i ONYISHI, LIVINUS O. REG. NO PG/MA/07/43009 ELISHA S PROPHECY AND HEALING PRACTICES: A CHALLENGE TO PRAYER/HEALING MINISTRIES IN A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA RELIGION JULY, 2000 Webmaster Digitally Signed by Webmaster s Name DN : CN = Webmaster s name O= University of Nigeria, Nsukka OU = Innovation Centre
ii ELISHA S PROPHECY AND HEALING PRACTICES: A CHALLENGE TO PRAYER/HEALING MINISTRIES IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN SOCIETY BY ONYISHI, LIVINUS O. REG. NO PG/MA/07/43009 DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA JULY 2009
iii TITLE ELISHA S PROPHECY AND HEALING PRACTICES: A CHALLENGE TO PRAYER/HEALING MINISTRIES IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN SOCIETY BY ONYISHI LIVINUS O. PG/MA/07/43009 DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA JULY 2009
iv REQUIREMENT ELISHA S PROPHECY AND HEALING PRACTICES: A CHALLENGE TO PRAYER/HEALING MINISTRIES IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN SOCIETY BY ONYISHI LIVINUS O. PG/MA/07/43009 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR MASTERS OF ARTS (MA) DEGREE IN RELIGION SUPERVISOR: PROF (BARR) M.I. OKWUEZE
v APPROVAL This thesis has been approved for the award of Masters of Arts Degree in Religion, in the Department of Religion, University of Nigeria Nsukka. SUPERVISOR.. HEAD OF DEPARTMENT. EXTERNAL EXAMINER DEAN OF FACULTY
vi DECLARATION Onyishi Livinus Okoronkwo, a post graduate student in this Department of Religion, University of Nigeria, Nsukka with Reg No PG/MA/07/43009, has satisfactorily completed the Requirement for the course and research work for the degree of Masters of Art (MA) in Religion. I affirm that this thesis is original and has not in any way been submitted in part or full for any other diploma or degree of this or any University. Onyishi Livinus
vii CERTIFICATION We certify that Onyishi Livinus Okoronkwo, Reg No PG/MA/07/43009, has satisfactorily carried out all the corrections on this Project Report as suggested by the External Examiner. SUPERVISOR. HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
viii DEDICATION To The Almighty God, who sprinkle living water upon all those who call on Him
ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In a special way I appreciate the effort of my supervisor, lecturer, mentor, an erudite scholar, Professor (Barr) M.I. Okwueze whose teaching system, indeed, drilled into me the knowledge of the Old Testament. He spared a lot of time, including his leisure time for this work inspite of his tight academic schedule. I cannot thank him enough. My pleasant and warm gratitude also goes to all the staff and students of the Department of Religion, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I cannot equally forget the assistance of the following companions during my study, Rev Fr Boniface Ezugwu, Barr J.K. Onyeke, Sir C.O. Okanya who prompted my academic journey, Mr Edwin Ezugwu and my childhood friend Cosmas Ugwuoke Esq. I am also grateful to those who granted me interview in their respective prayer/healing ministries, and all those I cited their work. I also acknowledge immeasurable contributions of my dear wife, Martha, who loaned me enough time during the period of research and writing of this Thesis. Affections of my parents, brothers and sisters, friends also contributed immensely to the success of this work. I equally thank them. My typist has done a beautiful work. I thank her too. Finally my unquantifiable gratitude goes to God whose will in Christ and the Holy Spirit continue to preserve us. Glory, thanks and praise be His for ever. Onyishi Livinue O. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
x PREFACE The concept of Elisha s prophecy and healing practices as a topic aims at bringing the Biblical explanations of prophecy and healing, and how they are practised by prayer/healing ministries, that are too many to be counted, in our contemporary society. Today, prophecy and healing have become veritable tools for evangelization. Nevertheless, a lot of controversies surround them. This research, therefore, presents a detailed piece of work which drives out the looming clouds surrounding prophecy and healing, and projects faith healing as a very vital ministry bequeathed by the Lord, Jesus Christ, himself for the edification of the church, salvation of mankind and glorification of God. This is done by presenting Elisha s prophecy and healing practices which run parallel with Jesus practices. By this we can judge whether the prayer/healing ministries are living up to the expectation or not. Although this work is not an easy task the researcher delved into research which provided him with enough information that enabled him compare Elisha s prophecy and healing practices with prophecy and healing practices in the prayer/healing ministries. The work is made up of six chapters. The first gives the glimpses of what the entire work is poised to achieve. Chapter two deals with related literature. In the third chapter, the Biblical concept of prophecy and healing is made clear while chapter four examines Elisha s prophecy and his healing practices. Chapter five looks into prophecy and healing practice in the prayer/healing ministries and exposes the positive pastoral contributions to the society, and some of the pastoral abuses. Finally, the last chapter concludes by assessing the whole work and making some suggestions that may help further researchers in exploring more areas yet to be discovered, and thus find possible solutions for proper handling of prophecy and healing in our contemporary society by prayer/healing ministries.
