Micaiah Speaking Truth to Power 1 King 22:15-28 May 2, 2021

Here we have king Ahab of Israel wanting to regain control of Ramoth-Gilead from Syria. He goes to King Jehoshaphat of Judah to enlist his aid to help defeat Syria.  King Jehoshaphat agrees to go into battle but being faithful to God he wants to hear from God before he proceeds. King Ahab gets 400 of his prophets. He seeks their advice. They tell King Ahab to wage war because God will give him the victory. But even the 400 are not enough to satisfy King Jehoshaphat.

So, King Ahab calls for the prophet Micaiah with great reluctance. It seems that Micaiah opposes any project Ahab has in mind. When the king ask Micaiah should they go to war against Ramoth-Gilead Micaiah’s response is,’ attack and we victorious for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand!’ whether it is the tone in his voice or the expression in Micaiah’s face, King Ahab does not believe Micaiah is being truthful. He then insists that Micaiah give him an honest answer. Micaiah then tells him, “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 goes home in peace”. The king of Israel turns to Jehoshaphat and states, ‘Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me but evil’?

Then Micaiah tells Ahab to listen as he has a word from God. Micaiah goes on to say that he saw the Lord sitting on his throne with the hosts of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. The Lord asks who would entice Ahab to go into battle at Ramoth-Gilead and to his death. Several suggestions are made. Then a spirit come before the Lord and say” I will entice him”. “By what means”, the Lord asks. And the spirit said that he would be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of his prophets. The Lord gave him permission to do this. And told him he would succeed in enticing him.  Micaiah warned Ahab that the spirit put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all the prophets for the purpose of his demise.

Because of the wickedness of Ahab this was how God would destroy Ahab. Instead of listening to Micaiah’s warning, Ahab had him thrown into jail until he returned from battle with Syria. Ahab orders the jailers to give Micaiah nothing but bread and water until he returns safely from battle. Micaiah hears this and says that if Ahab returns safely from battle then the Lord has not spoken through me. He challenges the people to mark his words. In other words, take special note of his words. Micaiah knows that his prophecy is true and is from God. And that Ahab will not return safely from battle and people will know with surety that God has spoken through him.