1 Kings - Lesson 22A

• Last week, we witnessed the wrongful death of Naboth, at the hands of Jezebel all because Ahab wanted what he could not have.

  • We saw that Jezebel’s ways led to the weight of this crime to fall in the hands of Ahab.

    • And because of Ahab’s inability to have a backbone, he gives in to the ways of his wife and took possession of the land that was not his.

  • Ahab was ultimately confronted by a prophet that disguises himself to address Ahab for his wrongdoing.

    • The prophet addresses Ahab’s impending consequences by way of a story.

  • It was then from that story, that Ahab was able to realize that the story given was reflective of Ahab’s present situation and impending judgement.

    • A choice would have to be made!

    • Either Ahab would repent and turn from his ways or forfeit his entire lineage and house.

  • Surprisingly, Ahab humbles himself and repents and, for a time, is able to avoid the judgment that was coming for him.

• However, tonight we will find Ahab right back at his old ways as if nothing has changed.

  • If I were to put an outline to our text tonight, we will see the following things:

    • 1. Should I stay or should I go (vv.1-12)

    • 2. Unfiltered Truth | Vision Part 1 (vv.13-18)

    • 3. Unfiltered Truth | Vision Part 2 (vv.19-23)

    • 4. Adding Insult to Injury (vv.24-29)

  • If I were to put a tag on our text tonight, it would simply be: The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth.

    • With that being said, I invite you to meet me in 1 Kings 22 beginning with verses 1-12 for the reading of the word of the Lord.

1 Kings 22:1 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.
1 Kings 22:2 In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
1 Kings 22:3 Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”
1 Kings 22:4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
1 Kings 22:5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.”
1 Kings 22:6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
1 Kings 22:7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?”
1 Kings 22:8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”
1 Kings 22:9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.”
1 Kings 22:10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
1 Kings 22:11 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’ ”
1 Kings 22:12 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

• The writer lets us know that three years of peace have occurred since Ben-Hadad and Israel had been in war – a battle known as the “Battle of Aphek”.

  • The first time that Israel and the Arameans fought was in 1 Kings 20:26-34 and now a new battle was beginning to brew at Ramoth in Gilead.

    • The question becomes: “What caused the sudden change from peace to conflict between two allies, Israel and the Arameans?”

    • Unfortunately, scripture does not provide us this information, but the history books do.

  • We are told through Assyrian record that there was a battle between the two battles of Aphek and Ramoth-Gilead.

    • This battle was known as the “Battle of Qarqar” which consisted of Israel and the allied Aramean army against the Assyrians dated around 853 BC.

    • So, although scripture does not include this battle in the biblical account, we are able to see through history what potential impacts caused allied divisions.

    • Perhaps after that battle, Ahab got beside himself and sought to reclaim their once occupied territory in Ramoth-gilead.

    • Whatever the case, we can see that verse 1 alone is setting the scene and stage for why a new ally would be necessary.

  • It’s in verse 2 that we are told that in the third year, a troubling year for Ahab, that Jehoshaphat, King of Judah comes down to the king of Israel.

    • Now this should raise some questions as well: “Why is the king of Judah visiting the king of Israel?”

    • …Especially given the history between the now two separate kingdoms.

    • Here is where scripture referencing scripture, historically, becomes beneficial.

  • We find the reason for King Jehoshaphat’s coming down to King Ahab of Israel in 2 Chronicles 18:1-2. Check out the text.

2 Chronicles 18:1 Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab.
2 Chronicles 18:2 Some years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

• We are told by the writer of Chronicles that Jehoshaphat allied himself to Ahab by marrying his daughter.

  • So out of perhaps obligation to their alliance, Jehoshaphat comes down to meet with his father-in-law.

  • So far, this unlikely alliance already seems like a stretch since the Southern Kingdom is devoted to Yahweh.

  • Along with that, Israel has continued in the ways of idolatry which means there’s only a matter of time before there is conflict that will arise.

  • Ahab’s invitation to Jehoshaphat to come to Israel was to recapture Ramoth-gilead from Ben-Hadad and he needed the manpower to do it.

    • And like a good son-in-law and fellow countrymen, Jehoshaphat tells him, “Whatever you need.”

    • But like any good king and steward of resources, King Jehoshaphat inquires if this pursuit has even been submitted to the Lord.

    • Here, we can see that Jehoshaphat is committed to Yahweh and His ways and seeks to operate with wisdom.

  • So to satisfy the requests of Jehoshaphat, Ahab assembles 400 prophets of Israel to bring comfort to King Jehoshaphat’s inquiry.

