In Part 1 of this series, I covered specific time periods of early Israel and how biblical events during that time may provide us with some indication for events that we might expect in today’s end times ‘northern kingdom.’
In Part 2, I continued with a discussion of Israel’s kings, and covered topics related to the northern kingdom’s ancient kings starting with king Jereboam through the time that the kingdom was taken into exile. I again drew comparisons to the last days ‘northern kingdom,’ and its kings and rulers.
In this current passage, Part 3, I will address prophets, including those who are corrupt as well as others who are holy and righteous. The two major sections of content herein include:
- Corrupt prophets and true prophets of the ancient northern kingdom
- Lessons from the Minor Prophets to the northern kingdom applicable to end times prophets
I will set the stage below with brief summary background pertaining to ancient northern kingdom prophets. Then, I will provide content that shows how end times prophets and events surrounding them are similar to those of the ancient kingdom.
Corrupt prophets and true prophets of the ancient northern kingdom
In addition to its kings, the ancient northern kingdom also had several notable prophets from whom we can learn for help in understanding these last days. You probably already have the most well-known ones in mind, but I will begin with a few lesser-known prophets or messengers and their short stories that represented false or untrue messages of God. Here, I am leaving out the obvious large groupings of wicked Baal worshiping prophets who we know were alongside the northern kingdom’s corrupt kings throughout.
Following this brief discussion of false messengers below, I will proceed with a summary of a couple of God’s true prophets in the ancient northern kingdom.
False prophets of the northern kingdom
Several short story examples sum up the qualities of false prophets in the ancient northern kingdom, which will also be representative for those here in the end times. I will address end times prophets, specifically, in a separate section below. Meanwhile, these short stories show the ancient kingdom’s false prophets to be: liars/deceivers; “good news”-only; and mockers. Of course, there is some overlap between these categories.
In a first example, at about the time of the northern kingdom’s beginning, a man of God from Judah went to Bethel to inform Jereboam about coming judgment and to warn him that his house would be cut off for its sin. Along the way he met a stranger whom he confided in and this stranger lied to him about being a prophet of God himself. He deceitfully enticed him to join him at his house, against God’s commands for the man of God. Thus, this stranger was an example of one led by a dark, deceiving spirit working against God’s kingdom.
The next example is that of the prophets who routinely gave the kings the good news that they wanted to hear. In one case, Ahab’s prophets approved his wishes to go to war versus Syria. He did not understand that God had mingled an evil spirit within them. The lone, true prophet Micaiah among them who warned Ahab against going to war was the one we are told who Ahab hated- the one who never offered the “good news” he wanted to hear. For his “dissent,” Micaiah was imprisoned. He turned out to be correct; Ahab was killed in battle. The false prophets who gave Ahab the “good news” that he wanted can also be classified in this case according to the first category above; lying and deceitful.
A final selected example is that of the mocker who denied that famine would come onto the land. Elisha the prophet had prophesied of coming famine in the land at a time the Syrians were gathered and had come against Israel. The mocking man consulted the king, saying, “If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?” (2 Ki 7:2). The famine happened as Elisha prophesied and the mocker in the king’s court died shortly thereafter.
God’s true prophets of the northern kingdom
Thankfully, the northern kingdom was also given good, true prophets of God who we learn much from as it may pertain to these last days. In fact, these prophets had qualities of those who will be among the last days ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant whom I have covered extensively on this site. Of course, the Lord’s Spirit of truth himself will be among this remnant.
Elijah
Elijah was a Messiah-like prophet, one who had very powerful, supernatural abilities. He was like the Lord in the end times; he was “passing through” the land. His primary mission was as an enemy of the kingdom adversary and as an advocate for the God of Israel in a society of Baal-worshiping Israelites where there was virtually no faith remaining. He was a contemporary of the most evil northern kingdom king and regime of them all- Ahab’s. Elijah’s power extended beyond merely Israel’s northern kingdom, as he also consulted with kings in the greater region in Syria and Judah.
