The Old Prophet Became A believer

The Old Prophet Became A Believer 

I Kings 13:29, 31-32 NKJV

[29] And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him. 

[31] So it was, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. [32] For the saying which he cried out by the word of the Lord against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass.”

The word "believer" is a New Testament concept. We use it guardedly here, to explain what happened to the Old Prophet. Suddenly aftrr the death of the Man Of God, the Old Prophet believed in his prophecies. The old prophet perhaps was a backslider bu now he had reason to believe again. This is David Guzik: " Though he lied to him, led him into sin, and prophesied judgment against him, the prophet from Bethel still respected the man of God from Judah. Perhaps he understood that the word he spoke against Jeroboam required a courage he did not have; therefore he confirmed the word of the man of God against Jeroboam and the altar at Bethel". It is possible to be in church without being a believer. Here is how someone describes a New Testament believer. " In the New Testament, the word believer is used for a person who is convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and the author of our salvation. The Greek word usually translated “believer” or “believing” carries the idea of faithfulness and loyalty (John 20:27; Acts 16:1; 2 Corinthians 6:15). A believer is one who faithfully trusts in Jesus Christ." So what did the Old Prophet believe in? Christ was not born, nor died yet. The Old Prophet believed the words spoken by the Man Of God from Judah. The Old Prophet demonstrated that he received the truth prophesied. In the New Testament we receive the truth that Jesus Christ is the saviour and  the son of God sent to us, resulting in our transformation. In this discourse the Old Propet even instructed his children to bury him besides the Man Of God. He told them the words spoken will be fulfilled.  We could talk about the matter of divine justice and maybe make a case that the punishment was too harsh for the Man Of God. We could argue that God should have killed Jeroboam instead of even the Old Prophet who lied. We will discuss it further in heaven. For today, just believe the prophetic word that God does not play with any sin like disobedience. Be a believer. Good morning.