    • However, in their response, there was this sense of a uniformed manufactured answer than was a true answer from the Lord.

    • And this was the pattern of the Northern Kingdom, that when the king wanted something, he got what he wanted.

    • Therefore, when Ahab asks them if he shall go to reclaim Ramoth-gilead, they answer with a unanimous yes and said that the Lord will provide it.

  • However, it’s in verse 7 that King Jehoshaphat sees this little act as suspicious at best.

    • Although these prophets may not have been Baal prophets, it is clear that these 400 men were compromised or apostate at best.

    • The M.O. of the false prophets is that they give the people what they want to hear and not what they “NEED” to hear.

    • So, it becomes clear that King Jehoshaphat was seeking the wisdom of the Lord and knew what the truth was.

  • So, the King of Judah inquires for another prophet of the Lord– this time one who lacks not in truth but only what the Lord says.

    • And what becomes so mind-blowing is Ahab’s response!

    • But as expected, Ahab responds to Jehoshaphat in a similar manner to the previous chapter when things didn’t go his way with the vineyard.

  • Ahab tells Jehoshaphat that there is one man that is a prophet of the Lord, but he doesn’t like him – a prophet named Micaiah.

    • And the reason for his disdain for this prophet is that “he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

    • In other words, this prophet doesn’t tell me what I want to hear.

  • Friends, when your reception of truth becomes more about how you feel than what is real, therein lies a huge problem.

    • Truth is not meant to conform to your desires, but rather, we are meant to conform to truth.

    • And this simply goes to show that Ahab is still wrestling with Yahweh as it relates to what is acceptable or not.

    • So to conform to Jehoshaphat’s requirement of seeking wisdom, Ahab sends word out for Micaiah despite his reservations.

  • While they await the arrival of Micaiah before the two kings, the writer makes known that they are awaiting at the threshing floor at the gate entry.

    • The threshing floor was an elevated area which gave way for the kings to look out amongst large crowds.

    • And apparently, while sitting at the threshing floor, the prophets that Ahab assembled are steadily prophesying before the kings.

    • It’s almost as if they are wanting to get an answer from the Lord before Micaiah arrives and the spotlight is stolen from them.

  • It’s in verses 11-12 that we are told that Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah makes horns of iron for himself claiming that the Lord spoke to him a word of victory.

    • Clearly, Zedekiah and these prophets are looking for any and every opportunity to give way for King Ahab’s unwise pursuit of Ben-Hadad.

    • Ahab and his prophets are yearning for this sense of victory and future hope, yet all the while seeking to hear the truth from the prophet’s mouth.

    • Check out verses 13-18.

1 Kings 22:13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”
1 Kings 22:14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.”
1 Kings 22:15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
1 Kings 22:16 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
1 Kings 22:17 So he said, “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.’ ”
1 Kings 22:18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

• Upon returning to the threshing floor, the messenger arriving with the prophet Micaiah says to him in few short words, try your best to agree with the statement of these prophets.

  • In other words, give the king a favorable response that pleases him.

    • To which Micaiah responds, in few short words, “I will only say what the Lord gives me the words to say.”

    • So, Micaiah stands firmly on the fact that he will not compromise for the sake of pleasing the king.

    • I’m sure this statement had the messenger shaking his head as if to say, “Here we go again!”

  • Once Micaiah comes before King Ahab, he is asked the same question as the other prophets, “Shall we go to battle at Ramoth-gilead or not?”

    • At this point, two things are happening potentially:

    • 1) Ahab is expecting Micaiah to be forthright and deliver truthful news in which Ahab will deem upsetting in his sight.

    • 2) Micaiah, familiar with the king’s ways will sarcastically appeal to the king’s desires – almost as if taunting him.

  • And without hesitation, Micaiah speaks according to the false words from the other prophets.

    • You can tell that Micaiah’s response is one of sarcasm because Ahab immediately responds with equal sarcasm demanding the truth.

• This reminds me of the scene in the 1992 film, “A Few Good Men”, where Tom Cruise’s character angrily tells Jack Nicolson’s character, “I want the truth!”

  • To which Jack Nicolson responds by saying, “You can’t handle the truth!”

  • Here it was: Ahab wanted what he wanted, and gathers a group of prophets to bend their ways to his, yet Ahab is confronted with an obstacle.

    • Truth must be revealed for the king of Judah to move forward with his plans to join in the battle at Ramoth-gilead.

    • Therefore, it forces Ahab’s hand.

    • Truth will always be made known in the end!

    • It’s almost as if Micaiah uses the “sleight of hand” trick to ultimately have Ahab face the reality of what the truth really was.

