and told him that God said to go home. Do you think he would have? It was a test and MOG1 failed and paid the ultimate price. If we are faltering in our faith with a certain scripture and someone tells us what we want to hear, do we listen or do we continue in the way we were originally told. MOG1 was told by God, he should have continued as told unless otherwise told by God. God was VERY strict back then, and still is today, but we have the grace and the blood of Jesus to intercede for us. Otherwise we would all be dead. Just a thought.
Reply to this