As a righteous fighter and defender of the Lord, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and called fire from heaven on a couple of occasions to destroy these corrupt priests, most notably those who served king Ahab. Elijah also prayed for and declared a time of no rain during Ahab’s reign. As virtually a lone, righteous prophet he was rejected. At one point, king Ahab accusingly asked Elijah:
- “Art thou that troubleth Israel?” (1 Ki 18:17)
Elijah, like Jeremiah, was a man of contention and strife to the land. He lamented to God, “Only I remain as a prophet.” Similar to that which Jesus would eventually do during his life, Elijah fled to the wilderness for 40 days in avoiding his enemies who sought his life. After anointing king Hazael of Syria and king Jehu of Israel, both of whom would punish an ongoing corrupt and wicked house of Ahab, Elijah met Elisha, his apprentice, and gave him his mantle. He then went on and crossed the supernaturally dried up Jordan to finally be taken up in chariots of fire. The sons of the prophets in the land searched for Elijah for three days but did not find him.
In an interesting statement made by Elijah earlier in his tenure, he proclaimed that, “The chariot of Israel comes in fire with horses.” This appears to be a prophecy that may be related to the return of the Lord to establish his kingdom. This may remind you of how the disciples were told in Acts, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Elijah had Messiah-like supernatural insights and capabilities.
Elisha
As the one who took Elijah’s mantle, received a “double portion,” and crossed back over the supernaturally dried up Jordan, Elisha was a prophet of healing. Upon re-entering the land, he proclaimed, “I have healed these waters.” So while Elijah was a kingdom warrior versus the enemy, Elisha was more of a healer for the people; both of these are attributes of Jesus Christ who is to come again. Of course, both of these prophets had at least some God-given, Christ-like supernatural capabilities.
Just a few examples of Elisha’s “healing” quality (in both a broad and literal sense) included: instructions for a woman to sell oil to pay debt for her sons to keep them free from bondage; the revival of a dead son born to a formerly barren woman who housed Elisha; the addition of meal to a pottage or “pot of death” with a wild vine inside to make it edible; and the literal healing of Naaman, the Syrian captain, who had leprosy and was cleansed by washing in the Jordan.
Elisha, however, also prophetically foresaw upcoming wars and evil that would come upon the children of Israel. In one case, when Syria approached to fight against Israel, Elisha illustrated an important lesson that will apply in these last days. Both sides were blind. Elisha convinced fearful Israel to “fear not,” and that “we are more than they.” After praying that Syria would be blinded, they were, and then they subsequently opened their eyes to find that they were surrounded in Samaria. With a chance to attack, the king of Israel asked Elisha’s advice, to which Elisha replied, “Do not smite the captives.”
The inference and lesson here is that fighting is without a purpose, is confused, and is senseless when both sides are blinded due to bondage. This happens as a result of false god worship and its associated lies. This is already the case in these last days and will continue to be the case until the end of the age due to powerful rulers who have perpetuated lies and covered up the truth about the God of Israel, his people, and his coming kingdom.
Shortly after the blinding event of Syrian and Israeli armies discussed above, when Syria remained encamped in the land, God mingled an evil spirit in their camp that made them scared enough to flee and leave their belongings behind during a period of famine. Israel came and recovered the spoil.
A lesson in both of these cases of Israel versus Syria above, as well as others when Israel defeated Syria, is that God will sometimes assist even a corrupt Israel if he has at least one of his righteous people such as Elisha working on his behalf.
Nevertheless, Elisha still foresaw trouble that was to come upon Israel, again with prophetic application. Elisha instructed the woman whose son he had resurrected to flee the land for seven years due to coming famine. Next, Elisha met with a corrupt king of Syria proclaiming that he would be healed of his illness, but that he would still die, likely referring to his soul. Elisha wept, as he prophetically lamented to this king:
- “Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.” (2 Ki 8:12)
King Hazael of Syria eventually came upon the northern kingdom and made them “like dust.” As a side note, this scenario will likely play out again in these last days, likely with a foreigner, an enemy of ‘Israel,’ who is a ‘northern kingdom’ king or ruler who turns against the children of Israel from within. (Remember, everyone is already identified, known and tracked through the anti-Christ Chaldean surveillance machine). This persecution of ‘Israel’ will occur even prior to the ‘Assyrian’s final invasion of the last days ‘northern kingdom’ that I addressed in Part 2.
Finally, in Elisha’s final act of “healing,” before he died, he instructed the king of Israel to take a bow and arrows and to shoot east. This act represented Israel’s eventual delivery from Syria. This act may likely be taken as a prophetic signal for the longer term, possibly for these last days, because the ancient northern kingdom never saw a clear and final deliverance.
