Slices
Prepare
Pray: Heavenly Father, as I come to you, source of all truth, prepare my heart and mind to hear your Word to me today.
Bible passage
Micaiah prophesies against Ahab
22 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. 2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel. 3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, ‘Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?’
4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, ‘Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?’
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, ‘I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.’ 5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, ‘First seek the counsel of the Lord.’
6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets – about four hundred men – and asked them, ‘Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?’
‘Go,’ they answered, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, ‘Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can enquire of?’
8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one prophet through whom we can enquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.’
‘The king should not say such a thing,’ Jehoshaphat replied.
9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, ‘Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.’
10 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing-floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 11 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, ‘This is what the Lord says: “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.”’
12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. ‘Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,’ they said, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’
13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favourably.’
14 But Micaiah said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.’
15 When he arrived, the king asked him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?’
‘Attack and be victorious,’ he answered, ‘for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.’
16 The king said to him, ‘How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?’
17 Then Micaiah answered, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, “These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.”’
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?’
19 Micaiah continued, ‘Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing round him on his right and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, “Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?”
‘One suggested this, and another that. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, “I will entice him.”
22 ‘“By what means?” the Lord asked.
‘“I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,” he said.
‘“You will succeed in enticing him,” said the Lord. “Go and do it.”
23 ‘So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.’
24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. ‘Which way did the spirit from the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?’ he asked.
25 Micaiah replied, ‘You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.’
26 The king of Israel then ordered, ‘Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son 27 and say, “This is what the king says: put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.”’
28 Micaiah declared, ‘If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.’ Then he added, ‘Mark my words, all you people!’
Explore
Despite his outward repentance (21:27–29), Ahab was unchanged. He is supposed to be leading the nation in honouring God, but he doesn’t even seek God’s direction in his day-to-day work! And when prompted by Judah’s king to consult the Lord, he goes to the prophets of the wrong god! The 450 prophets mentioned here may well have been the prophets of Asherah (1 Kings 18:19). Their prophecy (v 6) is generic, with no mention of Israel’s God, which is why Jehoshaphat intervenes again (v 7). Could you be a ‘Jehoshaphat’ for someone today? If someone has a problem or decision, encourage them to seek God. And gently redirect them if they are going to the wrong place!
1 Kings 22 illustrates the sticky problem of truth and leadership. Too often, leaders surround themselves with advisers who tell them what they want to hear. Those who question or present uncomfortable truths may be branded troublemakers (v 8; 18:17) and find themselves without a job, or worse (vs 26,27).
Ahab has failed to understand that God is in control (vs 19–23). The scene is reminiscent of Job, chapters 1 and 2. While Job remains true to God, despite temptation, Ahab continues rejecting God’s truth and listening to lies.
Respond
Pray the words of Philippians 1:9–11 for leaders in church, government and businesses. Pray too for Christians to speak God’s truth to those in leadership.
Deeper Bible study
... seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’.1
Wars and rumours of wars abounded in the time of the kings of Israel and Judah, but for a short time there was peace between Aram (Syria) and Israel (v 1). The lull seems to have given Ahab time to recover from a brief spell of meekness.2 A visit from Judah’s King Jehoshaphat (King Asa’s son) prompts an unusual alliance between the two. It’s convenient, maybe, for the scheming, power-hunting Ahab – a possible way to strengthen forces for his Ramoth Gilead venture and to score points for his own prowess (vs 3,4). King Ben-Hadad’s earlier offer to return the captured cities3 seems to have been forgotten. However, Jehoshaphat brings a word of wisdom, challenging the king’s yes-men: ‘First seek the counsel of the Lord’ (vs 4,5,7).
As with situations in our world today, the ruler, without understanding, makes a gesture to silence those who raise inconvenient questions (vs 5,7) – Ahab needs Judah’s resources (v 4). He grudgingly agrees to ask the one remaining prophet of the Lord for insight (v 8). At first, Micaiah goes along with the king’s supporters. Then, critically, Ahab asks the prophet to tell him the truth in the Lord’s name (v 16). Imagine the courage Micaiah will have needed, standing alone, amid the sycophantic voices who only seek to curry favour with a king who rejects God’s rule. The prophet’s word for Ahab is not what he wanted (v 23). The result isn’t easy for Micaiah either. The king discounts his words from the Lord with an ‘I told you so’ (see v 18). A so-called ‘prophet’ contemptuously slaps him in the face, casting doubt on his words (v 24). Faithful Micaiah is thrown into prison – he leaves, urging the people to remember God’s Word (v 28).
Ask the Lord to give you courage to speak the truth in his name – even when the cost to you personally is high.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 15,16; Psalm 103
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for South West Regional Team Leader Margaret Lilley as she and Ben Poch work with SU South Africa helping them to do more through volunteers. Pray that as six staff from South Africa visit in October relationships will grow, and for Margaret and Ben as they deliver training in South Africa in November.
