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Post by gsmithb on Aug 19, 2014 2:14:12 GMT
In this chapter we see a prophesy of a future righteous king that of Josiah. The prophet is talking to the King Of Israel, Jeroboam of the ten tribes but the reference is to King Josiah of David's line which is Judah. The prophesy would not be fulfilled for three hundred and sixty years.
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Lee
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Post by Lee on Aug 19, 2014 2:17:11 GMT
—Jeroboam was not allowed to do these things unrebuked. God sent a prophet from faithful Judah to rebuke him openly in the sight of all. The prophecy spoken by the man of God was fulfilled 350 years afterwards. It is remarkable that Josiah should be mentioned by name so long beforehand. There are seven persons in all whose names were divinely foretold: Ishmael (Gen. 16:11), Isaac (Gen. 17:19), Solomon (1 Chron. 22:9), Josiah (1 Kings 13:2), Cyrus (Isa. 44:28), John (Luke 1:13), Jesus (Matt. 1:21). It will be seen that Solomon also received the name Jedidiah (2 Sam. 12:25), and our Lord received the name Immanuel (Isa. 7:14).
For the literal fulfilment of this prophecy see 2 Kings 23:15, 16, 20. God withered Jeroboam’s hand in judgment. Jesus cured the withered hand in mercy. God can make or mar.
Instead of consuming the sacrifice of Jeroboam, God rent the altar, defiled the offering and rejected the offerer. Jeroboam could not pray for himself, he was living in open, wilful rebellion. Why was the man of God sitting under the oak? He does not seem to have realised he was not yet out of danger. The old prophet knew he was lying (we think he should have been in Judah, not at ease in the midst of idolaters), and the disobedient prophet knew he was doing wrong by turning back without direct instructions.
1910 Christadelphian p 144
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Ben
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Post by Ben on Aug 19, 2014 11:30:32 GMT
I've always wondered how the man of God could be so easily tricked into thinking that this old prophet had been spoken to by an angel. Your post, Lee, makes an interesting point about how the man of God didn't realize he was still in danger. It seems odd (at first, anyway) that he should be punished for another man's lie, but I suppose it is a reminder to us that we must expect the world to deceive us and we must remain faithful to our calling. Has anyone found anything else written about this chapter?
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