2 Chronicles 18:14–15: “Then [Micaiah] came to [King Ahab]; and the king said to him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?’ And he said, ‘Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!’ So the king said to him, ‘How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?'”

October 5th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

King Ahab of Israel wanted King Jehoshaphat of Judah to go to war with him against the Syrians, but Jehoshaphat wanted to ask a prophet of the Lord if they should. Ahab had many false prophets who told him whatever he wanted to hear. But there was one man of God who truly heard from the Lord, and Ahab disliked him.

This is one of those places in Scripture where the tone of voice must have conveyed more than the actual words used. We can’t tell from the words but the king’s reaction to them suggests they must have sounded very sarcastic, perhaps something like, “Oh yeah, go right ahead, King. It will be fine!” It seems that just because this prophet of God, Micaiah, actually agreed with the false prophets, King Ahab was convinced he couldn’t possibly be speaking the truth.

The reason Micaiah never had anything good to say about Ahab was because Ahab was living a life that was filled with sin and idolatry. The principle here is that we should listen carefully to what godly people say about the people we are connecting our lives to. We need to pay attention and not ignore wise, spiritual counsel that warns us against some binding relationship that might be displeasing to God. We need to beware of the self-centered person, because we can be assured that they plan to take care of themselves, as Ahab did here. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; / But in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14).

“LORD, please give us discernment and don’t let us be deceived as we walk in the counsel of Your word this day.”

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2 Chronicles 18 KJV

¹ Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. ² And 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 hadwith him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.  ³ And 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. ⁴ And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. ⁵ Therefore 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. ⁶ But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?  ⁷ And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire 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. ⁸ And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.   ⁹ And 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.  ¹⁰ And 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.  ¹¹ And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORDshall deliver it into the hand of the king. ¹² And 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.  ¹³ And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. ¹⁴ And 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. ¹⁵ And 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? ¹⁶ Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORDsaid, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace. ¹⁷ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?  ¹⁸ Again 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. ¹⁹ And 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. ²⁰ Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? ²¹ And 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. ²² Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee. ²³ Then 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? ²⁴ And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.  ²⁵ Then 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; ²⁶ And 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. ²⁷ And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORDspoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people. ²⁸ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. ²⁹ And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. ³⁰ Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. ³¹ And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORDhelped him; and God moved them to depart from him. ³² For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.  ³³ And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.    ³⁴ And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.