#3 - Deceived and Devoured - Unraveling the Mystery of 1 Kings 13:13-32

In this episode of Navigate The Way, Gabe Langston and Dave Brooks tackle one of the most puzzling and dramatic stories in Scripture: the deception of the man of God from Judah in 1 Kings 13:13-32. Why did the old prophet lie, and what are the deeper spiritual implications of this tragic event? Together, they explore the historical, cultural, and theological layers of this story, examining how God’s Word is central to both obedience and judgment.

Join the discussion as Gabe and Dave uncover timeless truths about the authority of Scripture, the consequences of disobedience, and the ultimate fulfillment found in Christ, the true and faithful Prophet.

Don't miss this in-depth look at a passage that continues to challenge and inspire believers today. Be sure to like, subscribe, and submit your own questions for future episodes!

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Transcript

### Gabe Langston: 
G’day, folks! Welcome to *Navigate The Way*, your go-to podcast for diving deep into the vast ocean of Scripture and theology. I'm Gabe Langston, and today’s episode will be tackling a rather curious passage from 1 Kings 13, verses 13 through 32. Big thanks to Izzy Oneiric Maistros, who submitted the question: “Why did the old prophet lie to/trick the man of God who came from Judah to Bethel? Absolutely nothing about this story makes any sense to me.”

Well, Izzy, you’re not alone in that! This story has puzzled many over the centuries. And that’s what we’re here for — to walk through it carefully, unpack its meaning, and tie it all together. So before we jump into the text, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and spread the word about *Navigate The Way*. Let's get right into the heart of 1 Kings 13 and see if we can make sense of this rather baffling story. I'll read the passage for us:

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*"And he said to his sons, 'Saddle the donkey for me.' So they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it. And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, 'Are you the man of God who came from Judah?' And he said, 'I am.' Then he said to him, 'Come home with me and eat bread.' And he said, 'I may not return with you or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, "You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came."' And he said to him, 'I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, "Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water."' But he lied to him. So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.

And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, 'Thus says the Lord, "Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, 'Eat no bread and drink no water,' your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers."' And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body, and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, 'It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the Lord spoke to him.' And he said to his sons, 'Saddle the donkey for me.' And they saddled it. And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city to mourn and to bury him. And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, 'Alas, my brother!' And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, 'When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. For the saying that he called out by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass.'”* (1 Kings 13:13-32, ESV)

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It’s a striking narrative, isn’t it? So, Dave, let’s get this conversation going. What’s your first impression when reading this text?

### Dave Brooks: 
Thanks for asking, Gabe. I'm Dave Brooks, thrilled to join you for this deep dive into 1 Kings 13. This passage grips us with its mystery and intensity. The man of God, sent from Judah to proclaim judgment on the altar at Bethel, receives a direct command from the Lord: don't eat or drink in this place, and don’t return the way you came. Yet, this same man is deceived by an older prophet who lies in the name of God. The deception leads to the prophet’s tragic death, all while the lion and donkey stand eerily beside his lifeless body. What strikes me right away is the tension between obedience to God's Word and the confusion brought by deception. The old prophet's lie seems like an essential piece of the puzzle here. Gabe, what do you make of the old prophet’s role in all this?

### Gabe Langston: 
The old prophet — what an intriguing figure! He’s introduced late in the story, and his actions are perplexing, to say the least. What’s clear, though, is that he plays a pivotal role in this drama. The text explicitly says, “But he lied to him.” This isn’t a subtle or innocent mistake; it’s a calculated deception. The question is, why would he do it? To understand this, we need to explore the cultural and historical backdrop of this passage. We’re in the divided kingdom era, and Jeroboam’s setting up false worship in Bethel — he’s leading the northern kingdom into sin. The “man of God” from Judah comes to confront this apostasy. The old prophet, living in the very city tainted by this corruption, might have felt some measure of guilt or conviction. Could it be that he desired to test this man of God? To see if he was truly a messenger of the Lord? Or, perhaps he was seeking validation or power in some twisted sense by luring this holy man back. The text doesn’t give us all the answers outright, but that tension makes us pause.

### Dave Brooks: 
That’s a keen observation. This passage is rich with nuance, and the old prophet’s motivations are indeed murky. We can't help but notice the broader theological implications here. It’s almost as if we’re seeing an echo of Genesis 3 — where deception enters the scene and obedience to God's command is tested. Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent, here the man of God from Judah is deceived by one who claims divine authority. This reminds us of the importance of discerning truth from error, even when it comes from those who appear to be spiritual leaders. The irony is thick, though — the old prophet’s lie leads to the man of God’s disobedience, and yet the judgment proclaimed on him comes from the mouth of the very same prophet. What do you make of that? The prophet deceives him, then turns around and announces God's judgment.

### Gabe Langston: 
You’re spot on, mate. The irony is glaring. The same prophet who lies to the man of God is the one through whom God speaks His judgment. It’s a strange twist, but it reveals something profound about God's sovereignty and justice. Even through human deception, God’s purposes prevail. This reminds me of Joseph’s story in Genesis, where his brothers’ sinful actions ultimately serve God's greater plan (Genesis 50:20). Likewise, in 1 Kings 13, the old prophet’s lie doesn’t thwart God’s plan; instead, it reveals the seriousness of obedience to His Word. The man of God from Judah had a clear directive, and even though he was deceived, his failure to uphold that command leads to his death. It’s a sobering reminder that partial obedience is still disobedience.

