1st.Kings 22:1-18 "And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the King of Judah came down to the King of Israel. And the King of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is our's, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the King of Syria ? And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth - Gilead ? And Jehoshaphat said to the King of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And Jehoshaphat said unto the King of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the WORD of the LORD today. Then the King of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear ? And they said, Go up: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the King. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of HIM ? And the King of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so. Then the King of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
And the King of Israel and Jehoshaphat the King of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the King's hand. And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the King with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. So he came to the King, And the King said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear ? And he answered him, Go, and prosper for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the King. And the King said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD ? And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. And the King of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil ?"
In our text, Jehoshaphat, the godly King of Judah, entered into a compromising alliance with Ahab, King of Israel. Ahab had a plan to retake Ramoth-Gilead from the Syrians and sought Jehoshaphat's help. The King of Judah agreed but requested that Ahab inquire of his "prophets" whether or not this strategy was actually GOD's will. Ahab called his four hundred prophets together, but not one among them could legitimately be considered a faithful prophet who declared only what the LORD wanted him to say. This wicked King had assembled around him false, lying prophets who told him only what he wanted to hear. This sorry state of affairs is much like our own day. Relatively few truly want to hear what the LORD has to say on any subject.
Perhaps we, like King Ahab, shun those who try to exhort us when we go astray. We might know what is right -- just as Ahab knew that he should be following the counsel of the LORD -- but we, too, can turn a deaf ear to GOD's instruction and instead surround ourselves with those who encourage us in our disobedience -- we develop a case of "itching ears" (2nd.Timothy 4:1-4). When King Jehoshaphat asked Ahab if a true prophet of the LORD was available, Ahab affirmed, "There is yet one man . . . but I hate him; for he doth not prophecy good concerning me, but evil" (v.8). Did Ahab deserve to have anything good prophesied to him ? Absolutely not ! He was committing much iniquity and justifying his nefarious actions by listening to false prophets who supported his wicked ways. We must seek the fellowship of those who faithfully give the WORD of GOD and walk in IT's light, for the ungodly will only lead us away from the LORD.
Micaiah was in a difficult position. He was the only genuine prophet of the LORD who could be found in Israel. He was despised, and even hated, because he alone spoke what the LORD wanted him to say rather than what King Ahab desired to hear. Micaiah rarely had a positive message, even though the four hundred other prophets could come up with many affirmative things to say. What a brave, stalwart testimony this prophet had in standing true to his GOD and not yielding to compromise !
Even Ahab's personal messenger pressured Micaiah to speak a positive message that would be in accordance with the words of the other prophets (v.13), but Micaiah knew that to do so would not be pleasing to GOD. he resolutely affirmed, "As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak" (v.14). Micaiah determined to tell Ahab exactly what GOD had revealed to him -- nothing more, nothing less. Upon hearing Micaiah's faithful message, King Ahab flew into a rage and threw him in prison. How lonely Micaiah must have been ! The King and all the ungodly prophets rejected and detested him simply because he purposed to please the LORD above all else, and that could only come to pass if he obeyed GOD rather than placating people.
Are we like Micaiah, who knew what was right and purposed to do that which was pleasing to his GOD, no matter the cost ? Or are we more like Ahab, who also knew what was right but ignored GOD's message and gathered around himself those who would make him feel comfortable in his willful disregard for the truth ? How we respond to GOD's revealed will indicates whose will is important to us: ours or HIS. DWC
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
Copyright, FEATURE: A Daily Bible Study Guide.
Used with permission. www.featoday.org
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