Editorial September 30, 1985 ISSUE

The old prophet, the man of God, and spiritual obedience

ALLISON W. PHINNEY, JR.

Almost hidden away in the book of I Kings See I Kings, chap. 13 . is a gem of a story. It is self-contained in just one chapter, but its masterful telling and unusual irony give it powerful impact. And like more familiar Bible stories, it is capable of teaching us some key spiritual lessons.

An unnamed minor prophet prophesies against King Jeroboam's policies. The king hears it and stretches forth his hand against the prophet, and immediately his hand becomes dried-up and useless. The king then turns to this man of God for help, and he heals the king's hand. We see that this prophet has the power of both prophecy and healing. He is not so "minor" after all. And something about the way the story is told begins to convey his genuine purity.

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