### Dave Brooks: 
And that brings us to the theological heart of this passage — the gravity of God’s Word and the call to obey it fully. The man of God knew the command, but he allowed himself to be swayed by another voice. This is a cautionary tale for every believer today. In a world full of competing messages, how easily we can be led astray if we’re not grounded in the truth of Scripture. But here’s the catch — the old prophet’s deception was convincing. He claimed divine revelation, saying, “An angel spoke to me.” This brings to mind Paul’s warning in Galatians 1:8, where he says that even if an angel from heaven preaches a different gospel, let him be accursed. The takeaway for us is clear: No matter the source, if it contradicts God's revealed Word, we must reject it. The old prophet’s lie stands as a warning against placing tradition, experience, or any other claim above the authority of Scripture.

### Gabe Langston: 
Absolutely. And let’s not forget that this passage takes place in a context where idolatry is rampant in Israel. The man of God’s mission was to rebuke the false altar at Bethel, symbolizing the broader spiritual decay in the nation. This rebellion against God’s authority starts at the top with Jeroboam and trickles down. The old prophet’s actions, though deceptive, are part of this larger backdrop of disobedience in the northern kingdom. It’s as if we’re seeing in miniature the broader issue of the nation’s apostasy. The whole scene plays out like a parable of Israel’s repeated failure to remain faithful to God's Word. That historical context deepens our understanding of why the stakes are so high for the man of God — his disobedience, even if born out of deception, aligns him with the very sin he came to confront.

### Dave Brooks: 
Yes, the broader redemptive-historical perspective shines here. The nation of Israel, much like this man of God, often strayed from the clear command of the Lord, lured away by false prophets, kings, and idols. The prophetic judgment on this man is a microcosm of the judgment that was to come upon the northern kingdom. Eventually, Israel itself would fall under judgment because of its persistent disobedience. Yet, in the midst of this, there’s a Christocentric thread we must pull on. Christ is the ultimate faithful messenger, the true Prophet who never faltered in obedience to the Father. Where the man of God from Judah failed, Christ succeeded. Jesus’ perfect obedience to God's will stands in stark contrast to the failure we see in this passage. 

### Gabe Langston: 
That’s a key point, mate. Christ's obedience, even to the point of death on the cross, highlights the severity of disobedience for us and the magnificence of His faithfulness. It’s fascinating to think that the failure of the man of God in 1 Kings 13 foreshadows the need for the true Man of God, Christ, to come and accomplish what no one else could. But there’s something else worth exploring here — the old prophet’s apparent repentance after the man of God’s death. He mourns for him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” And then he even instructs his sons to bury him in his own grave. Is this genuine remorse, or is there something else going on?

### Dave Brooks: 
Good question. His grief seems genuine, especially since he requests to be buried alongside the man of God. It’s as though the old prophet recognizes that, despite his deception, the man of God from Judah was truly faithful in proclaiming God’s judgment against the altar. There’s an interesting twist here: the old prophet aligns himself with the very judgment that was proclaimed, perhaps acknowledging that what the man of God said will come to pass. And it does, historically — the prophecy against the altar in Bethel is fulfilled during the reign of Josiah (2 Kings 23:15-16). In that sense, this burial arrangement could be a way for the old prophet to seek identification with the Word of God, even after his deceptive actions. It’s a strange, yet redemptive note in an otherwise dark narrative.

### Gabe Langston: 
It is indeed. There’s a glimmer of redemption in the old prophet’s actions, though it doesn’t undo the harm caused by his deception. This passage holds layers of meaning that speak to obedience, judgment, and repentance. And at the pastoral level, it challenges us to examine our own lives: Are we truly aligned with God's Word? Are we allowing ourselves to be deceived by voices, even within the church, that contradict Scripture? The man of God from Judah was led astray because he didn’t hold fast to what God had clearly spoken to him. That’s a warning to every believer to be diligent, discerning, and rooted in the truth. In a world full of distractions and false messages, we must stand firm.

### Dave Brooks: 
Amen to that. This episode underscores the importance of fidelity to God's Word, especially in a time like ours, where confusion and deception abound. Izzy’s question hits at the heart of this tension — why did the old prophet lie? We may never know all the reasons, but the lessons are clear. Obedience to God's Word is paramount, deception is dangerous, and our faith must be anchored in the truth of Scripture, not swayed by outside voices. Listeners, we encourage you to reflect on this passage and ask yourselves where you might be tempted to compromise God's clear commands. Are there voices in your life that contradict what the Bible says? Be discerning and faithful.

### Gabe Langston: 
And with that, we’ll wrap things up. If today’s discussion stirred questions or insights, we’d love to hear from you. Submit a passage or topic for us to cover in future episodes! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with others. And remember, this show is named after *Navigate The Way ✝️*, a Christian AI assistant for navigating the depths of Scripture and theology with clarity and conviction. The personas for both Dave and I, as well as the content of this episode, were all AI-generated using *Navigate The Way ✝️*. A special thanks to ElevenLabs for our AI-generated voices.