Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria:
In the past, the King of Syria had made a deal with Israel's King to restore some cities to Israel in exchange for mercy after he suffered a defeat in war (1 Kings 20:34). It would appear that Ben-Hadad never restored this city to Israeli control. This city was a crucial one for military purposes.
And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?” (1 Kings 22:7)
Jehoshaphat accurately discerned that even though these prophets prophesied in the name of the Lord, they were not the prophets of the Lord.
So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” (1 Kings 21:8)
Ahab hated the messenger because of the message. Actually, his real conflict was with God, but he focused his hatred against the prophet Micaiah - the messenger.
This is also many times the case with people; they hate the messenger because of the message. Actually, the problem lies with their relationship with God. If they can only get their relationship right with the LORD, they will accept the message as well as the messenger.
False teachers often sugarcoat their messages. People love sugar-coated messages and then the messenger is also appreciated and idolized.
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.” (1 Kings 21:13)
Speaking words of encouragement is good, but it is even better to speak the word of the Lord. The Prophetic Mandate is only to speak what the Lord says. Michaiah rightly said, “ the Lord lives; I will speak what the Lord says to me.”
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” (1 Kings 22:18)
King Ahab said that he wanted the truth – but he couldn’t handle the truth.
Even Pilate asked Lord Jesus what is Truth? He wanted the Truth, but I believe he could not handle it, and this is the reason why Jesus was silent.
Many times people write to me asking me what could be the reason for the problem they are facing. I have often asked the LORD, and He surprisingly is silent on such occasions. I asked Him about the reason for His silence, and it was then He led me to this verse of scripture.
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. (1 Kings 22:29-30)
The ironic thing is that the wicked king Ahab internally believed in Micaiah’s prophecy and tried to stop it from coming to pass, whereas Jehoshaphat, the godly king, in spite of knowing that the prophecy was from the Lord, went into battle foolishly.
31 Now, the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great but only with the king of Israel.” 32 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him. (1 Kings 22:31-32)
This is the strategy of the enemy. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. This is why it is very important that the congregation prays for the pastor, the leaders and their families.
Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not. (1 Kings 22:49)
Now Jehoshaphat got wiser and would not associate himself with wrong associations, having almost lost his life once.
In the past, the King of Syria had made a deal with Israel's King to restore some cities to Israel in exchange for mercy after he suffered a defeat in war (1 Kings 20:34). It would appear that Ben-Hadad never restored this city to Israeli control. This city was a crucial one for military purposes.
And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?” (1 Kings 22:7)
Jehoshaphat accurately discerned that even though these prophets prophesied in the name of the Lord, they were not the prophets of the Lord.
So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” (1 Kings 21:8)
Ahab hated the messenger because of the message. Actually, his real conflict was with God, but he focused his hatred against the prophet Micaiah - the messenger.
This is also many times the case with people; they hate the messenger because of the message. Actually, the problem lies with their relationship with God. If they can only get their relationship right with the LORD, they will accept the message as well as the messenger.
False teachers often sugarcoat their messages. People love sugar-coated messages and then the messenger is also appreciated and idolized.
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.” (1 Kings 21:13)
Speaking words of encouragement is good, but it is even better to speak the word of the Lord. The Prophetic Mandate is only to speak what the Lord says. Michaiah rightly said, “ the Lord lives; I will speak what the Lord says to me.”
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” (1 Kings 22:18)
King Ahab said that he wanted the truth – but he couldn’t handle the truth.
Even Pilate asked Lord Jesus what is Truth? He wanted the Truth, but I believe he could not handle it, and this is the reason why Jesus was silent.
Many times people write to me asking me what could be the reason for the problem they are facing. I have often asked the LORD, and He surprisingly is silent on such occasions. I asked Him about the reason for His silence, and it was then He led me to this verse of scripture.
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. (1 Kings 22:29-30)
The ironic thing is that the wicked king Ahab internally believed in Micaiah’s prophecy and tried to stop it from coming to pass, whereas Jehoshaphat, the godly king, in spite of knowing that the prophecy was from the Lord, went into battle foolishly.
31 Now, the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great but only with the king of Israel.” 32 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him. (1 Kings 22:31-32)
This is the strategy of the enemy. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. This is why it is very important that the congregation prays for the pastor, the leaders and their families.
Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not. (1 Kings 22:49)
Now Jehoshaphat got wiser and would not associate himself with wrong associations, having almost lost his life once.
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