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“Three Final Kings” • 5.7.17 • Calvary Christian Fellowship,
Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
Text
• I Kings 22:1-6 : "Now
three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. Then
it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went
down to visit the king of Israel. And the king of Israel said to his servants, 'Do you know that
Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the
king of Syria?' So
he said to Jehoshaphat, 'Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?' Jehoshaphat
said to the king of Israel, 'I am as you are, my people as your people, my
horses as your horses.' Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, 'Please inquire for
the word of the Lord today.' Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about
four hundred men, and said to them, 'Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight,
or shall I refrain?' So they said, 'Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into
the hand of the king.'" : Up until this section,
Ahab's treaty with Jehoshaphat had served defensive purposes.
- Three years of peace had also be three years
of delay. Ahab feels compelled to reclaim the territory of Ramoth Gilead which
had been promised to him by the King of Syria.
- The King of Judah agrees to commit resources
to the campaign, noting that he was as Ahab was, and that his force was at
Ahab's disposal.
- Jehoshaphat was blessed to such a degree that
rival nations feared to come against him, (II
Chronicles 17:10) especially since he had an army of mighty men that stood
over 1 million! (v.14-19)
- As much as this union emboldened Ahab, it is
not clear what Jehoshaphat has to gain. He says that he is as Ahab was, but
that was far from the truth.
- Yes, they shared a common heritage and common
borders, but Ahab was a wretched idolator. By all accounts, Jehoshaphat was a
faithful King in Judah!
- He agrees to enter into a binding
relationship with the godless King. That cannot end well!
- Somehow, he agrees to help Ahab, then asks
for confirmation. This is not the way that a godly person conducts themselves.
We are to ask and then act, not the other way around!
- For Ahab's part, he easily secured the
presence 400 prophets to confirm his proposed action.
- The decision to employ so many prophets signals
a superficial tolerance of Yahweh worship, which is the least one can do after
the debacle on Mt. Carmel.
- With one unified voice, Ahab's "prophets"
predictably predict a victory for the two Kings.
- Something
doesn't seem quite right. Jehoshaphat is right to voice his skepticism. Verse 7.
•
I Kings 22:7-9 : "And Jehoshaphat said, 'Is there not
still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?' So the king of Israel said to
Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may
inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does
not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.' And Jehoshaphat said, 'Let not the
king say such things!' Then the king of Israel
called an officer and said, 'Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!'" : Jehoshaphat has to clarify. He asked for a prophet of the
Lord's, not a prophet of Ahab's!
-
We have seen already the re-emergence of true prophets after the confrontation
on Mt. Carmel. Here, we see a new phenomena at work: False prophets and Ahab
welcomes them!
-
As to a true prophet of the Lord, Ahab knew of only one but he was unlike the
other prophets that Ahab was accustomed to, who distinguished himself by always
prophesying against Ahab!
-
While the Kings await his arrival, we are given a little taste of the prophetic
environment that the Kings were witnessing. Verse 10.
•
I Kings 22:10-12 : "The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat
the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a
threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets
prophesied before them. Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for
himself; and he said, 'Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are
destroyed.’ And
all the prophets prophesied so, saying, 'Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper,
for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s
hand.'" : Zedekiah, whose name means
"God Is Righteous" is the de facto ring leader. He distinguishes
himself by his dramatics.
-
He fabricated horns of iron and laid them upon himself, which provided a
demonstration of the supposed power of the Lord expressed toward Syria. Israel
will gore Syria like a bull!
-
All the "prophets" agreed in unison. The King was delighted to listen
to this. There was a tremendous spirit of unity among the prophets. Verse 13.
•
I Kings 22:13-18 : "Then the messenger who had gone to
call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, 'Now listen, the words of the prophets with
one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of
them, and speak encouragement.' And Micaiah said, 'As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.' Then he came to the king; and the
king said to him, 'Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall
we refrain?' And he answered him, 'Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of
the king!' 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?' Then he said, 'I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as
sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in
peace.’ And the
king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'Did I not tell you he would not prophesy
good concerning me, but evil?'" : Ahab's
messenger, who is supremely invested in the King's encouragement, makes sure
that Micaiah is aware of the concensus.
-
His statement is typical of people in the world, who would rather live off of
good feeling lies, than hard hitting truth! "Can't you just for once agree
with everyone else? Don't be contrary!"
-
Micaiah assures the messenger that he will speak whatever the Lord says to Him.
Keep this statement in mind when you think about what it means to speak for the
Lord!
-
That statement is easy for us to read and easy for us to proclaim as we sit
together to study this passage. It's quite another to say it on the way to face
the King and 400 so-called prophets!
-
When the King asks for his prophecy, Micaiah parrots what has been said, but
with little sincerity. The King sees right through it and asks for
"nothing but the truth!"
-
Without needing a second encouragment, Micaiah tells him the unfiltered truth.
Israel will be defeated, scattered like sheep on the mountain tops!
