One of my favorite biblical accounts comes from the Book of 1 Kings. It is a historical account of an evil King who ruled the nation of Israel, this king’s name was Ahab. In this account, God has laid out some amazing truths which are always relevant to the child of God.
1 Kings 22:3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.
At this point in time Israel had been divided by God and had two kings. One king over the majority of the nation of Israel and one king over Judah. Ahab was king of Israel and Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. The evil king Ahab asked Jehoshaphat if he would join forces with him in battle against Ramoth in Gilead, and Jehoshaphat responded by asking king Ahab to inquire at the word of the Lord to know whether or not God would grant them victory.
King Ahab did so and gathered 400 prophets of Israel to see what message God might deliver through them. 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
The 400 prophets of Israel spoke in unison as they delivered the message from the Lord unto king Ahab.
LET’S PAUSE HERE AND CONSIDER...
Israel belonged to God, they were his people, and they were his nation. But very frequently God brought judgment upon this nation and upon these people. One of the methods God judged Israel was by setting up evil unsaved people to rule the nation of Israel for a time.
We therefore understand that the king himself, in this case king Ahab, was not a child of God. But what about the people of Israel themselves? Well, many incorrectly believe that ALL the people of Israel belonged to God since the time God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
The 400 prophets that spoke in unison unto king Ahab spoke a message they believed to be from the Lord. They ALL agreed and therefore they all were confident that God had spoken unto each of them that King Ahab would be successful and obtain victory over Ramothgilead.
What more could anyone ask for?
ONE MORE PROPHET
But Jehoshaphat, made one final request unto king Ahab before he made up his mind about going to war.
7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
Jehoshaphat wanted to know if there was anyone else that they could inquire of, not just anyone else but he wanted to know if there was another prophet of the Lord besides the 400 prophets that had already spoken in unison. What is interesting here is that these 400 prophets are also identified as prophets of the Lord. In other words, they were convinced that they (as children of Israel) belonged to God and could receive messages from God.
Yet Jehoshaphat asks if there is any other prophet that they can inquire of.
8 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. 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
King Ahab knew of 1 more prophet of God named Micaiah, but he did not like that prophet because this prophet always prophesied evil concerning this evil king and never anything good. What is interesting here are the words that king Ahab uses about Micaiah which are reiterated by Jesus Christ.
8.....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.
Luke 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
To be hated for Jesus’ name's sake is to be hated for prophesying the truth. This is precisely why king Ahab hated Micaiah but was satisfied by the words spoken by the 400 prophets of Israel, words which assured the King victory, power, wealth and dominion.
400 CONFIDENT PROPHETS
God continues to show us the confidence of these 400 prophets as they were certain that they were prophesying the words of God himself in unison.
10 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. 11 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. 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, SAYING, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.
King Ahab was being reassured by ALL 400 prophets as they continued to speak the words which they were sure came from the Lord. But was it from the Lord?
13 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.
Micaiah was asked (or told) to speak the same thing which all others had spoken unto the king, he was asked to declare good things unto the king just as the 400 prophets had spoken good things. In other words, he was asked to be in unison as the others were.
But Micaiah was the only true prophet of God there and would not declare that which man declares but rather that which God declares.
14 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.
Micaiah spoke the truth to king Ahab and the truth he spoke was the complete opposite of the words he received from his 400 prophets of Israel.
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of ALL his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of ALL these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
Now we have a much clearer understanding of what has taken place from the beginning. Micaiah told the king the truth of what exactly God’s plan for Ahab was, to die in battle at Ramothgilead, and so he did. Micaiah also explains how God was going to accomplish this, by placing a lying spirit (one demon) in the mouth of ALL 400 prophets.
The Bible teaches us that one spirit is enough to indwell many.
Mark 5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
All 400 prophets of Israel were actually false prophets and did not belong to God at all, even though they identified with God and thought they belonged to God. This account teaches us a valuable lesson regarding those who identify with Christ as belonging to Christ but in reality, they do not and never did.
Micaiah told them the truth and yet they did not believe him, in the same manner did Christ unto the pharisees and they also did not believe him.
John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they (the pharisees) to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Micaiah’s account ties in with Jesus’ account regarding speaking the truth of God’s word. It will not and cannot be heard nor believed by the unsaved, especially by those who identify themselves with belonging to God but in reality, belong to their father the devil instead.
