I Kings 22:1-16
“And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead?” (I Kings 22:1-4a)
In the last battle with Israel, Benhadad had lost a hundred twenty seven thousand men and had himself been forced to surrender. He had agreed to return all the land Syria had taken in exchange for his life and Syria being allowed to remain a free country. Three years later, he had not kept his promise, hanging on to Ramoth Gilead.
When Jehoshaphat, King of Judah came down to meet with Ahab, he brought up Syria’s refusal to turn over Ramoth Gilead as the treaty specified. He asked Jehoshaphat if he would be willing to help them take it back.
“And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.” (I Kings 22:4b-5)
Though they had been enemies for years, they were both Jews, and Jehoshaphat’s immediate response was to agree to go and help set those other Jews free of Syria. After he thought about it, he realized they hadn’t asked God what he wanted and asked Ahab to see what God said.
“Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” (I Kings 22:6)
Ahab had gotten rid of most of the prophets of God because they wouldn’t agree with him, appointing men who agreed with him to serve as prophets instead. When Ahab asked this group of advisors they all told him it would turn out just the way Ahab wanted it. Sadly, our president and Congress does very much the same thing, choosing only advisors who will say what they want to hear.
“And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.
And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.” (I kings 22:7-9)
Jehoshaphat recognized the dangers of using only advisors who are depend on your approval for advice. He asked if there was not a prophet of God, who had no vested interest in saying what Ahab wanted to hear.
Ahab acknowledged that there was one, but that he hated him because he never agreed with him, always warning that what he proposed was going to turn out badly. His response was much like President Obama’s comment this past week when asked if there was any possibility of working with the Republicans to get some laws passed. He was quoted as saying there were some he could work with because they were smart and agreed with him but most of them weren’t that smart, and he couldn’t work with them.
Jehoshaphat didn’t think they should dismiss an opposing viewpoint so lightly, but should at least consider their reasons. After all, even Ahab could make a mistake. Since he needed Jehoshaphat’s support, Ahab agreed to at least let the other side present their case.
“And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.” (I Kings 22:10-12)
While they waited for Micaiah to arrive, Ahab’s advisors did everything the could to convince Jehoshaphat that Ahab’s plan was what God wanted and the best possible solution. They had a hearing in which Ahab’s “experts” testified using various demonstrations to reinforce their statements and fix them more firmly in mind.
“And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. So he came to the king. “ (I Kings 22:13-15a)
While he wasn’t offered a bribe, it was made very clear that if Micaiah would testify like the other prophets, he would be better off. In our capitol it would have amounted to a veiled warning that the he would be investigated by the IRS or secrets leaked to the news media if he didn’t go along. Micaiah refused to bow to the pressure.
"And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear?
And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?” (I Kings 22:15b-16)
When Ahab asked whether they should go, Micaiah told them they’d surely win since all the other prophets said so. Ahab knew instantly that Micaiah didn‘t really believe what he said and demanded to know what God really said. Obviously, he suspected it was not God’s will, especially after Elijah’s statement in I Kings 20:42. “And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.” There was no doubt that Elijah knew what God said.
A key feature of making wise decisions is accurately assessing both the benefits and risks of a course of action. Every action we take has potential bad results. Which need to be considered. When people oppose a plan, it is wise to find out why, because they may have information we don’t.
“And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead?” (I Kings 22:1-4a)
In the last battle with Israel, Benhadad had lost a hundred twenty seven thousand men and had himself been forced to surrender. He had agreed to return all the land Syria had taken in exchange for his life and Syria being allowed to remain a free country. Three years later, he had not kept his promise, hanging on to Ramoth Gilead.
When Jehoshaphat, King of Judah came down to meet with Ahab, he brought up Syria’s refusal to turn over Ramoth Gilead as the treaty specified. He asked Jehoshaphat if he would be willing to help them take it back.
“And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.” (I Kings 22:4b-5)
Though they had been enemies for years, they were both Jews, and Jehoshaphat’s immediate response was to agree to go and help set those other Jews free of Syria. After he thought about it, he realized they hadn’t asked God what he wanted and asked Ahab to see what God said.
“Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” (I Kings 22:6)
Ahab had gotten rid of most of the prophets of God because they wouldn’t agree with him, appointing men who agreed with him to serve as prophets instead. When Ahab asked this group of advisors they all told him it would turn out just the way Ahab wanted it. Sadly, our president and Congress does very much the same thing, choosing only advisors who will say what they want to hear.
“And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.
And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.” (I kings 22:7-9)
Jehoshaphat recognized the dangers of using only advisors who are depend on your approval for advice. He asked if there was not a prophet of God, who had no vested interest in saying what Ahab wanted to hear.
Ahab acknowledged that there was one, but that he hated him because he never agreed with him, always warning that what he proposed was going to turn out badly. His response was much like President Obama’s comment this past week when asked if there was any possibility of working with the Republicans to get some laws passed. He was quoted as saying there were some he could work with because they were smart and agreed with him but most of them weren’t that smart, and he couldn’t work with them.
Jehoshaphat didn’t think they should dismiss an opposing viewpoint so lightly, but should at least consider their reasons. After all, even Ahab could make a mistake. Since he needed Jehoshaphat’s support, Ahab agreed to at least let the other side present their case.
“And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.” (I Kings 22:10-12)
While they waited for Micaiah to arrive, Ahab’s advisors did everything the could to convince Jehoshaphat that Ahab’s plan was what God wanted and the best possible solution. They had a hearing in which Ahab’s “experts” testified using various demonstrations to reinforce their statements and fix them more firmly in mind.
“And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. So he came to the king. “ (I Kings 22:13-15a)
While he wasn’t offered a bribe, it was made very clear that if Micaiah would testify like the other prophets, he would be better off. In our capitol it would have amounted to a veiled warning that the he would be investigated by the IRS or secrets leaked to the news media if he didn’t go along. Micaiah refused to bow to the pressure.
"And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear?
And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?” (I Kings 22:15b-16)
When Ahab asked whether they should go, Micaiah told them they’d surely win since all the other prophets said so. Ahab knew instantly that Micaiah didn‘t really believe what he said and demanded to know what God really said. Obviously, he suspected it was not God’s will, especially after Elijah’s statement in I Kings 20:42. “And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.” There was no doubt that Elijah knew what God said.
A key feature of making wise decisions is accurately assessing both the benefits and risks of a course of action. Every action we take has potential bad results. Which need to be considered. When people oppose a plan, it is wise to find out why, because they may have information we don’t.
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