Chapter 179. 2 Chron. 18:1-271Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. 2And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead. 3And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war. 4And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day. 5Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand. 6But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? 7And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 8And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. 9And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 10And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed. 11And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 12And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good. 13And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. 14And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord? 16Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace. 17And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? 18Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? 21And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. 22Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee. 23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee? 24And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 25Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; 26And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace. 27And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people. (2 Chronicles 18:1‑27).
WHEN Jehoshaphat had become rich and powerful, he forgot, to some extent, what was due to the Lord, and made an alliance with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, and went down to Samaria to make him a visit. Ahab was very glad to see him, and made a great feast for his royal guest. He had a large number of sheep and oxen killed and roasted for Jehoshaphat and the people that were with him, not because Ahab thought so much of him, but for what advantage he might gain from so rich and great a friend. They had not been together very long when Ahab proposed that Jehoshaphat go with him to fight against the Syrians at Ramoth-Gilead and take this city, which belonged to the Israelites, but had fallen into the hands of the Syrians. The king of Judah was very willing to go. “I am as thou art,” said he, “my people as thy people, we will be with thee in the war.” Was this right? Jehoshaphat was a servant of God and Ahab a wicked idolater. Should God’s people choose their friends among Satan’s slaves and to love their company?
Jehoshaphat did not, however, like to go to battle without asking God’s mind about it. He wished Ahab to ask the prophets to tell them the word of the Lord. There were many wicked prophets of Baal in Israel then. Ahab called them all together (there were about four hundred of them) and asked, “Shall I go to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” They all answered, “Yes, go. God will give the city into thy hand.” But Jehoshaphat feared that these wicked prophets were deceiving Ahab, and inquired whether there was not a prophet of the Lord to inquire of him. The king of Israel replied, “There is yet one man, by whom we might inquire of the Lord; but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil; his name is Micaiah, the son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat still wished to see Micaiah and Ahab sent a messenger to call him.
When the messenger came to Micaiah he said, “The prophets have all declared good to the king, therefore let thy word be like theirs, and speak thou good also.” But Micaiah answered, “I shall speak the truth which God tells me to speak.” Micaiah was not afraid of Ahab’s anger, but he was very much afraid of displeasing God by speaking lies and deceit. May the Lord give every one of His own to do the same!
The two kings were sitting upon their thrones dressed in gorgeous robes, in a place that had been cleared for them at the entrance of the gates of Samaria. Before them stood the prophets of Baal, prophesying “Go to Ramoth-Gilead and prosper, for the Lord shall deliver it into the king’s hand.” One of the prophets, name Zedekiah, had made himself horns of iron, and stood with them prophesying, “Thus saith the Lord, with these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.”
When Micaiah came, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” Micaiah began to tell Ahab of the fearful message God had sent to him.
“I saw a vision, the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the holy angels standing around Him. The Lord asked who would go to tempt Ahab to go to Ramoth-Gilead that he might fall and die there. A wicked spirit came and said, I will tempt Ahab to go to Ramoth-Gilead, I will teach his prophets to lie and deceive him, and they shall persuade him to go. Then God told the wicked spirit to go and do as he had said.”
Then Micaiah turned to Ahab and continued, “These lying prophets who stand around are those whom the wicked spirit has taught to deceive. They are tempting thee to go to the battle and thou shalt fall and die there, for God Himself has spoken evil against thee.”
Zedekiah, the prophet, with the iron horns, was standing by Micaiah as this man of God was boldly testifying the truth. He became very angry, and struck Micaiah, saying, “Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee?” Micaiah answered, “Behold, thou shalt see on the day when thou shalt go to an inner chamber to hide thyself.”
Ahab commanded his servants to take away Micaiah and put him in prison, feeding him on bread and water till his return in peace. But Micaiah said, “Thou shalt never return in peace again,” and called the people to be witnesses to it.
Like Ahab, thousands are being deceived by evil spirits sent by Satan, and made to believe all is peace and safety for them, that they do not need a Saviour, that they have never done any harm; that there is plenty of time, for they will not die for a long time to come. I trust none of my readers will be so blind as to believe these things, but that God will open their eyes, and see their real lost condition before God, if yet in their sins.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
ML 06/10/1917