The Lord said to me, ‘Don’t eat or drink anything there or return on the same road by which you came.’ ”
The Lord commanded a man of God from Judah to go to Bethel. When he arrived, Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer a sacrifice.
But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you gave me half of your kingdom, I would not go with you. I will not eat or drink anything in this place.
One prophet from one of the groups of prophets told another, “Hit me!” He said this because the Lord had commanded it, but the other man refused.
What we tell you now is the Lord’s own message. We who are living when the Lord comes again will not go before those who have already died.