Note first the origins here. The key character is referred to as “a man of God”, someone with a relationship with the Lord. He has clearly heard from the Lord who has obviously given him a) instructions as to what to say and b) instructions on how to act while he is operating for the Lord. This man may not be described as a prophet but there is much to learn from him. Both instructions are significant.

A prophet first of all hears a message from God to be conveyed to someone else. The message brought here was one of rebuke that said God would raise up a man who would destroy the present idol worshippers. The message is therefore a combination of future intent plus present rebuke.

But a prophet may also receive personal instructions as to how they will convey the message. For this young man it was that he should separate himself off to God completely by fasting and by going home a different way from the way he had come. We cannot make a principle of this man's instructions but we can declare a principle that a prophet should obey the instructions given by God.

Finally note that God confirmed this man by a) acting against Jeroboam in a physical way and b) doing exactly what He said would be done, i.e. splitting the altar as a sign. The Lord will vindicate His prophets because He is having to vindicate His word and therefore His name. The prophet doesn't have to worry about vindication, just about obedience; obedience in bringing the correct word and obedience in the way he has been told to bring it.

D. Lessons:

1. God may tell a word AND the way to tell it.

2. The Lord will, as He sees fit, vindicate and prove His word.

Study No.16 : Severe Warning

A. Readings

1. 1 Kings 13:11 -34

2. Ezek 18:30-32

B. Think:

1. How was the old prophet first seen to be working in the flesh?

2. How does he then find himself moving in the Spirit?

3. How has the young man failed?

C. Comment:

The key player in this passage is an elderly prophet. Note various things about him: first he is a prophet, he is clearly accredited as such. Second, his character is decidedly off-centre; he lies to get the young man to come with him. Third, despite this he can still hear the Lord speaking! Fourth, the consequence of his wrong is that someone else dies; prophets have a high responsibility!

But we must also look at the younger man as well. First of all remember that he knows clearly what God said to him as to how he was to act. Second, note that he allows himself to be led astray by an older apparently reputable man without asking to Lord about it. He had not learnt in his relationship with the Lord to seek confirmation in difficult and confusing circumstances. Third, he did not repent when the word of correction was brought to him. God is always looking for repentance and will not automatically destroy. Even though His word is brought (in fact, because His word is brought), He looks for godly response. Sadly the young man didn't respond, and therefore didn't save his life.

The lesson here is severe! God will hold his messengers responsible for their actions and will judge if they do not repent, but we must remember that repentance does bring about salvation. Ezekiel shows us clearly that God will judge and destroy but He much prefers to find repentance and is not desiring death of his people. Finally note that Jeroboam still did not respond to God's word. Prophets may be heard but that doesn't guarantee right response.

D. Lessons:

1. Prophets are held responsible by God for their actions.

2. Repentance is the right response when confronted with sin.

Study No.17 : Jehu the prophet

A. Readings

1. 1 Kings 16:1-7, 12 (2 Chron 16:7)

2. 2 Chron 19:1-3

3. 2 Chron 20:34

B. Think:

1. What do we see about Jehu's family?

2. To whom did he prophesy?

3. What else did he apparently do?

C. Comment:

Jehu was a prophet or seer in the time of Asa and Jehoshaphat in Judah and at least during Baasha's reign in Israel . His father was also a seer and had spoken at least into Asa's life. It is a little bit of like father like son - but prophecy isn't inherited but where the Lord wants to gift the son, the father can teach and encourage.

Jehu spoke the word from the Lord to Baasha, although the word was not fulfilled for a number of years until after Baasha was dead. There appears no record of him speaking into the lives of the kings who followed Baasha in Israel , although it is clear he later went on to prophesy into the life of Jehoshaphat in Judah . He also appeared to write down the events of the day.

For Jehu (and the other prophets) to prophesy against these various kings was a very dangerous thing, for they could easily have been put to death by the king. What we also see through Jehu is that quite often a long period of time passes before the prophecy is fulfilled. We should not be put off therefore, if the Lord simply calls us to bring a word of chastisement and then we see nothing happen. It is for the Lord Himself to fulfil His word, not us, and in His wisdom He may take many years before He does it. The prophet needs to be secure in who he is and what he is called to do and once he has spoken his word he needs to leave it with that person and the Lord and just get on with leading his life without worrying about the fulfilment.