    • And the reality is: When it comes to the truth, our flesh doesn’t handle the truth very well!

  • Yet, when one comes face to face with the truth, or even better, demands the truth to be told – you have to “face the music”.

    • Ahab is now forced to face the reality of his wanting to hear the truth.

    • Micaiah, in verse 17, tells Ahab a vision in which the Lord gave him concerning the people of Israel – the very people in whom Ahab is to shepherd.

    • Check out verse 17 again:

1 Kings 22:17 So he said, “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.’ ”

• Micaiah’s vision from the Lord speaks to a sore spot in the heart of the king because what the Lord is pointing to is Israel’s lack of a true Shepherd resulting in a lack of leadership.

  • This idea of sheep being scattered is indicative of wandering sheep in need of someone to adequately lead them in the right direction.

    • Clearly this news was a mouthful!

  • The vision continues by mentioning the fact that Israel, these sheep, have no master and that the sheep will return to their house in peace.

    • If we are properly following what Micaiah has been shown by the Lord, it would mean that the master in this vision is none other than Ahab.

    • And if the people no longer have a master in that case and return to their homes in peace, it would mean that the master has died.

  • The logical conclusion to this vision is that in this coming battle king Ahab would die, yet the people would not be violently pursued.

• As a quick overviewing note here, the phrase, “sheep without a shepherd” should be quite familiar to us, especially when we think about the New Testament.

  • In both Matthew and Mark’s gospel, Jesus refers to National Israel in that same way – they were like “Sheep without a Shepherd”.

    • That where the Pharisees should have been accurately teaching Torah and leading them in truth, the leadership of the day deceived the people.

    • Ultimately, the people of Israel were so malnourished that the majority would seek to continue on in the ways of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

  • This is why Jesus says in Matthew 23:37, the following words to the Jewish people in His day:

Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Matthew 23:38 “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!
Matthew 23:39 “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

• Truth requires a choice to be made. You will either respond rightly or self-righteously.

  • So, where Ahab continued to reject the truth and wisdom of the Lord, He would suffer the impending consequences.

  • And as a result, the people would be placed under new leadership.

  • It was clear that Ahab did not take kindly to the truth that he requested, but was not ready for.

    • And if that vision wasn’t enough to make the point, Micaiah continues with the rest of what the Lord had shown him in the vision.

    • Check out verses 19-23

1 Kings 22:19 Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear 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 and on His left.
1 Kings 22:20 “The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that.
1 Kings 22:21 “Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
1 Kings 22:22 “The Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.’
1 Kings 22:23 “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.”

• We now find ourselves at an interesting cross-section of the biblical text.

  • These verses are still discussed amongst many scholars and theologians regarding the character and nature of God.

    • We see that in Micaiah’s vision that the Lord is deliberating with some of the heavenly court (angelic realm).

    • And the issue of Ahab going to Ramoth-gilead comes into discussion as to who will “entice” Ahab to go.

  • After the Lord asks this question, we are told that an angel stands before the Lord and says that he will “go out and be a deceiving spirit”.

    • Here is where the text gets tricky for some in their understanding of what’s happening.

• The question becomes: “Wait! If God is good and is truthful and cannot lie, how can he put a deceiving spirit in anyone to do anything against His very nature?

  • There will be some that say, what about Titus 1:2 where Paul says that “…God cannot lie”

    • Or what about Numbers 23:19 where it states “…God is not a man that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent;”

    • Or Hebrews 6:18 where we are told it is impossible for God to lie.

  • In every instance, we know that God can not lie and never will.

    • At the same time, within this fallen world, the Lord can use whomever He chooses to accomplish His purposes. (Job)

    • I believe James 1:13-17 provides a solid explanation for how the Lord can retain His Holy Character and accomplish His divine will and oath through the brokenness of man. Check out the text.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
James 1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

• The best way to understand this text and how the Lord uses the deceiving spirit is boiled down to God’s Sovereignty.

  • There is nothing and no one that can operate outside of the divine jurisdiction of the Lord without the Lord’s permission.

  • This goes for human beings, angels, and demons alike!

  • Satan himself has boundaries by which the Sovereign Lord has established, and the enemy can’t go outside the storyline. (As in the Book of Job)

    • And the beautiful reality is, you and I as believers know the story line because it is outlined for us in these 66 books.

  • What we see the writer doing here in showing us this spiritual vision is how the scene of the 400 prophets played out and eventually how it would conclude.

    • In other words, the Lord, knowing that Ahab was deceiving Himself, the lying spirit (angel) influenced the prophets in a way that deceived Ahab into fighting against Ben-Hadad.

