The Kings Of Israel And Judah. Day 88, Micaiah Prophesies Against King Ahab, Part One

King Ahab of Israel has asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah to join forces with him to retake Ramoth Gilead from the kingdom of Aram. Ahab had made a treaty with Ben-Hadad king of Aram against the Lord's wishes and the terms of that agreement were that Ben-Hadad would return all the cities his late father had taken from Israel. Ben-Hadad has not kept his end of the bargain, at least not where the city of Ramoth Gilead is concerned.

Jehoshaphat said he was willing to help Ahab but only if they consulted the Lord first. Ahab called in 400 of his own state-sponsored prophets---prophets he could count on to say what he wanted to hear---and Jehoshaphat recognized them as heathen prophets and asked, "Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?" Ahab pouted and replied grumpily, "There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." 

Many scholars believe Micaiah is the unnamed prophet from Chapter 21 who predicted the impending death of King Ahab. I think this is quite possible but Ahab calls for him anyway upon Jehoshaphat's insistence. The two men sit at court in a public place to hear what the prophets have to say. 

"Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, 'This is what the Lord says: With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.' All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. 'Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,' they said, 'for the Lord will give it into the king's hand.'" (1 Kings 22:10-12, 2 Chronicles 18:9-11) These prophets are using the name of the Lord and some scholars speculate that at one time at least some of them actually were true prophets but were seduced into idolatry by the prestige and wealth offered to them by Ahab. Whether they were ever really prophets of the Lord or not, they know Jehoshaphat will not take their word for anything unless they invoke the name of the Lord. They must speak in His name whether or not they ever have recognized Him as Lord themselves. They are committing a crime worthy of death, for the Lord said this about false prophets: "A prophet who presumes to speak in My name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death." (Deuteronomy 18:20) 

Micaiah doesn't intend to say anything the Lord doesn't tell him to say. "The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, 'Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.' But Micaiah said, 'As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.'" (1 Kings 22:13-14, 2 Chronicles 18:12-13) I can't tell whether the messenger is saying threateningly, "Make your words agree with theirs or else!", or whether he is concerned for the prophet's life and is warning him, "Here is what the other prophets are saying and to protect yourself you must say the same." When Micaiah arrives he will sarcastically parrot the exact words he hears the false prophets chanting and his manner of speaking will make it clear to Ahab that he is not being serious. Micaiah knows Ahab won't take to heart anything he says anyway, so when called upon to speak he will do it in an exaggerated, grandiose manner like the false prophets are employing and Ahab will know he is being mocked. 

"When he arrived, the king asked him, 'Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead or not?' 'Attack and be victorious,' he answered, 'for the Lord will give it into the king's hand.' The king said to him, 'How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?'" (1 Kings 22:15-16, 2 Chronicles 18:14-15) Ahab puts Micaiah under oath and again puts his question to him, knowing he will not lie while under an oath taken in the Lord's name. The Lord's name doesn't mean much to Ahab but he knows the Lord's name means everything to Micaiah. Ahab is hoping, I am sure, that the Lord actually will command the army to retake Ramoth Gilead. If Micaiah says this is what is to be done, Jehoshaphat will get fully on board with the endeavor and merge his troops with Ahab's.

"Then Micaiah answered, '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 go home in peace.' The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad?'" (1 Kings 22:17-18, 2 Chronicles 18:16-17) Micaiah sees the king of Israel killed in battle. In this vision Ahab is symbolized as the shepherd and the soldiers of his army are the sheep. Ahab knows exactly what Micaiah is saying, which is why he turns to Jehoshaphat and complains, "I told you it was no use sending for him! He always predicts disaster for me. He hates me and will never have a positive message for me, not even if the Lord gives him one."

In the second half of our study of this text, Micaiah will have more to say against the king of Israel. Unfortunately, neither the king of Israel nor the king of Judah will be dissuaded from going to war with the Arameans.