D. Lessons:

1. Prophesying can be dangerous!

2. Years may pass before prophecy is fulfilled.

Study No.18 : Elijah

A. Readings

1. 1 Kings 17:1-6 / Jas 5:17,18

2. 1 Kings 17:7-18:2 / 18:16 -46 (2 Chron 21:12 -19)

3. 1 Kings 19:1-21 / 21:17 -29 / 2 Kings 1:3-17 / 2:1-11 /

4. Mal 4:5 / Mt 17:3

B. Think:

1. For what was Elijah known in the New Testament?

2. List the physical “miracles” performed by Elijah.

3. To whom did he prophesy

C. Comment:

When we come to Elijah we come to one of the great prophets.

First of all consider to whom he prophesied: to Ahab (1 Kings 17:1, 18:41 , 21:18 -24) and Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:3,4,16) and a widow (1 Kings 17:14 ).

Second, consider when he prayed: against rain (Jas 5:17 ), over the widow's son (1 Kings 17:20 ,21), on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36 ,37), and for rain (1 Kings 18:42 / Jas 5:18 ) and finally for his own death (1 Kings 19:4).

Third, see the miracles he was involved in: receiving miraculous food supply from the Lord (1 Kings 17:6 / 17:14-16 / 19:5-8), raising up the widow's son (1 Kings 17:19-24), bringing fire on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:33-38), fire destroying the king's men (2 Kings 1:10-12), parting the Jordan (2 Kings 2:8) and finally being taken to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11)

Elijah was thus a man who prophesied and prayed and performed miracles in a time of great apostasy. Because of this time he found himself speaking dangerously against the king and his wife, opposing the false prophets who out-numbered him 450 to 1, and resisting arrest. To back His word, the Lord enabled Elijah to perform a number of miraculous signs. Yet in all this Elijah did not fulfil his instructions from the Lord (1 Kings 19:15 ,16), but it was left to Elisha (2 Kings 8:7-15 & 9:1-13)

D. Lessons:

1. Prophets can live & minister in dangerous times.

2. God will use them and honour them even as they are imperfect and

fearful. It's not up to the prophet but up to God.

Study No.19 : Micaiah

A. Readings

1 Kings 22:1-28

B. Think:

1. What was the context in which we have seen Micaiah prophesying?

2. How many other prophets were there & what were they saying?

3. Why didn't the king of Israel like him?

4. What did the messenger tell Micaiah?

5. What principle did Micaiah state?

C. Comment:

In a way similar to Elijah, Micaiah stood out as a lone voice against the crowd. In that he is probably our supreme example!

Despite Elijah having put to death over four hundred false prophets there are still some four hundred left, and they are all prophesying what the kings want to hear - victory! No only that the messenger sent to bring Micaiah tells him what they are all saying and orders him to say the same. Such is the background for this man who was not afraid to stand out.

When he stands before the kings he casually agrees with the others but the king knows this is not how he speaks when he speaks the truth. So he tells what he sees - the destruction of Ahab. For this he is struck by the leader of the false prophets and then condemned to prison on bread and water. Yet his word is soon proved true.

As we have already said, Micaiah is an example to us of a prophet who was not afraid to stand out against the crowd to bring what he knew God had shown him. However, there is nothing glamorous about this; it simply means he is thought of badly by those in authority, abused by those who don't agree with him, and imprisoned by those who are in authority. Bringing the word of God does not guarantee an easy ride; in fact, because of it, the ride may be particularly difficult.

D. Lessons:

1. Prophets should only bring what God gives them.

2. Speaking the truth may mean standing out against the tide and

speaking as a lone voice who is disliked.

Study No.20 : Elisha

A. Readings

1. 2 Kings 2:12 -25 / 3:5-20 / 4:1-7 / 4:8-37 / 4:38 -44 / 5: 8-14-27

2. 2 Kings 6:1-7 / 6:8-23 / 6:30 -7:2 / 8:7-15 / 9:1-13 / 13:14 -20

B. Think:

1. List the prophetic words that Elisha brought.

2. List the miracles that he brought about?

3. What particularly strikes you about Elisha?

C. Comment:

We now move into the big time when it comes to performing amazing signs. Elisha is the prophet of daily transformation. First note the prophesies that he brought: to the 3 kings, of water and downfall of Moab ( 3:17 -19), to Shunammite woman, a child to come ( 4:16 ), to Israel king, food for Samaria (7:1,2), death of king of Aram and Hazael to be king ( 8:10 -13), Jehu to be king (9:2,3), to Jehoash, his victories ( 13:19 ). We should note the different ways these words come: while waiting on the Lord with soothing music, while resting, in instant response to a crisis, in response to the person before him, clearly while on his own before the event, and on his own death bed.

