1Ch 13:3 KJV -… let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
After King David came to power he wanted the ark of God close that he might inquire of the Lord there. David points out in 1 Ch. 13:3 that in the days of Saul inquiring of the Lord was not seen as necessary (that didn’t work out too well for Saul now did it?). How did one inquire of the Lord before the Ark of the Covenant? The High Priest carried Urim and Thummim – two stones of contrasting colors that would be cast like lots to get answers to questions the king would ask. In the days of the Judges (when men did whatever was right in their own eyes) and the days of Saul, they didn’t make a priority of hearing from God. What about you?
Are you serving in the house of Saul? Do your leaders respect the prophetic and make room for it in their leadership and in the conduct of their gatherings? I remember one person being told by their pastor “Prophets? You don’t need a prophet, if you need to hear from God, I will prophesy to you…” Saul prophesied as well – like a madman in the days before he fell on his sword and perished for his presumption. Paul said “let the prophets speak …” but today, sadly there is seldom a place made for these things in the Sunday morning pageantry. One man replied (when asked about the need for prophets) said “prophet? Are you kidding – I have Jesus!” But Revelations 19:10 says the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. I guess that means in that person’s thinking “Jesus I want you in my heart but please shut up, I don’t need your testimony!”
What is the solution? In Jesus’ day, the solution was a wild-eyed prophet in a leather girdle with a grasshopper leg hanging out of his mouth saying “prepare the way of the Lord…” When the leaders did approach him he simply retorted “who told you to flee the wrath to come?” In reality reform of existing structures is very rare. It is easier to bring in the demolition crew than the retrofit and old wineskin for a new wine. What is the answer? In Jesus’ day, the only ones who made a successful transition from the corrupt, politicized religious system of their day to the emerging, dynamic spiritual community that became the church were those “speaking often one to another, who sighed and cried for the abominations done in Israel,” (as Malachi prophesied) and those waiting for the consolation of Isreal. Listen attentively now… Jesus is passing this way…
