REVELATIONS UNDER A OAK TREE
(1Kg 13)
What are the lessons here? What happened under that oak tree? The young prophet escaped the temptation of the king. Why then did he fall under the same temptation coming from ‘an older colleague in the ministry’?
This is a story of victory, deception and failure. It revels also the power of ‘peer pressure’ among servants of God. This is a story that contains a warning for us all.
These are some revelations why the young prophet was deceived and died an untimely death:
*Physical tiredness
One reason may be physical tiredness. Ministry needs effort. Like Jesus revealed, virtue goes out during ministry. Hunger and thirst can weaken a man. God promised that his servants shall be given bread and water for their labors.
Elijah was fed supernaturally by an angel as he was running away from his ministry. Jesus also took extra care of His disciples, especially when they were tired and hungry. But we cannot take God’s provision for granted, especially when there is some level of disobedience to His commands. The lesson here is that God always judges disobedience to His Word!
*Loneliness
A second reason may be loneliness. This is the price to pay for ministry, especially for the prophetic ministry. It is possible that both the old and the young prophet were lonely and longing for a fellowship together. To have sweet fellowship with brethren at the table is sweet indeed. But even this desire should be given to God. The prophets paid a high price for their anointing. For example, Jeremiah wanted to marry, but God expressly forbade him. History says that Jeremiah indeed lived and died as a single man. The prophet Hosea did not have a better option. He married, but not a woman of his choice. God commanded him to marry a prostitute so that he will feel God’s pain about the backsliding nation. Apostle Paul also was also a single man until his death. Pray for the grace to pay the price of loneliness.
*Pride
The young prophet was a true man of God. He is to be honored as a bold prophet, with the same anointing as Elijah and other prophets in the Bible. But pride can attack especially after a successful assignment. God’s command generally is to avoid giving positions of leadership to young people who are not yet matured, naturally and spiritually (1Tim 3:6, 7). This is especially because it takes a long time ‘to kill’ sin and especially pride in the flesh. Successful ministry attracts praise. God uses praise, sincere or not, to test His servants for hidden pride (PV 27:21).
*Doubt- spiritual inferiority complex
Another reason for the prophet’s failure to discern the lie was what is called ‘peer pressures’ coming from ‘a senior colleague’ in ministry. It is true that we are commanded to respect the elders. But we are to remember that God’s commands are to obeyed above any other human words. Once God speaks, it is wrong to ask other men for confirmation. That desire comes from doubt, which is sin. The Apostle Paul received the command to preach the Gospel by a direct revelation of God. He then went to the desert of Arabia for some years to confirm all his call with God Himself. He did not go to other men of God to ask questions. That was his strength. . Peter and the disciples chose to disobey the religious authorities, ready to take the punishment for such an action when their command was the opposite of God’s command.
It is natural to feel intimidated by other ‘senior’ colleagues in ministry. The flesh is self-conscious and doubts its strength. That is why flesh is to die under the fire of the Holy Spirit. Then you are free from pleasing men or from the desire to impress them. Doubt is a terrible secret sin. The young prophet clearly said that God sent him to this assignment. But the old prophet said it was ‘an angel of the Lord’ who spoke to him. There is great difference between God and His angels. If the young prophet was more discerning he could have seen that his source of ministry was higher than his older colleague’s.
Paul commanded Timothy not to be intimidated by others because of his youth, but to even be an example to others in speech, life, love, faith and purity (1Tim 4:12). Faith means trusting only God and His Word. Doubt means you trust God, His Word but also the word of men. Doubt is always more complicated than faith. Doubt comes as a trial of faith, most of the time thru the mouths of other believers or thru false prophets. It is doubt and rebellion that made Jeroboam erect two false altars as an alternative to the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Doubt is deadly, it weakens the foundation and the whole structure will fall.
If God speaks to you thru His Word or by the Holy Spirit, that is the end of the matter. You have to believe that Word 100% and doubt not. Be sure of your salvation and of the God who called you to ministry! This is foundational for the success of a servant of God! Settle your spirit with God before you go ahead into public ministry