-
To have sheep without a shepherd indicates clearly that Ahab will not be
returning from this battle. What does Ahab do? He says, "I told you so!
Micaiah is out to get me!"
-
Ahab cannot accept that God would ever have a different plan than the one he wants
to enact! Ahab is only willing to beleive that God agrees with him!
-
There is room for every religion under the sun when it complements, agrees
with, and confirms our plans.
-
However, when the God of the universe contradicts our plans, that is an evil
that we cannot abide by! Ahab didn't want what was true. He wanted what he
thought was good! Verse 19.
•
I Kings 22:19-23 : "Then Micaiah said, 'Therefore hear
the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the
host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to
go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and
another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he
said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’
And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and
also prevail. Go out and do so.’ Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of
yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.'" : Micaiah begins with a vision of God sitting upon His throne and
all the armies of heaven standing at attention.
-
Ahab, like all human beings, have a tendency to judge situations from the
vantage point of their own thrones. They determine their destiny. They are their
own masters.
-
The first thing that Ahab needs to understand is that there is a God in heaven
whose throne is far superior to his and all the strength of heaven waits for
His orders!
-
From there, this vision depicts God in a meeting, soliciting opinions regarding
the best way to make Ahab fall. That's when a certain spirit comes forward to
suggest deception.
-
There are those who point out that there were spirits on the right hand of
favor and left hand of disgrace. These same commentators point out that Satan
and his angels had access to heaven.
-
Whether this is an angel in good standing or a fallen angel or an elaborate
parable, the outcome was the same: A lying spirit had infected the mouths of
the 400 prophets.
-
Micaiah says, "All you have to do is look around and see for yourself that
you are doomed!
-
As we say that, understand that Ahab has finally and fully settled himself upon
wickedness despite repeated chances to embrace the truth.
-
I have said that God never gives up on Ahab's, but I must also say that there
comes a time when God must give Ahab's over to their own desires! Only He can
judge the point of no return!
-
Ahab has rejected the truth of God and has shown by his life, that he will only
accept a lie! Since that is what he wants, that is what God will allow him to
have!
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Is this not an apt illustration of the truth found in Romans 1? Ahab exchanged the truth of God for a lie. We see the
same truth expressed in II Thessalonians
2:9-11.
-
Refusal to believe, embrace and love the truth leaves a person in a position of
damnation!
-
In spite of all the "light" that Ahab had, he chose instead to believe
the lie, so, as a function of His wrath, God gave him over to a debased mind! (Romans 1:20,21)
-
As for the false prophets, this also presents us with an interesting
contemplation. If not from the Lord, where do you think they are getting their
"wisdom" from?
-
Ahab had been celebrating his prophets' proclamation, but this was his final
party. In the meantime, Micaiah's explanation didn't go unnoticed by the false
prophet's leader. Verse 24.
•
I Kings 22:24-28 : "Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah
went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, 'Which way did the spirit
from the Lord go from me to speak to you?' And Micaiah said, 'Indeed, you
shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!' So the king of Israel said, 'Take
Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the
king’s son; and
say, ‘Thus says the king: 'Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread
of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.' But Micaiah said, 'If you ever return
in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.' And he
said, 'Take heed, all you people!'" : Zedekiah
has the right name, "God is righteous," but is on the wrong side.
Without any other recourse at his disposal, he resorts to violence!
-
Zedekiah is incredibly bold and assertive, but Micaiah sees that in short
order, he will be running for his life! Ahab has heard enough.
-
He has Micaiah taken to prison, convinced that he will return from this battle
despite the prophet's declaration. Micaiah stakes his prophetic credentials
upon Ahab's demise. Verse 29.
•
I Kings 22:29-40 : " So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up
to Ramoth Gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'I will disguise
myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.' So the king of Israel
disguised himself and went into battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two
captains of his chariots, saying, 'Fight with no one small or great, but only
with the king of Israel.' So it
was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, 'Surely
it is the king of Israel!' Therefore they turned aside to fight against him,
and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it happened,
when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that
they turned back from pursuing him. Now a
certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the
joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, 'Turn around and
take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.' The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up
in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from
the wound onto the floor of the chariot. Then,
as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, 'Every man
to his city, and every man to his own country!' So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they
buried the king in Samaria. Then someone
washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while
the harlots bathed, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that
he did, the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son
reigned in his place." : This section really speaks
for itself. Ahab had foolishly gone into battle on the advice of 400 false
prophets. That's not surprising.
-
What is otherwise shocking is that Jehoshaphat joined with him! What was his
rationale? Could it be that he wondered how the truth could be with one man
when 400 had a different view?
-
Was he simply unable to see Ahab's doom or was he blinded by his own perceived
strength?
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Whatever the case, this piece of history does not paint him in the most
favorable light!
