Bible Study Week 5
Part 4
The Divided Kingdom
The Prophets
The days of Israel and Judah were a period of spiritual apostasy when idolatrous people worshiped their own gods. Similarly, material things, entertainment, and money are popular idols of our time. It is important to obey the Word of the Lord and worship Him alone, for judgment is coming. God sent prophets to prophesy throughout the reign of the kings of Israel and Judah. Some of the kings listened to the prophets. The majority did not.
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
Elijah was a prophet in Israel sent by God to prophesy against the wickedness of King Ahab and Ahab's Sidonian wife Jezebel. The Zidonians worshiped the false god Baal, and Ahab followed his wife's idolatry by building and altar to Baal in Israel's capital, Samaria. This set the stage for a mighty contest between the God of Elijah and the god of Jezebel.
Elijah threw down the gauntlet, saying to the Baal worshipers, "Call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God the answereth by fire, let him be God" (I Kings 18:24). The prophets of Baal "called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made...And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them" (I Kings 18:26,28).
There was no response from Baal.
Then it was Elijah's turn. Elijah ordered twelve barrels of water to be poured over the wood on the altar before he prayed. After a brief prayer of faith, God responded with a roaring fire, completely consuming the wet wood. The God of Elijah had proven Himself to be the one true God and the prophets of Baal were destroyed.
Elisha and Naaman
Another prophet who spoke words from God is Elisha. Elisha succeeded Elijah as the chief prophet of Israel after Elijah was carried into heaven by a whirlwind (I Kings 2:11). One of Elisha's many miracles occurred in II Kings 5. It is particularly instructive in its principle of obedience and in the way it illustrates God sometimes uses unassuming people to accomplish His will.
Naaman was captain of the Syrian army, and he had a servant girl who was from Israel. Naaman also happened to be a leper. One day, his servant girl remarked, "Would God my Lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy" (II Kings 5:3). Naaman sent word to have Elisha come, but Elisha sent a messenger to tell him, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall com again to thee, and thou shalt be clean" (II Kings 5:10). Naaman reluctantly obeyed, and to his surprise, he was healed. Even though Naaman did not initially want to follow the prophet's instructions, by doing so God healed him. Even though Naaman was a Syrian, God healed him, with the result of the God of Israel receiving glory.
Isaiah Prophesied of the Savior
The book of Isaiah contains numerous prophecies of the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would be born of a virgin and called Immanuel, He would perform miracles, and He would be beaten, crucified with thieves, and buried in a rich man's tomb. And these prophecies all came true.
Blind Eyes Opened
Of many prophecies about Jesus, one that continues to bless people today is found in Isaiah 35:5-6: "The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." Jesus performed innumerable miracles during the time He walked on earth and continues to perform miracles today.
Sorrows Carried and Grief Borne
Isaiah 53 refers to the darkest period of Jesus' life, the days after His arrest and leading up to His crucifixion. Even in a prophecy of Jesus' darkest hour, however, Isaiah promised hope to people who are broken and in need of healing. Isaiah 53:5 states, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."