Hi,
I am extremely curious to understand the following story in the Bible in (1 Kings 20:35-36 NLT)
Meanwhile, the LORD instructed one of the group of prophets to say to another man, "Strike me!" But the man refused to strike the prophet. Then the prophet told him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me." And sure enough, when he had gone, a lion attacked and killed him.
Now, i read the entire story in the Bible... i couldnt believe it.
A few questions now:
a) WHY? Why?! Just why?? I am speechless...
A man refused to strike a prophet and was killed for that? And then why on earth did the prophet asked to be struck for??? What did the man do wrong exactly to deserve to be killed like that.
Thanks
Comments
What did the prophet do to be hurt this way? I mean, is that a bit strange?
What did the 1st man do to deserve to be killed? OK.. we agree he disobeyed God, but it was as if he didnt disobey God because he was selfish, he didnt want to hurt the prophet? That's understandable?! Isnt it? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Was the 2nd man punished for hurting the prophet??
Look, we tell people that if a Christian kills or does anything wrong in the Name of the Lord, then he/she is not a Christian. But, the 1st man - he didnt injure the prophet and so he died? And by being killed by a lion??? Did he HONESTLY deserve that??? A LION!!??
[quote author=Hizz_chiilld link=topic=5833.msg78394#msg78394 date=1192628817]
no matter how strange it may seem ?
Yes, no matter how strange it seems. Remember God's command to Abraham? How He told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son Isaac. Now, Abraham could very easily not have listened to God. I mean, what sort of request is that? To kill the son of promise? To kill the only child who would be his heir? And yet, Abraham didn't think twice to disobey God. Why? Because he had Faith. He trusted God fully. In life, God sometimes asks of us to do things that seem strange or contrary to reason. The reason is very simple, He wishes to test us and to see if we truly believe in Him. He wants to see if we truly love Him and trust Him to guide us in all that we do. We should know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God's will if perfect and good and that He wants only what is best for us. So, whatever He requests, in the end, is for our benefit, even though we may not see it as such.
[coptic]+ Iryny nem `hmot>[/coptic]
[quote author=Hizz_chiilld link=topic=5833.msg78394#msg78394 date=1192628817]
no matter how strange it may seem ?
Yes, no matter how strange it seems. Remember God's command to Abraham? How He told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son Isaac. Now, Abraham could very easily not have listened to God. I mean, what sort of request is that? To kill the son of promise? To kill the only child who would be his heir? And yet, Abraham didn't think twice to disobey God. Why? Because he had Faith. He trusted God fully. In life, God sometimes asks of us to do things that seem strange or contrary to reason. The reason is very simple, He wishes to test us and to see if we truly believe in Him. He wants to see if we truly love Him and trust Him to guide us in all that we do. We should know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God's will if perfect and good and that He wants only what is best for us. So, whatever He requests, in the end, is for our benefit, even though we may not see it as such.
OK. If Abraham didn't take his son to be sacrificed to the LORD, would he have been killed by a lion? There is a bit of a difference here that is the heart of my question:
GOD DIRECTLY SPOKE to Abraham and told him to sacrifice his son. In this case, it was the Prophet that spoke to the man. Its not really the same; and then if the Prophet said to the man :"Take me and offer me as a sacrifice to the Lord", that's ok... I would totally understand that. But this is the case where the prophet is asking another man to "beat him". Ya3ni... is it just me, or do u feel a bit sorry for the guy that refused to beat the prophet??
God speaks on the mouth of the Prophets of the Old Testament, so that is not a valid excuse. We don't know what the consequences would have been if Abraham disobeyed God and we are in no position to speculate. What his example illustrates though, is the depth of faith he had in God.
Again, the rationality of irrationality of a statement a prophet makes is not for us to decide. What he said is what God told him to say, who are we to question that? Does it have to make sense? No. We are just to accept it as having been spoken by God. God is not bound to our logic or our sense of what is rational or what isn't. If we cannot fathom the depths of God's wisdom, then the fault lies in us and not God. We are finite beings who cannot begin to comprehend the reason God does what He does. What right do we have to question it? We are merely His creatures who exist because of His creative Love for us.
Something to realize, is that if you read further on, the beating was meant to provide the means of providing a prophecy to the king later on. So to quote Shakespeare, 'Though this be madness, yet there is method in't'.
Keep this verse ever before you whenever you attempt to question God's affairs:
[coptic]+ Iryny nem `hmot>[/coptic]
God speaks on the mouth of the Prophets of the Old Testament, so that is not a valid excuse. We don't know what the consequences would have been if Abraham disobeyed God and we are in no position to speculate. What his example illustrates though, is the depth of faith he had in God.
Again, the rationality of irrationality of a statement a prophet makes is not for us to decide. What he said is what God told him to say, who are we to question that? Does it have to make sense? No. We are just to accept it as having been spoken by God. God is not bound to our logic or our sense of what is rational or what isn't. If we cannot fathom the depths of God's wisdom, then the fault lies in us and not God. We are finite beings who cannot begin to comprehend the reason God does what He does. What right do we have to question it? We are merely His creatures who exist because of His creative Love for us.
Keep this verse ever before you whenever you attempt to question God's affairs:
'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.' ( Isaiah 55:8 )
That was beautifully said Cephas. I agree.
I do agree (but you can't help but wonder....)