When we see a majority of people who identify with God, holding to a false doctrine as truth, God is teaching us that he has always worked through the minority to bring his truth rather than through the majority.
Isaiah 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
1 Kings 22:3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.
At this point in time Israel had been divided by God and had two kings. One king over the majority of the nation of Israel and one king over Judah. Ahab was king of Israel and Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. The evil king Ahab asked Jehoshaphat if he would join forces with him in battle against Ramoth in Gilead, and Jehoshaphat responded by asking king Ahab to inquire at the word of the Lord to know whether or not God would grant them victory.
King Ahab did so and gathered 400 prophets of Israel to see what message God might deliver through them. 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
The 400 prophets of Israel spoke in unison as they delivered the message from the Lord unto king Ahab.
LET’S PAUSE HERE AND CONSIDER...
Israel belonged to God, they were his people, and they were his nation. But very frequently God brought judgment upon this nation and upon these people. One of the methods God judged Israel was by setting up evil unsaved people to rule the nation of Israel for a time.
We therefore understand that the king himself, in this case king Ahab, was not a child of God. But what about the people of Israel themselves? Well, many incorrectly believe that ALL the people of Israel belonged to God since the time God delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
The 400 prophets that spoke in unison unto king Ahab spoke a message they believed to be from the Lord. They ALL agreed and therefore they all were confident that God had spoken unto each of them that King Ahab would be successful and obtain victory over Ramothgilead.
What more could anyone ask for?
ONE MORE PROPHET
But Jehoshaphat, made one final request unto king Ahab before he made up his mind about going to war.
7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
Jehoshaphat wanted to know if there was anyone else that they could inquire of, not just anyone else but he wanted to know if there was another prophet of the Lord besides the 400 prophets that had already spoken in unison. What is interesting here is that these 400 prophets are also identified as prophets of the Lord. In other words, they were convinced that they (as children of Israel) belonged to God and could receive messages from God.
Yet Jehoshaphat asks if there is any other prophet that they can inquire of.
8 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. 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
King Ahab knew of 1 more prophet of God named Micaiah, but he did not like that prophet because this prophet always prophesied evil concerning this evil king and never anything good. What is interesting here are the words that king Ahab uses about Micaiah which are reiterated by Jesus Christ.
8.....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.
Luke 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
To be hated for Jesus’ name's sake is to be hated for prophesying the truth. This is precisely why king Ahab hated Micaiah but was satisfied by the words spoken by the 400 prophets of Israel, words which assured the King victory, power, wealth and dominion.
400 CONFIDENT PROPHETS
God continues to show us the confidence of these 400 prophets as they were certain that they were prophesying the words of God himself in unison.
10 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. 11 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. 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, SAYING, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.
King Ahab was being reassured by ALL 400 prophets as they continued to speak the words which they were sure came from the Lord. But was it from the Lord?
13 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.
Micaiah was asked (or told) to speak the same thing which all others had spoken unto the king, he was asked to declare good things unto the king just as the 400 prophets had spoken good things. In other words, he was asked to be in unison as the others were.
But Micaiah was the only true prophet of God there and would not declare that which man declares but rather that which God declares.
14 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.
Micaiah spoke the truth to king Ahab and the truth he spoke was the complete opposite of the words he received from his 400 prophets of Israel.
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of ALL his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of ALL these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
Now we have a much clearer understanding of what has taken place from the beginning. Micaiah told the king the truth of what exactly God’s plan for Ahab was, to die in battle at Ramothgilead, and so he did. Micaiah also explains how God was going to accomplish this, by placing a lying spirit (one demon) in the mouth of ALL 400 prophets.
The Bible teaches us that one spirit is enough to indwell many.
Mark 5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
All 400 prophets of Israel were actually false prophets and did not belong to God at all, even though they identified with God and thought they belonged to God. This account teaches us a valuable lesson regarding those who identify with Christ as belonging to Christ but in reality, they do not and never did.
Micaiah told them the truth and yet they did not believe him, in the same manner did Christ unto the pharisees and they also did not believe him.
John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they (the pharisees) to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Micaiah’s account ties in with Jesus’ account regarding speaking the truth of God’s word. It will not and cannot be heard nor believed by the unsaved, especially by those who identify themselves with belonging to God but in reality, belong to their father the devil instead.
When we see a majority of people who identify with God, holding to a false doctrine as truth, God is teaching us that he has always worked through the minority to bring his truth rather than through the majority.
Isaiah 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
