In the Old Testament days of the Holy Bible, prophets were alter egos of monarchs. Kings ruled all right but it was almost at the behest of powerful prophets. The crown necessarily had to derive enough moral and spiritual authority from the prevailing prophet. A king would neglect the divine counsel of a leading prophet at his own peril.
But there is probably no headier aphrodisiac than monarchy in its power and glory. As the Bible regales us, it is the ethereal wisdom of Prophet Nathan that brings rampaging David back to earth. Nathan approaches David and says, oh wise King, there were two men, in a city, one extremely rich with exceeding large herds and the other dirt poor with only one little lamb. But alas, the rich fellow upped and snatched the poor man’s only possession to prepare meal for his stranger. King David was wrath with great anger. As the Lord liveth, such an evil one must surely die, he pronounced.
And Prophet Nathan said to King David: “You are the man!” And the wise prophet proceeds to lay it thick on the now broken crown: Thus says the Lord, I anointed you king, delivered you from your enemies, gave you your master’s house; even your master’s wives and the house of Israel and Juddah. If these were not enough, I would have given you even more. But you had to commit such evil by killing your captain, Uriah and taking his wife. David is crushed by contrition.
Such was the power of prophets. In pursuit of David, King Saul wipes out an entire commune of prophets, and never did the bible record a woman viler than Jezebel. The great Prophet Elijah is saddled to confront King Ahab and his bloodthirsty wife Jezebel, after she framed up and had Naboth executed in order to possess his land. Murderous Jezebel also hounded numerous prophets to their gruesome end.
Prophets where somewhat universal to many ancient faiths. But over the ages, and with the coming of the Messiah, prophets apparently became outdated in the celestial scheme of things. Every man is now equipped with his own ‘prophet’; the Holy Spirit, according to Christian teaching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xph6asd7NQ
In today’s Nigeria however, a certain Prophet TB Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) remains redoubtable. The man in the Synagogue is sought after from all over the world. He is not only more known than many leaders, he makes and unmakes leaders.
Today, a five-year-old kidnapping tangle-knot that may have defied the government of the land is now before Prophet TB, as a last resort somewhat. The agonizing parents of Chibok and Dapchi girls explain: “We decided to come to TB Joshua because we have seen him on TV and we see how he works miracles and helps people. If it is our fault that these things are happening, let him pray for us.” A prophet to the rescue?
SOURCE: The Nation Newspaper
