FRIENDS VERSUS SERVANTS

"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:14-15).

Devotion 4 of 13

THE PROPHETS

Here is an aspect of the Lord that is not commonly known. Our God is disposed to reveal what He is going to do BEFORE He does it. He did so in the case of the flood (Gen 6:17), the Babylonian captivity (Jer 25:11), and the coming of the Messiah (Dan 9:25-26). Even when Adam and Eve had sinned, God disclosed what He was going to do before they were expelled from the Garden--and He disclosed it to Satan himself. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen 3:15).

Holy prophets were outcasts among the people, not perceived as the mighty princes that they were. They were slain by the very people to whom they were sent. Some of them were imprisoned, whole others are cruelly mocked and jeered by those refusing to accept their words. Of Israel's obstinance, the Spirit says, "Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear" (2 Chron 24:19). Again, the Lord said through Jeremiah, "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers" (Jer 7:25). Six times, God says He sent the prophets "raising up early," that is, sending them right away, and without delay (Jer 7:13,25; 26:5; 29:19; 32:33; 35:15).

How is it that the Prophets were able to receive and speak God's words, but the people spurned their message? They were close to God, and their ears were open to Him. The Prophets were friends to God, and He shared His working with them before it came to pass. As it is written, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). Of them, God solemnly warned, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" (1 Chron 16:22; Psa 105:15).

The coming of the Redeemer (Isa 9:6-7; 53:1-12), how He would be born (Isa 7:14; 9:6-7), and where He would be born (Micah 5:2). His death and the purpose of His death were revealed to the Prophets (Isa 53:1-11). Christ's resurrection and heavenly intercession was made known to them (Psa 16:10; 49:15; Isa 53:12). They were told of the acceptance of the Gentiles (Isa 11:10; 42:1; 60:3), and that Jesus would be betrayed by one of His own (Psa 41:9).

These were all shared with the Prophets They were realities declared long before they came to pass. In fact, some of them have still not come to pass. God went on record; He would do nothing without first revealing it to His servants, the prophets! They were told of the passing of the heavens and the earth (Isa 24:20), the resurrection of the dead (Isa 26:19; Hosea 13:14), and the whole kingdom being given to the saints of the Most High God (Dan 7:18,22,25). God revealed a universal day of judgment to His servants, the prophets (Psa 50:3-6; Dan 7:9-10).

God makes a point of His nature to declare a matter before it comes to pass, then bringing it to pass in spite of all foes. Through Isaiah He proclaimed, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it" (Isa 46:9-11). It is as though He challenges the powers of darkness to thwart what He is doing.

As you consider the message given through the prophets, you will behold some wonderful things. First, they often spoke of things that were far in advance of their own generation. Second, the people to whom they were spoken generally rejected their message as idle words. Third, the spiritual environment in which they were spoken was generally hostile. Yet, in the midst of these unlikely circumstances, God revealed His secret to His servants the Prophets. He told them what He was going to do. They were, so to speak, His friends.

We will find in this series that the Lord is disposed to make known His will to His friends. That is His manner.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I marvel at the privilege given to the sons of men to be close to You, and to hear from You. Through Jesus Christ I give You glory for such a marvelous circumstance.

-- Tomorrow: THE PRONOUNCEMENT --