We return to the SONS OF THE PROPHETS at BETHEL to learn more about this group of young men.
Were there many of these young men training in the ways of God?
We will see from the scriptures that these were not just a small, insignificant group but a growing group of men keen to study the ways of God.
After Elijah had been taken to heaven, the SONS OF THE PROPHETS came to Elisha wanting to search for their old master. How many of them were there?
2 Kings 10:16 Then they said to him, “Look now, THERE ARE FIFTY STRONG MEN with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.”
It appears that there was a large number of them – there were 50 of them just in this group from JERICHO alone.
1 Kings 18:4 For so it was, while Jezebel MASSACRED THE PROPHETS OF THE LORD, that Obadiah had taken ONE HUNDRED PROPHETS and hidden them, FIFTY TO A CAVE, and had fed them with bread and water.
Here there were 100 prophets recorded.
1 Kings 22:6 Then the king of Israel GATHERED THE PROPHETS TOGETHER, ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED MEN, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”
So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
7 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”
8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”
By this time there are some 400 prophets.
What started as a small group of trainees/ disciples in the days of Samuel, had grown into a great guild of men.
It seems that this passion for the Lord continued in this region even down to the time of John the Baptist.
What is a disciple?
Did you know that the truest description f disciple is “imitator”? One who imitates their master.
Paul the apostle said…
1 Corinthians 4:15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Therefore I urge you, IMITATE ME.
Are you an imitator of Jesus?