The template is not the life

During the time of the kings in old-time Judah and Israel, we often have mentioned companies of prophets.

They seem to be a backdrop against which the actual prophetic business of God took place. For example, the prophets Elijah and Elisha no doubt did the actual work of God in their day.

But Elijah and Elisha did not belong to these companies of prophets.

Sometimes these companies of prophets could be dead wrong -- as in the case when 400 of them told Ahab that he would win in battle when he in fact lost, and lost his life in the process.

The only prophet who disagreed with them was Micaiah. And like Elijah and Elisha, Micaiah was not a member of that company of 400 prophets.

Who were these companies of prophets? And what can we learn from them?

Well, one lesson is this: just because someone has a title, it doesn't mean that person possesses the internal quality of life the title presumes.

In my line of work, for example, there are full professors in title who are, well, it's not clear what they are full of. (OK stop it Dave).

Who were these companies of prophets?

Here is another lesson:

Whenever a way of life -- a way of organic, living, beautiful life -- whenever a way of life becomes institutionalized, a template of that way of life is made.

Making templates is a lot easier than making life.

But the template is not the life.

Sometimes the template even tries to kill the life.

Logos2Go

2 Kings 2:3 The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent."

1 Kings 22.6 (and following) Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

Matthew 26.3-4 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.