Lessons from Minor Prophets about last days prophets in the ‘northern kingdom’
As I did in the discussion of ancient prophets above, in this section I will again examine both corrupt and true prophets, albeit particularly as they will appear in the ‘northern kingdom’ in these end times.
False prophets to the ‘northern kingdom’ in the last days
In the section about the ancient northern kingdom above, I began with a few simple examples of false prophets or messengers with qualities of: lying /deceiving; being “good news”-only; and mocking. In the words of the Minor Prophets to the northern kingdom considered for this passage, we read about false prophets that will have similar qualities in these last days. Amos, Micah and Hosea spoke about the end times when the “day will be dark,” prophets “shall not divine,” and they will even “fall (with thee) in the night.” Applying to end times prophets in today’s last days ‘northern kingdom,’ the prophet Hosea summed up:
- “The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.” (Hos 9:7)
Clearly, last days prophets including those in the ‘northern kingdom’ will be way out of bounds. Remember, these are the ones we learn about from the prophet Micah who “divine for money.” Related to specific qualities above, our Minor Prophets tell us in scripture about those who will be lying/deceiving and will refuse to acknowledge the truth in these last days as follows:
- “Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near.” (Am 6:3)
- “And a man’s uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord.” (Am 6:10)
Next, “good-news-only” prophets will also conceal the truth, which we saw in an example above. In addition, they will shut down any rebuke of corruption or talk about God’s coming judgment. They will not acknowledge sin and wrongdoing in the ‘northern kingdom’ society. Minor Prophets to the last days ‘northern kingdom’ forewarned about these prophets as follows:
- “Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.” (Am 7:16)
- “All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.” (Am 9:10)
- “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.” (Am 5:10)
Many false prophets will be found to have lied and deceived the masses in the last days. These are the same ones referred to in a line of text in Amos where the Lord prophetically and repeatedly tells his people, “Yet have ye not returned to me,” after he brings obvious blessings and cursings on them, thereby signaling that he is right in their midst.
Many false prophets in these end times will still mistakenly believe that they are actually righteous. However, they will not understand the nature of God’s words of instruction when he declared, “I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hos 6:6). Many last days prophets will still believe that their rituals, routines, and certain legalistic works will qualify them as pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Unfortunately, many are double-minded, have divided hearts, are blinded as to the truth, and have the leaven of hypocrisy because of the false gods they worship. These are modern day Pharisee-types such as those like Jesus dealt with. We are told:
- “They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord.” (Hos 9:4)
These prophets represent the “good news” variety as well as the lying/deceiving variety, and thus, are among those to whom Jesus will say, “I never knew you.”
The final example of false, untrue prophets that I gave above that applied in the ancient northern kingdom was mockers. Perhaps a good example of this in the last days is an enemy directly opposed to the Lord himself and his Spirit of truth, as well as his righteous ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant. This is a last days ‘Jezebel’-type, “Queen of the Chaldees,” who represents the harlot of ‘Babylon’ and leads an occultic house of evil worship. She is addressed several places in scripture. The Lord says directly to her through Micah:
- “Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.” (Mic 7:10)
This false prophetess will have been deceived herself, perpetuated occult-based lies, and will not have known and understood that the Lord’s Spirit of truth himself was in the midst.
Good prophets- The Spirit of truth as the chief prophet of the Lord among us in the end times
As I have alluded to, there will be good news for true Christ believers, provided by true prophets and the wise who will speak hard truths and will “instruct many” in the midst of a sea of extreme last days deception. The prophet Amos assured us of this as follows:
- “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Am 3:7-8)
God has his own servants, including his very Spirit of truth (Holy Spirit in person) among us in these last days. As I have documented on this site, especially in my passages entitled, The Lord is with us (Parts 1-3), the Lord’s Spirit of truth, end times Son of man, is among us in these last days, likely in the ‘northern kingdom.’ This is a time when ‘Israel’/the ‘northern kingdom,’ the nation of ‘Babylon,’ will be corrupt and full of false gods. Unfortunately, the Lord’s Spirit of truth will “pass through” and will not be recognized and understood for who he is, in part due to the numerous deceiving prophets just described above.
