1st Kings 22 GOOD START - BAD END The unity of Israel under the reign of David was a time of blessing and the nation had peace as Solomon started his reign. By the end of the book of 1st Kings, the nation was divided by civil war, the most wicked of the kings, Ahab, was ruling the northern ten tribes, and Jehoshaphat had his son Jehoram marry Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. The attempts of men to bring peace and prosperity to a nation by forming a compromising alliance without divine authority is doomed to failure. Confusion caused by compromise and the on-going sinfulness of people who are led by wicked men, gives the enemy of souls a free hand to bring people down to hell. Occasional wrong-doing gradually turns into a way of life. Then an evil lifestyle affects others until the whole nation is infected with sin that only the judgment of God can deal with.
The Assyrian threat and attacks against Israel had stopped for three years. When Jehoshaphat went to visit Ahab, Ahab saw an opportunity to get back Ramoth-Gilead that had been given him by Ben-Hadad by treaty and then taken again by invasion. Jehoshaphat whose name means, "The Lord judges/rules," was willing to assist Ahab in this venture for some reason. Keeping peace based on an alliance with that which is wrong, is never in the mind of God no matter how expedient it may seem to us at the time. "What fellowship hath light with darkness" makes it plain that it is never right to set aside God's word to please those who are enemies of God. The twelve times Jehoshaphat is named in this account while Ahab is named only once, emphasized the fact that it is the Lord who rules and judges in the affairs of men. Those in authority are not in charge of the history of a nation.
Four hundred false prophets still remained after the four hundred and fifty were slain at Mt. Carmel. Satan has a lot of people under his control who will say what people want to hear, not necessarily what is the truth. Jehoshaphat was not willing to go into battle without hearing the word of God about the matter. After hearing the predictions of victory from four hundred prophets who agreed in their desire to please the two kings, He still wanted to hear what a prophet of the Lord would say. There is a principle that works in decision making that helps us to be careful: "When in doubt - don't." A person of faith can discern between those who tell the truth and those who want to please the majority. However, when we know what is right, if we disregard that and ignore God's warning message, there are consequences to be paid.
The two Jewish kings, each sitting on a throne on the elevated threshing floor by the city gate, sought to impress the people with their position of leadership, their unity, and then their plan of going against Syria. The decision was already made by the two kings who paid attention to the "lying spirit" in the self-serving false prophets. When Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, was called, he sarcastically mimicked the predictions of the false prophets. Even Ahab could sense that Micaiah was pretending and demanded a true prophecy so the prophet did so even though it was totally contradictory to what the kings had heard and wanted to hear. When truth hurts us or makes us uncomfortable, we may seek a reason to try to ignore it and reject it. That does not change the truth in any way. It will not change the outcome either. Micaiah's honest warning was rejected by both kings, and even when a false prophet slapped Micaiah on the face, he remained true to the word of the Lord. The dire consequences the prophet of the Lord gave were taken seriously - but rejected. We cannot make people repent and believe the Gospel, but we can warn them and leave the results and consequences to the Lord. Some people would rather live by a known lie than accept a true message that does not show them in a good light.
Micaiah's prophecy was given with divine authority as he told by illustration how the Lord would bring his predictions to pass. His imprisonment with only bread and water to sustain him did not stop God's man from saying what was right and giving a final warning. To understand the way evil works and how God allows it, we need to remember that God is good and evil came into the world because of man's sin. Sin and its consequences are man's fault. When people say, "Why does God allow sin and evil to run rampant in the world?" they are challenging God to do something about the consequences man's actions have brought on himself. A time is coming in the future when God will bring about "A new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." God is stronger than the powers and actions of evil. He did not create evil but has control over it and will use it to bring to pass His will in judgment in the same way He uses that which is good. God hates evil and will some day do away with it forever. But He allows it at times now to bring deserved judgment to evil-doers. We may not understand all the "whys and wherefore's" of the working of the Lord, but we do have confidence that He is in control of people and events.
Ahab sought to avoid detection by having Jehoshaphat dress in his clothes, but the "bow at a venture" carried out the prophecy, and Ahab died that evening and Jehoshaphat lived because he wore Ahab clothes. When the word of the Lord is given about a matter it can be counted on to come to pass. Ahab's blood was washed out of the chariot and the dogs were there to lick up his blood as Elijah had prophesied. The reign of Ahab was a dark day in Israel's history.
At the same time in Judah, Asa, who was followed by his son Jehoshaphat led those tribes in the right ways of the Lord for the most part. But there was a fundamental mistake made when sacrifices and incense were burned in the wrong places. To do much of what is right does not excuse doing that which is wrong. We are always thankful for those who do right, but still cannot go along with what is wrong no matter who does it. Making alliances with Ahaziah the son of Ahab, was not right, and going into the shipping business with him was not right for Jehoshaphat. All of the expense they went to was for naught when God had a storm wreck the whole project. Our motives might seem good when we seek to engage in a project, but we need to be sure God is in it rather than it being just a scheme devised for profit between two consenting parties.
The sad history of the "historical drift" of the nation of Israel should be a lesson to us to call a halt in our lives when we know things are going wrong. Then repentance of sin and turning to God in genuine faith can bring about the desired result, and save an individual, an assembly and a nation.
1Kings 22:8. “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire 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.” YET ONE MAN. The word is out, yet there is one man Who is willing to tell the truth. Others don’t like it because they want things different, To go against the crowd is more than it’s worth. So, to please those who lead and those who follow them, They’re willing to tell a lie, after all what is so bad About pleasing a leader and keeping back from him A truth that will make him and his people sad.
So often there are those who are afraid of the frown of men, That they won’t tell the truth that comes from God. I am thankful that generally there is yet one man, Who has instilled in him a holy fear of the Lord. When others fall silent; in his firm and quiet voice He speaks the truth and tells its final consequence. He lays before the people who have to make a choice; The Word of God and spiritual common sense.
I have known such men, and know some even now Who in spite of the times, will the trend oppose. They know they won’t be popular but they will not bow To what is wrong, no matter what the others chose. I would like to think I could be such a man As would stand fast, and promote God’s truth. I have made a resolve to do what I can To help others learn what obeying God is worth.
“I know there are faithful men and women, Father God, who stand for, and live by, the truth of Thy Word. However, the majority of people around us seem to want what is popular and can be measured by numbers to be successful. Be merciful to those who know better, and strengthen those who are faithful I pray: in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”