It has always intrigued me that when the prophet, Elijah, was doing his final rounds of visiting the various schools of the prophets – with his apprentice, Elisha, in tow – the prophets in each place knew he was soon to depart. They just knew! The Lord had told Elijah of his imminent departure and in vague terms, Elisha, had picked up on this, too – and was more than a little concerned. Elisha resolves to not let his boss out of his sight. So, Elijah begins his final round of visits.
Elijah arrived at Bethel. The school of prophets there, who were many, came out to Elisha (not Elijah) and said to him in hushed tones, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” Of course, Elisha knew, because he sensed it, and was very aware of Elijah’s sudden shift in behaviour which he hadn’t seen before, even though Elijah hadn’t specifically said anything. But what I have always found fascinating is how did these other prophets know? They knew! But how? And back then, as we know, there were no phones, email, Zoom or other communication technologies that we take for granted today.
But they knew!
Elisha didn’t want to talk about it. After Bethel, Elijah said to Elisha, “the Lord has sent me to Jericho, stay here.” But Elisha was not letting the boss out of his sight and went with him. They arrive at Jericho to visit the company of prophets there. The same thing happened there that happened at Bethel. Elijah goes in to speak with the head prophet while the other prophets – quite a number, apparently – came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” Once again, poor old Elisha (who knows what was going through his mind) said, “I don’t want to talk about it!” But these prophets knew about Elijah’s imminent departure, too. They knew! How?
Once again, the visit to Jericho over, Elijah said to Elisha, “I have to make another visit, this time to Jordan. Stay here.” But Elisha is having none of that, and he goes with his boss. They arrive at a place not far from the river Jordan to see the school of prophets there. It says in 2 Kings 2:7, “Fifty men from the company stood at a distance facing Elijah and Elisha”, they knew they were coming – and were waiting. They knew, too! Elijah strikes the water with his rolled up cloak, the waters divide and they walk across the river bed.
Shortly after, the fiery uber chariot and horses arrive to pick up Elijah and take him home. As he ascends Elijah’s cloak falls to the ground and is picked up by Elisha, and a new ministry with incredible anointing on it is inaugurated.
But here is the thing: how did three companies (schools/monasteries) of prophets know what God had told Elijah and then Elisha? Great question.
Here’s my take. When God’s people gather together to pray and wait upon the Lord, Jesus is always present – and He is no passive attender, He is a participant in such gatherings. He is active. He is speaking and imparting. He is no silent partner in any prayer meeting … but we do need to make sure we are listening, together. Of course, this is not limited to prophetically gifted people. Jesus speaks to any of His people who gather to listen carefully.
Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
When the body of Christ comes together to pray and seek the Lord, and the people of God (who have individually and collectively the mind of Christ) are listening carefully, they’re not only going to hear the Spirit of Jesus speak personally, but corporately also …
Act 16:7
“When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”
How did “they” know. The Spirit of Jesus confirmed it to all of them at basically the same time. This is the pattern in the New Testament church. It should be ours, too. We can know individually and corporately what God is saying and to a high degree of accuracy. When God speaks to His listening people they soon know and sense things, just like our bodies “know” and sense things in the natural when our hand or finger touches something. There are moments when God says “now” and we seize a moment for Kingdom purposes. This happens all the time - and I am sure we miss a lot of these! But there are other far greater things in the great prophetic moves of God’s Spirit behind the scenes, where precision and exact timing are none of our business right now, and where our personal and corporate preparedness is the big issue for what is coming. All the prophets visited by Elijah knew of his imminent departure. They all knew, but it is unthinkable, highly improbable, that such highly attuned individuals who were carefully listening to God received revelation as information and data only. The received revelation so that they could prepare for, and participate in, the new season in God that was breaking in, and in which they would all play a part (individually and corporately).
Elijah’s ministry really was concluding - for real this time - and he had been preparing Elisha to take the prophetic helm of the nation.
In recent weeks I have shared my prophetic sense that God is moving very quickly and strategically in the spiritual realm at this time to bring about significant events that lead to the closure of human history. These are unprecedented things. I am not alone in this. Revelation has also been given to others carefully listening who are far wiser than I. I do not make wild (and unauthorised) predictions with any of this, but I am seeing, hearing and sensing sufficiently to know that significant spiritual movements choreographed by God are converging and will soon be at hand. God’s people need to prepare and be ready just as the five wise virgins were ready to go with the bridegroom at a moment’s notice. Exactly what God is preparing I am not completely sure – not yet. But I have never sensed such resolve of God as this before – never - and I feel sure it is to do with a great harvest of souls on the earth like we have never seen before.
God will orchestrate and achieve this with or without me. And so, I am getting more and more ready by the day, and I am meeting with others, too, who have been listening, and who just know …
John 10:27 (NIV)
[Jesus] “My sheep (pl.) listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.”
That’s what I reckon anyway …
Ps Milton