The house of Israel and people of the world will find out later that they had actually been healed when the Lord was among them but they did not know it. The following scriptures apply to the Lord being among his house of Israel people in the last days, and how he had offered to “heal” them, similar to Elisha:
- “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.” (Hos 13:9)
- “Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.” (Hos 7:13)
The Lord’s Spirit of truth will eventually hide his face in the last days. Then, the day of the Lord, including the Tribulation period, will begin. This time of judgment will happen because his people “refused the love of the truth” and “refused to return,” as we are told in scripture. Like Elijah, who was a prophet feeling isolated in the evil day of king Ahab, the Lord’s Spirit of truth, end times Son of man, will find that there is no faith on earth, just as Jesus said would be the case (Luke 18:8).
The Lord’s Spirit of truth, the Restrainer, will be removed, just as Elijah was removed, albeit in a different manner. The following verses apply to the time the Lord will hide his face to the dismay of his house of Israel people including those in the ‘northern kingdom’ who will learn a very hard lesson in the end times:
- “And the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.” (Am 9:5)
- “And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord. “Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.” (Am 5:17-18)
- “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (Am 8:11)
In addition to above, there is much additional scripture including that which is from the Minor Prophets that shows how the Lord will administer judgment and punishment on his enemies in the last days. His Spirit of truth will stand in opposition and restraint to the kingdom of man, the coming anti-Christ system, while representing Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel. This is similar to Elijah’s strong stand versus Baal in the ancient northern kingdom.
Good prophets- The Lord’s last days servants among us as prophet-types
In addition to the Lord himself, the Lord’s servants will also be among the people in these last days, including the ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant that I have addressed extensively on this site. This last days, lost sheep house of Israel remnant fight their own battle against the anti-Christ system and communicate warning messages to the ‘northern kingdom,’ similar to those of the ancient Minor Prophets. The Minor Prophets of the ancient northern kingdom referred to this last days righteous remnant in quite a few instances. Here is one prophetic reference to them as a collective group, or “troop”:
- “It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name.” (Am 9:6)
I have described previously that this “small flock” remnant of the Lord’s servants “awaken” and are spiritually “birthed” in these last days. This is similar to Amos himself whom the Lord took from his ordinary life as a herdsman in order to prophesy to the northern kingdom’s people. So Amos may have been a sort of signal for end times ‘northern kingdom’ prophets to come. We learn about this as follows:
- “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.” (Am 7:14)
This end times ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” remnant whom I have addressed extensively on this site is comprised of a large portion of Judah tribe members and has the likes of end times ‘Jacob’ and ‘David’ who are holy biblical figures among them. This tribe will go into the Millennial Kingdom as part of the generation that “shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled” (Matt 24:34).
As a collective army, yet likely fighting as individuals in an unconventional-style war against the anti-Christ Chaldeans, many of these fight in last days ‘Babylon’-U.S., the ‘northern kingdom.’ They likely have watchmen-, prophet-, priest-, and king-like characters among them. There are many scriptures about these end times figures; the following are just a few from the Minor Prophets considered for this current passage:
- “Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.” (Hos 8:1)
- “The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.” (Hos 9:8)
- “The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.” (Mic 7:4)
Among other attributes, this “small flock” of righteous Judah remnant members that includes prophets and messengers appear to have the gift of wisdom, in particular, in these last days. They are among the ones qualifying as those whom the prophet Daniel spoke of when he said prophetically, the “wise shall understand.” I have documented the quality of wisdom for this remnant previously in my passage entitled, A Judah and house of David remnant.
Along these lines, in Part 1 of this series, I also referred to the symbolic meaning of the cedars of Lebanon as the symbolic link for God’s holy people to the (Solomon’s) temple of God and how the ‘Lebanon’ name meaning is associated with qualities of wisdom, heart and courage. In Hosea, we are told prophetically about the Lord’s anointed whose “branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree and his smell as Lebanon.” This is another reference to the end times holy ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant. A couple of additional verses from our Minor Prophets about last days “wise men” among this remnant include:
- “The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” (Mic 6:9)
- “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” (Hos 14:9)
Overall, the Lord’s watchmen and wise servants in the last days have prophet-like characteristics.