Next note the miracles he was involved in: purifying water ( 2:21 ), of supply of oil (4:3,4), raising Shunammite's son from dead ( 4:35 ), purifying stew ( 4:41 ), feeding a hundred ( 4:42 -44), healing Naaman (5:8-10), recovering an axe-head (6:6), traps the enemy ( 6:18 -20). We should notice that a number of these are things done by other people at Elisha's instruction. It is as if he gets the word of wisdom of what to do and that opens the way for the Lord to move miraculously.

Note that these were often things that simply helped every day situations that had gone wrong. He was simply bringing the blessing of God to bad situations. Note also that as soon as he had brought the two king-making prophetic words (that Elijah should have brought) we hear no more of his miraculous ministry. He is there simply bringing good until he brings a new order in to two nations.

D. Lessons:

1. Prophets can bring the blessing of God to every day life.

2. Prophets work by revelation, whether prophecy or a miracle.

Study No.21 : Azariah - classic encouragement

A. Readings

2 Chron 15:1-8

B. Think:

1. How is this Azariah identified? v.1

2. What prompted him to prophesy? v.1

3. What principle did he lay down? v.2

4. How did he encourage Asa? v.7

C. Comment:

There are many Azariah's in Scripture and this one is only mentioned once. He is the son of a prophet, but apparently not identified as a prophet himself. Yet the Spirit came upon him and he felt compelled to utter prophecy to the king - a powerful leading obviously! So we see again that the prophecy comes here, not by a quiet receiving the word from God but by a powerful anointing by the Spirit.

In his prophecy he first of all lays down a principle that might appear too obvious to be worth speaking, but the obvious is not always so obvious! It basically says you can't take the Lord's presence for granted: He will be with you when you seek Him but not when you don't seek Him. In other words God will presence Himself (make His presence known) with those who seek Him. He then goes on to speak about the past when the presence of God was not known much to Israel and implies that that should not deter Asa from seeking the Lord. Go on, he says, seek the Lord and you will be rewarded.

Now what is significant about this is the response of Asa: it is this prophecy that sets Asa off on his reforms. The prophecy comes to a young man whose heart is already turning to God and who just needed this encouragement to get him going. Yes, nothing else is said about this young man, but his prophecy released a renewal in Judah . We may not think our word is significant but with the Lord it can have great effect. It all depends on the origin of the word and the state of the heart to which it goes!

D. Lessons:

1. Prophecy doesn't have to come from “big” names to have effect.

2. A prophecy will often just trigger off a seeking heart.

RECAP No.3 : During the time of the kings

Content:

Covered in these further 7 studies:

- a young man   - instructions on how to bring the word

- the old man     - being held responsible

- Jehu                 - fulfilment may take time

- Elijah                - imperfection not a bar to mighty use

- Micaiah            - prophets sometimes stand as lone voices

- Elisha               - prophets bring God's blessing to daily life

- Azariah            - big names not needed to spark revival

Comment:

There is some tough stuff here! The young partially obedient prophet brings a sharp warning to us. Jehu reminds us it's not for us to get worried about fulfilment, just to ensure we are obedient. Elijah shows us that obedience brings tensions with it, while Elisha shows us that obedience also brings blessing with it. Azariah shows us that as we allow the Spirit to energise us, as we are obedient to His promptings, great things can follow - whoever we are!

Lessons:

- God may tell us how to bring a particular word

- He will hold us accountable for how we bring it

- The Lord will vindicate His word as He sees fit

- Sin & failure should always be followed by repentance

- Fulfilment make take a long time

- Prophecy may be disliked and cause us opposition

- Knowing we've heard God can be crucial

- When we do know we can stand against the tide

- Prophecy can release God's blessing into every day life

- Small words can have a big effect

- A small person can be used in a big way by God

Application & Prayer

Obedience is crucial. The Lord gives His Spirit to those who are obedient (Acts 5:32 ). As prophecy comes by the Spirit it is essential we are obedient. Ask the Lord to reveal to you any areas of your life where you have not been obedient and then deal with it.

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