5 Smooth Stones

shrines built on them. When Josiah was told of the prophecy of the young man of God he protected and honored his grave site (2 Kings 23:16-18). Having received speci fi c instructions from the Lord not to eat or drink, or return by the same way, until he was safely home in Judah, he turned down any accolades or rewards which would have been o ff ered by the king. In his immaturity, perhaps, he told the plan of God, (this is what also brought Samson down ) which was not necessary, and while it might not have been a sin in and of itself, by revealing the plan and instructions of God he opened himself up to a lie which could have been avoided. I Kings 13:10 “So he went another way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel. 11 Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah. 13 Then he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it, 14 and went after the man of God, and found him si tt ing under an oak. Then he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am." 15 Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread." 16 And he said, "I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. 17 For I have been told by the word of the Lord, 'You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.'" 18 He said to him, "I too am a prophet 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.'" (He was lying to him.) In ministry sometimes the young or newly released may appear to have the greater gifting and often the more dynamic anointing than those who have been in the fi ght for some time. Often younger ministers carry an anointing that can rejuvenate older ministries. This can be done in a Godly way through relationship, by receiving the anointing. Unfortunately, in an ungodly fashion some may try to divert that anointing in order to bene fi t from it in some way, without receiving it properly or through mutual submission. This young man was clearly called to be a prophet and had great power in his gifting. The Lord had given him his orders, which included how to come safely home, one must assume, to continue his training. Yet there was an old prophet, it does not call him a false prophet, and his discernment was correct. He rightly perceived the calling of the young man of God and by using this information he drew the young man of God aside by fl a tt ery and a lie. Although he is not called a false prophet, his fruit was false because it drew the young man aside from obeying the Lord (Deuteronomy 13:4, 5). This cost the young man of God his life. 131