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Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

1 Kings 22
John 8:12-29

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

1 Kings 22:13 (CSB): “The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, ‘Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.’”

Reflecting on God’s Word

First Kings 22 recounts a very interesting, insightful story. The king of Judah (Jehoshaphat) went to visit the king of Israel (Ahab). While he was there, King Ahab asked King Jehoshaphat if he wanted to help Israel in battle to reclaim a city, Ramoth-gilead, that had previously belonged to Israel.

King Jehoshaphat was open to the idea, but he wanted to know what the Lord thought about it. He asked if there were any prophets who could inform them about whether they should go to battle. King Ahab called for all of his prophets, and they were clearly suck-ups. They embarrassed themselves with their overly flattering works and visuals in their attempt to tell the kings that they would be victorious in battle. They falsely claimed that God would be with them.

King Jehoshaphat saw right through it. He saw those phony prophets for who they really were. He wouldn’t go into battle on such whimsical assurances. So he asked if there was a legitimate prophet of the Lord anywhere nearby. King Ahab said there was one named Micaiah, but Ahab hated that prophet because he never prophesied anything good about him.

When someone went to fetch Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord, he was encouraged to say something positive. He was told that the other prophets were assuring the king of God’s favor and victory in battle. He really needed to join in those same affirmations.

1 Kings 22:13 (CSB): “The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, ‘Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.'”

Apparently, when Micaiah showed up and agreed with the previous prophets, he did so in such a way that King Ahab could tell he wasn’t serious. So, Ahab told him that he needed to say what the Lord had given him to say.

And that’s when Micaiah prophesied that if the two kings went to war, the Lord would resoundingly defeat them.

Which prophet was much more pleasant to listen to? The first ones, of course. They were saying exactly what King Ahab wanted to hear.

The second prophet, Micaiah, didn’t say what the king wanted to hear, but he said what the king needed to hear. Unfortunately, neither of the kings valued his warnings. Defeat and death ensued.

This is what we should look for in pastors, Bible, teachers, and faithful friends. Of course, we want people to affirm us and tell us nothing but good things. But what we actually need is someone to be honest with us. That doesn’t mean that their message will necessarily be negative. But it does mean that if there is something negative that needs to be said, they will fear God more than us and will say what needs to be said, not necessarily what we want to be said.

King Ahab did not listen to the warning that came from Micaiah’s mouth. As a result, he went into battle and to his death. He should have listened to Micaiah, a prophet of the Lord.

Friend, be sure to surround yourself with people who love you, the Lord, and His Word enough to be honest, sometimes painfully honest, when they speak. Even if we perceive their message to be “negative,” it may still be the very thing we need to hear.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you find people who will be honest with you and not necessarily say only what you want to hear.
  • Ask God to help you humbly and yet courageously “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) to others, at least those to whom you have the right to speak such truth.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into the account in 2 Kings 22, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“Who was Micaiah in the Bible?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)