xi TABLE OF CONTENT PAGES TITLE - - - - - - - - - - - i REQUIREMENT - - - - - - - - - ii APPROVAL - - - - - - - - - iii DECLARATION - - - - - - - - - iv CERTIFICATION - - - - - - - - v DEDICATION - - - - - - - - - vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - - - - - - - vii PREFACE - - - - - - - - - - viii TABLE OF CONTENT - - - - - - - - ix ABSTRACT - - - - - - - - - x CHAPTER ONE; INTRODUCTION - - - - - 1 1.0 Background of study - - - - - - - 3 1.1 Statement of Problem - - - - - - 3 1.2 Aim of Study - - - - - - - - 4 1.3 Significance of Study - - - - - - 5 1.4 Scope of Study - - - - - - - 6 1.5 Methodology - - - - - - - - 7 1.6 Definition of Terms - - - - - - - 7 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW - - - - 11 2.1 Prophecy - - - - - - - - 12 2.2 Healing - - - - - - - - - 19 CHAPTER THREE: PROPHECY AND HEALING IN THE BIBLE - 29 3.1 Prophecy in the Bile - - - - - - - 30 3.2 Healing in the Old Testament - - - - - 32 3.3 Healing in the New Testament - - - - - 38 3.4 Healing and Salvation of Man - - - - - 42 CHAPTER FOUR: ELISHA S PROPHECY AND HEALING PRACTICES - - - - - - - - 45 4.1 The Prophecy of Elisha - - - - - - 45 4.2 Healing Activity of Elisha - - - - - - 49 4.3 Socio-Economic Impact of Elisha s Prophecy and Healing Practices - - - - - - - - - 54 4.4 Political Implication of Elisha s Prophecy - - - 57
xii CHAPTER FIVE: PROPHECY AND HEALING PRACTICES IN PRAYER/HEALING MINISTRIES IN CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA SOCIETY - - - - - - - 60 5.1 Methods - - - - - - - - 60 5.2 Positive Pastoral Contributions - - - - - 64 5.3 Pastoral Abuses - - - - - - - 69 CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION - - - 82 6.1 Assessment - - - - - - - - 82 6.2 Limitation of the Study - - - - - - 84 6.3 Conclusion - - - - - - - - 85 6.4 Suggestions for Further Research - - - - - 85 BIBLIOGRAPHY- - - - - - - - - 87
xiii ABSTRACT In Nigeria today, prophecy and healing practices have become a common place discussion in our society. Certainly, God designed prophecy and healing practices for the salvation of mankind, and since all ages he has been making himself manifest through these phenomena but now due to adultration and mediocrity in the practices, as discovered in almost all the prayer/healing ministries in our society, prophecy and healing have fallen short of serving the purpose which they are meant for. This has not only led to spiritual decadence but also to disastrous economic, social and political consequences. Attempts made by individuals and various groups to prevent or eradicate falsity in the practices of prophecy and healing have not yet been very successful. Fraudulent acts have increased and are still increasing as ethical values have been cast to the winds all in the name of prophecy and healing practices. Through dialectical examination of some passages in the Bible that deal with prophecy and healing, with particular reference to Elisha s practices, it is discovered that prayer/healing ministries in our contemporary society are found wanting in their healing practices and prophecy. It is also observed that Elisha s prophecy and healing practices run parallel with Christ s injunction to his disciples, to heal without taking anything in return (Mtt 10:8). Viewed from the aforementioned positions and submissions, this work dialectically examined how prophecy and healing are practised in the prayer/healing ministries and discovered some shortcomings like inappropriate use of sacramental, disregard for orthodox medical practitioners, imposition of fast, commercialization of some prayer/healing ministries etc. Taking cognizance of these, the researcher made some recommendations such as proper knowledge of the scriptures to the ministers to ensure correct biblical interpretation and unadultrated message of God to the laity, recognition of the constituted authority by the prayer/healing ministries etc, to correct the anomalies in the prayer/healing ministries so that one will appreciate prophecy and healing practices in the prayer/healing ministries.