Independent Group Discussions

Prophecy and Ambiguity

 

Background: These stories are set in the early years of the Northern Kingdom. It is important to recall that God, through his prophet Ahijah, has sanctioned the split between the north and south, because Solomon had forsaken God to worship Astarte, Chemosh and Milcom (1 Kings 11:26 36). God appoints Jeroboam king over Israel saying: "If you will listen to all that I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you, and will build you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you." (1 Kings 11:38). While God has chosen Jeroboam, the narrative relates the story of his rise to power in terms of political and military power plays. Jeroboam flees to Egypt for fear of Solomon and returns only after Solomon has died and Rehoboam has begun his tyrannical reign. Recall Rehoboam's claim, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions." (1 Kings 12:14). The people are ready to revolt and throw off the yoke of the house of David and when they do, they choose Jeroboam as their king (12:20).

 

The Man of God and the Old Prophet of Bethel

 

Apply the rules for true and false prophecy to your reading of 1 Kings 12:25- 13:34.

 

How many reasons can you come up with for condemning the altar at Bethel?

 

Note: We never actually get a direct quotation from God in this story. All prophetic announcements are second hand.

 

Chart out the patterns of the story. Where is there repetition?

 

Why does the Old Prophet lead the Man of God astray? Why might the Man of God's miraculous demonstration of the power to curse and heal Jeroboam not be sufficient evidence of the truth of his message?

Why is the Man of God willing to be led astray?

What sort of ambiguity do you find about the veracity of prophetic utterances in this story?

What sort of motives might the Man of God have for saying that God has told him to travel directly home?

Why does the Old Prophet give the body of the man of God a burial and then request that he be buried in the same grave?

What sort of problems or questions does this story raise for you?

 

Read the end of the story in 2 Kings 23.

What does this tell us about discerning true from false prophecy.

 

 

The Death of Jeroboam's Son, Abijah (1 Kings 14:1-17)

 

What motivation could Jeroboam's wife have for going to see the prophet Ahijah in disguise?

Why does Jeroboam send her?

 

With what sort of preconceptions about the power of the prophet do they seem to work?

A Prophet in Disguise

 

If you have time read 1 Kings 20:35-43 together.

 

How is this story similar to that of Nathan's parable of the little lamb?

How do you react to the death of the prophet who refuses to strike the first prophet. What do you think the point of the story is?

Do we necessarily have to treat the attack of the lion as divine judgment?

Does the narrator seem to be intentionally problematizing prophecy for you?

What other stories have you found problematic?