  • Some may argue at this point and say, “Why wouldn’t the Lord provide Ahab with another opportunity or show him some grace?”

    • The reality was, Ahab had been given the truth by Micaiah in the first half of the vision – Ahab just didn’t want to listen.

    • So, what happens when truth is rejected repeatedly – you are given over to your own pattern of lust.

    • Paul writes the following in Romans 1:28:

Romans 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

• The Lord in His Sovereign Will simply gave Ahab over to his ways which ultimately played into the Lord’s prophecy regarding Ahab dying in war according to 1 Kings 20:41-43 and 1 Kings 21:17-29.

  • What we are seeing is that God’s word will not return unto Him void.

  • I like how Theologian, Robert Chisholm Jr., expresses God’s role in Ahab’s demise in his article in Bibliotheca Sacra. He says the following:

“… God is truthful in that He keeps His unconditional promises to His people and fulfills His sovereign decrees and oaths. God’s commitment to truthfulness, however, does not mean that He never uses deceit as a method of judgment on sinners. But He does so without compromising His truthful character and commitment to righteousness.”

• So, imagine hearing this vision from the Lord – a true word from the mouth of the prophet – many would have been taken aback.

  • However, as we will see in verses 24-28, this wasn’t going to be taken kindly. Check out the text.

1 Kings 22:24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”
1 Kings 22:25 Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.”
1 Kings 22:26 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son;
1 Kings 22:27 and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ”
1 Kings 22:28 Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people.”
1 Kings 22:29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead.

• Upon hearing that the 400 prophets were given a lying spirit to deceive the king, without hesitation Zedekiah, one of those prophets, came and slapped Micaiah in the face.

  • Now, a slap in the face in that day was much worse and meant much more than what it does today.

    • In that day a slap in the face was deemed a great insult which meant that Zedekiah was greatly offended at Micaiah’s words.

    • For Zedekiah’s perspective he was claiming that his prophecy was in fact from the Lord and not false.

    • This is why Zedekiah makes the statement, “How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”

  • What becomes quite comical is Micaiah’s response because he is not moved by Zedekiah’s defensive language.

    • Micaiah is not looking to do the back and forth because he knows what the truth is and who the truth comes from.

    • Therefore, he leaves his statement to stand on its own and lets him know that the Lord will show you Himself soon enough.

  • What an amazing point of application here: The truth of the word of God needs no defense – it stands on its own!

    • As my wife likes to say: The truth is always inconvenient to the agenda of man!

    • Therefore, if truth is consistently rejected, the Lord can show you better than He can tell you!

  • Following this scene, King Ahab orders Micaiah to be removed and held prisoner under Amon the city mayor and the king’s royal official.

    • Again, here was the attempt to shut the mouth of Micaiah which was ultimately an attempt to shut the mouth of the Lord.

  • Ahab seeks to remove all nourishment for Micaiah, both food and water.

    • But the key to this coming poetic justice are the words to Ahab’s conditional statement regarding Micaiah’s nourishment.

    • Ahab says, “Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.”

  • Ahab, it seems, failed to have listened to the prayer of Moses found in Psalm 90 where he writes this in Psalm 90:12:

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

• For Ahab to assume that he would be returning from war this go round presented a sense of self-confidence.

  • He had once again failed to realize who was the One upholding him and keeping him from the dangers that had surrounded him.

  • So when Ahab confidently mentions his safe return, Micaiah responds quick wittedly, “If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by Me.”

    • In other words, Micaiah lets him know, you won’t be returning as you suspect.

    • And Micaiah has the people, in few short words, to mark his very words. In other words, “you will see what I have spoken is true so pay attention.”

  • Next week, we will complete the remaining verses of 1 Kings, verses 29-53, and what we will see is that the word of the Lord does not return void.

    • This theme of Divine Truth being adhered to has been a constantly repeated theme throughout Ahab’s reign.

    • But what I pray we see all the more, is that the Lord will always come through and evil will always be dealt with.

  • May we never abuse the grace of God because we seek to give license to our sin.

    • Rather, may we submit our will and desires to the Lord and allow His truth to define us as we walk with Him.

    • Let’s Pray.

Citations:

• R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 733. See the map “The Assyrian Empire” in Merrill, Kingdom of …, p. 362. Assyrian records establish a date as to this battle and records of King Shalmaneser royal records which survived and are on display in the British Museum.

• Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), 1 Ki 22:1.

• Robert B. Chisholm Jr., “Does God Deceive?” Bibliotheca Sacra 155:617 (January-March 1998):16-17.