Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Returned with the Same Measure

1 Kings 13:6
6Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the Lord, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.

King Jeroboam built idols and made alters to them. This act was not pleasing to God and therefore He sent a man of God also specifically referred to as a prophet in those days to pronounce judgement against Jeroboam for what he had done. When the judgement was issued, Jeroboam attempted to silence the man of God. But the hand he used to signal to his guards to capture the man was immediately shriveled up by God. Jeroboam knew that it could only be God that did it in retaliation for his attempt to harm His servant. Jeroboam then begged the man to intercede or pray on his behalf that God would restore him. The man of God had no hate for the king but did as he asked and he was restored. Jeroboam witnessed a miracle within his own body. God performs miracles for the purpose of converting unbelievers to believers. Jeroboam had turned away from God because of his rivalry with Rehoboam. And the more he received correction, the angrier he became until God decided to strike him. One must be careful how they treat the Lord's children. When one attempts to harm God's children because of the evil in their heart, God deals with that person justly. He may strike with pain or possibly take away something considered dear. It's an action to get the attention of the one inflicting harm. What one does God may return it with the same measure in which it was dealt to someone else. The man of God was only following the Lord's instruction. But as King Solomon has said, fools despise correction. The natural response is to retaliate. But one must be careful of who they're really retaliating against. Jeroboam was actually retaliating against God as God was the one who sent the man of God. Committing an act against one of God's servants is the same as doing it against God. There are serious consequences. If one doesn't repent then the punishment inflicted by God is just.

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