Some of the Lord’s would-be prophets and messengers of ‘Ephraim’ are isolated and in bondage in the last days
Micah, as an end times prophet with a message to Judah and/or Israel’s northern kingdom was himself an isolated prophet, similar to Elijah above and similar to what we know about last days ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant members, some of whom become desolate. Micah himself felt alone in his role as a prophet for God amongst multitudes of non-believers. He lamented, “Woe is me.” He observed danger because of those aligned against him, and again like Elijah proclaimed, “The good man is perished out of the earth” (Mic 7:2). Micah spoke prophetically, similar to the prophet Isaiah who said at one point that he was waiting on the Lord who had hidden his face from his people Israel. Micah said the following:
- “Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.” (Mic 7:7-9)
Micah was a ‘type’ of last days righteous remnant member who was being held captive and in bondage for his transgressions. This is very similar to that which we saw for the prophet Jeremiah, and it will apply again to end times ‘Jacob’ and others in his “small flock” remnant for a time.
In the midst of incredible idolatry and wickedness in the ancient northern kingdom, a holy remnant never really took hold. In these last days, a holy remnant representing the people of ‘Ephraim’ in ‘Babylon’-U.S. does not take hold at the time when spiritual “birthings” of God’s remnant children begin to happen. In Hosea, ‘Ephraim’ is prophetically instructed not to stay long in the place of “breaking forth of children” (Hos 13:13). The following are scriptures indicating how the holy remnant of ‘Ephraim’ is bereaved or left void of holy children while in captivity in ‘Babylon’-U.S.:
- “The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.” (Hos 9:2)
- “Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.” (Hos 10:1)
In the final days, the last days ‘northern kingdom,’ ‘Babylon’-U.S., will again be captive and under siege, followed by invasion and destruction. The people of ‘Ephraim’ will have to come “out of her” late, and we are told that they will “wander among the nations.” This is highly similar to final events of the ancient northern kingdom that I described earlier in this series.
“By a prophet”- The Lord will again bring Israel out of out of Egypt and will preserve him “by a prophet”
The Lord’s holy, ‘Jacob’-Judah small flock remnant will be delivered early from ‘Babylon’-U.S. out of the time of “Jacob’s trouble” that is soon to come. I discussed earlier how the people will not be fully aware of the Lord’s Spirit of truth- a prophet- before he departs. His departure may also include his rescue of a small number of his faithful remnant servants. This is reflected in the words of the Minor Prophets as follows:
- “For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” (Hos 5:14)
- “Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.” (Am 3:12)
- “As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.” (Hos 9:11)
The initial remnant that the Lord rescues from the last days ‘northern kingdom’ is the righteous ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant. While it may include a few individual members of ‘Ephraim,’ the larger house of ‘Ephraim’ in ‘Babylon’-U.S. will remain among the “nations,” in the dark, and seeking the Lord while they wander.
Related to the ‘northern kingdom’s righteous, yet persecuted ‘Jacob’-Judah “small flock” holy remnant, it is interesting to consider a particular verse from among a very short line of scripture in the book of Hosea that likely has profound meaning for “original” Jacob and Israel, in looking back, but also likely has profound prophetic meaning in context as it applies to last days ‘Jacob’ and Israel:
- “And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.” (Hos 12:13)
The Lord’s Spirit of truth- a prophet- will again deliver end times ‘Jacob’-Israel out of the highly tumultuous time of “Jacob’s trouble” that will come upon the earth. This will represent a kind of healing from persecution for the Lord’s small, righteous remnant. When they are delivered into the wilderness, they will also again be “preserved” by a prophet- the Spirit of truth will likely remain among them. Recall Elisha’s instructions to the woman whose son he resurrected to flee out of the northern kingdom land for seven years due to coming famine. This was followed by her return and restoration.
To close loop, this end times deliverance scenario by a prophet may relate back to Elisha’s short prophecy that I referred to above; i.e. shooting arrows out the window eastward to represent the northern kingdom’s ultimate deliverance. The direction ‘east’ in some cases is a clue for the tribe of Judah (a tribe on the east side of the tabernacle), which is a significant composition of the ‘Jacob’-Judah remnant delivered first out of the last days ‘northern kingdom.’
Elisha’s short prophecy here is also similar to a verse about the last days fighting ‘Jacob’-Judah army in the book of Zechariah. In this verse, God is prophetically promising to deliver his “prisoners of hope,” and he says about their deliverance: “When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man” (Zech 9:13).
~
Just like the ancient northern kingdom, the last days house of Israel will have bad prophets and good prophets among them. God’s true prophets will assist in their deliverance from the evil world kingdom and a condition of bondage and captivity.
Grace & Peace,
Lion’s Lair (LL)
Lion's Lair 