Speak Truth
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Key Verse: “Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.” Selected Scripture: |
WHEN KING JEHOSHAPHAT of Judah visited King Ahab of Israel, Ahab asked, Why haven’t we done anything to get back Ramoth of Gilead from the king of Syria? Ahab said it belongs to us. He proposed to Jehoshaphat that they should jointly go up to battle against Ramoth. Jehoshaphat suggested that they should inquire first for the “word of the Lord,” to be sure of what he wants us to do.—I Kings 22:5
Ahab gathered about four hundred prophets together at the city gate and he asked them whether he should attack or not. They gave a unanimous response, “Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” (vs. 6) Among them was Zedekiah who had made “horns of iron” as a symbol (vs. 11), and announced that with those horns Ahab would push the Assyrians until he consumed them. Jehoshaphat was not satisfied with that answer and asked if there wasn’t another prophet there through whom they could consult the Lord. Ahab replied that there was still one—Micaiah, son of Imlah, “but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”—vs. 8
Micaiah was sent for, however, and urged to agree with the other prophets. First he expressed an ironical agreement; then he openly foretold the defeat of Ahab’s army and the death of Ahab himself. 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?”—vss. 17,18
Micaiah said, “Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you.” (vs. 23, New American Standard) Ahab ordered the prophet be arrested and thrown in jail until he returned from battle. Micaiah, however, had a different view. He said to the king, “If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.”—vs. 28
Before the two kings went into battle, Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself [in armor], and went into the battle.” (vs. 30) When the enemy saw King Jehoshaphat in his royal robes they thought surely it was the king of Israel and they attacked him. He cried out and they realized he was not the king of Israel so they turned back from pursuing him.
Someone shot an arrow at random, however, and it struck Ahab between the joints of his armor. Badly wounded, toward evening, he died. They washed his chariot and “the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake.”—vs. 38
Elijah had prophesied (I Kings 21:19) that the dogs would lick Ahab’s blood. Although Ahab and Jezebel threatened Elijah, they were idle threats. Elijah’s prophecy concerning the death of both was fulfilled. Likewise the Lord’s people have prophesied concerning events to come.