Looking at the Liar

“An old prophet… went after the man of God… Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.  And he said…It was said to me by the Word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there… 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… But he lied unto him” (1 Kings 13:11-18).  “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies… The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going” (Proverbs 14:5,15). 

There was a man of God who came

And prophesied of wrath on earth,   

Foretelling then Josiah’s name

Three hundred years before his birth. 

He prophesied against the altar

Defiled by idolatry,

But then, alas, his faith would falter

By trusting a false prophecy. 

For God gave him prophetic light

And told the man to not return.

The Word of God he held was right

Which he then failed to discern.

A faithful witness will not lie,

A false and foolish witness will. 

The Word of God that men deny

Shall in the end be faithful still.

The simple one is falsely led,

Believing every word that’s spoken,  

The wise will hear what God has said,

Assured that Scripture is not broken. 

O Lord, give us renewed desire,  

To search the treasure of Your Word,

That we may thus expose the liar,

And prove all things that we have heard.

We’re looking at the liar, Lord,

In contrast to Your Word so true:

The truth the liar has ignored

Still leads the humble heart to You.