The old prophet (2) Week 44, 2011

“What are you suggesting; that I be discipled by him into a corrupted image? Never!” Ah, be careful in this arrogance of yours. God sent David into Saul’s court not to learn Saul’s evil ways but to teach him. “I say I have nothing to learn from him. Saul hunted David to kill him while in his court.” Yes; and running away from the palace did not stop the hunt. Let me finish. Despite Saul’s wickedness he eventually bowed to spiritual pressure and gave David the blessing as the next king of Israel. David thus persevered and became the greatest king in Israel. “It was Jonathan who blessed David as future king: And he said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this."1Sa 23:17(ESV).” Yes, but Saul did so too: And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand 1Sam 24:20(ESV).
Was it not the same with Eli who recognised Samuel as having accurate message from God? So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."1Sam 3:18(ESV). Was there not an implied hand over by Eli to Samuel here? Scripture afterward recorded Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground 1Sam 3:19(ESV). Which of them, David or Samuel, treated the erring older minister with this scorn, disrespect and disdain you now show?
“Well, I can stay but he is still an old prophet.” I pity you. The old prophet forced himself unto the man of God from Judah; did your supervisor force himself on you? “Well, no. I applied to join this ministry.” As led by the spirit not so? Well in the case of the old prophet the Spirit of God strictly charged the man of God from Judah not to stay in that land, but return through another way: for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" 1Ki 13:9(ESV). Their meeting was because the man of God delayed in returning. “Delayed?” Yes. When the sons of the old prophet told their father which way he was going, by the time the old prophet saddled the donkey and came the man of God was sitting down. And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak 1Ki 13:14(ESV). There may be something of Saul in you God wishes to deal with. I fear lest you be worse. If you call him old prophet because he errs, how come you are under him? Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand.