1 Kings: Walk Before Me FaithfullySample

King Ahab desires to go into battle against Aram. So he seeks to manipulate God’s word by getting his group of prophets to say what he wants to hear. Therefore all 400 of them endorse Ahab’s desire and plan. 

Ahab’s actions are not too unusual. We too might be tempted to support or justify our desires or plans by appealing to God’s word. We might do that by a selective use of Scripture or by taking verses out of context. Such a desire seeks to manipulate God’s word for one’s own purposes. 

What is remarkable in Ahab’s case is that Jehoshaphat, a good king of Judah, asks, ‘Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can enquire of?’ (v. 7). Perhaps he senses that these prophets are under royal patronage and thus biased. His question leads Ahab to speak ill of such a prophet, Micaiah, who is then summoned. The messenger warns Micaiah to ‘speak favourably’ to the king (v. 13). 

Micaiah’s actions are curious. First, he says to the messenger that he can only speak what God tells him to (v. 14), which is what a true prophet must do (Deuteronomy 18:15–18). But then he speaks favourably to the king (v. 15). Why did he lie? 

Certainly, Micaiah’s lie exposes that Ahab is a king hell-bent on his own particular plan, stubbornly refusing to heed God’s word. When Ahab detects the lie immediately, Micaiah then speaks the truth (v. 17). While Micaiah’s lie mimics the lying false prophets (v. 23), his speaking of the truth demonstrates what a true prophet ought to be like. The test of the prophet’s word will be whether it comes true or not (v. 28), and Micaiah’s word comes true. 

Throughout the Books of Kings, we see various kings seeking to ignore or manipulate God’s word. That occurs today as well. Adulterers, tax cheats, greedy preachers, those who lust for power in churches and those who lack generosity can all falsely quote the Bible to support their actions. What about you? What are your desires and plans?

Reflection

‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man’ (Matthew 7:24).