-
Ahab, seeking to avoid his doom, hid himself in plain sight, knowing that he
had become a target for the Syrian army. Jehoshaphat nearly loses his life
playing the part of the King!
-
When the King of Israel is not discovered, the author casts our eyes to an
unnamed soldier who drew his bow at random and hit the King with a one in a
million shot!
-
Ahab was mortally wounded when his chariot returned to Samaria, but was alive
to hear Micaiah's word come to pass! Israel was defeated and the dogs licked up
his blood!
-
What do we learn? 400 false prophets cannot match the power of one man with
God's Word and no matter what one does, an unbeliever like Ahab cannot escape
God's wrath upon Him!
-
You can be assured that God never misses His targets. If you are fooled into
believing against the Lord, friend, please understand that there is no way to
hide! Verse 41.
•
I Kings 22:41-47 : "Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had
become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years
old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His
mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in all the ways of
his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the
eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were
not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the
high places. Also
Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of
Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And the rest of the perverted persons, who
remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king." : Jehoshaphat, Ahab's partner in crime, is lauded for not turning
aside from doing what was right before the Lord.
-
Unfortunately, he also turned a blind eye to the ritualistic practices of the
people and he made an alliance with the King of Israel. This last part
represents the low point in his story.
-
As Christians, you can know for certain that nothing good comes from joining
ourselves to heathen men and women, who have no concern for God's ways or
truth!
-
He had many good things going for him in Judah, casting out Sodomites and
maintaining control over Edom. It's sad that he didn't heed the wisdom of the
Lord relating to Ahab.
-
Thankfully, it seems that Jehoshaphat eventually learned his lesson. Verse 48.
•
I Kings 22:48-50 : "Jehoshaphat made merchant ships
to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were
wrecked at Ezion Geber. Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, 'Let my
servants go with your servants in the ships.' But Jehoshaphat would not. And Jehoshaphat rested with his
fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then
Jehoram his son reigned in his place." : II Chronicles 20:35,36, mention that
this dedicated navy was part of an alliance that had been forged between
Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah.
-
They had 10 ships that were going to cruise the Mediterranean on the hunt for
gold from Ophir, something that Solomon had once organized for himself. (I Kings 10:21,22)
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The funny thing is that the ships were wrecked before they ever had a chance to
set sail. They were broken in pieces while in the harbor, representing a
devastating loss.
-
Ahaziah wasn't deterred. He wanted to have his servants join up with
Jehoshaphat's servants in an effort to rebuild. Jehoshaphat looked around and
took spiritual inventory.
-
He remembered Micaiah's warning and had gone to battle anyway. He had listened
to Ahab's advice to wear his royal robes and it almost got him killed by the
Syrians!
-
Now, his ships have been destroyed while in port!? Maybe God is trying to tell
me something!
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How much will certain people have to lose before they come to these
realizations? How many will ignore God's wisdom and warnings? How many will
heed the advice of the godless?
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How many will chase wealth to the ends of the earth, despite God's clear
intention for them to pass? It's sad that many will have to lose it all before
they are saved from themselves!
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I pray that this will not be said of anyone within the sound of my voice. Verse
51.
•
I Kings 22:51-53 : "Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king
over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah,
and reigned two years over Israel. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his
father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who had made Israel sin; for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according
to all that his father had done." : As we
come to the close of I Kings, we end
with King Ahaziah whose reign will be short and evil.
-
It will be marked by the influence of his unrepentant Father Ahab and his
treacherous Mother, Jezebel. He will further the cause of Jeroboam's and Baal's
false religious systems.
-
Most importantly, It will again provoke God to anger just as his Father had
done.
Conclusion
- As we consider these three Kings, let us consider ourselves. We begin with Ahab, a King who has had a front row seat to the powerful reality of God and yet, chose not to resign himself.
- As we consider these three Kings, let us consider ourselves. We begin with Ahab, a King who has had a front row seat to the powerful reality of God and yet, chose not to resign himself.
- He would not give himself to God so God
honored His choice and gave him up. Somewhere in our lives, there is a point of
no return and only God knows.
- If we are holding out, it would be wise to
give up and give ourselves to God while we can!
- How about Jehoshaphat? Here is a godly King who
can't resist an ungodly partnership. He foolishly commits himself to a doomed
enterprise, nearly losing his own life in the process.
- Perhaps it's best to ask God before we go and
to say "no" when God says "no!" Thankfully, Jehoshaphat
learned, though he unnecessarily lost much in the process.
- Speaking of Kings that never learn, let's
consider Ahab's son, King Ahaziah.
- He watched his Father fall to his doom. He
saw the futility of false religion and the very likely was able to witness the
real response of God. Yet, he continued along in the same way.
- He didn't learn from his Father's mistakes.
Instead, he fell forward and eventually fell before the Lord. How many will
fall in the exact same way.
- May the Lord grant us wisdom to see ourselves
and choose the wisdom He offers us.