1 Kings 22:15-28 slowly and repeatedly.
Main content of the text: Micaiah explains to the king in detail the vision of the heavenly council and predicts the king’s death and defeat. To this, the false prophet Zedekiah and King Ahab react harshly.
Verses 19-23 God used Ahab’s war plan as an opportunity to judge him. Ahab decided to go to war with a good cause, but God was more interested in Ahab than in the war. So, God put an evil spirit in the hearts of the prophets to encourage Ahab to go to war. Even now, deception through multiple false prophets is Satan’s most effective tactic. If we do not put the Word first, we will fall like Ahab at any time.
What lesson does God give me?
Verses 15-17 Micaiah imitates false prophets and gives a pleasant prophecy to King Ahab, who does not believe what he says. But when he is asked once again to tell the truth, he predicts that the king will die in war and the people will flee and be scattered. The biggest disaster for people who want to hear only what they want to hear and want to hear is that they only hear messages that are good to hear. Peace depends not on the ‘content’ of the Word but on the ‘obedience’ to the Word. He must receive bitter words sweetly (Ezekiel 3:3).
Verse 18: Even though something bad was prophesied to the evil king, Ahab treats Micaiah as a false prophet. Isn’t the self-centered standard that evil prophecies are wrong words and good prophecies the welcome words of God still prevalent today?
Verses 24,25 Zedekiah, who had made a horn out of iron and assured King Ahab of victory, slaps Micaiah, who predicted defeat. He, not Micaiah, protests that he received the true word from the Spirit of Jehovah. Even now, leaders sometimes make diametrically opposed claims using the same Bible. Prudent obedience, not reckless blind obedience, is our responsibility.
Verses 26-28 Micaiah does not remain silent and preaches the word of God even though he is subsisting on very little bread and water. Because he was confident in the word of God, he did not remain silent and preached the word so that it could be confirmed. People who meditate on the Word are people who believe in the Word and live by proving it.
Community Prayer – Lord, help us understand and obey the words of God the King.
Prayer for the Nations – Due to the conflict between the Sudanese military, many churches, including the Khartoum Church, are being destroyed and scattered. Let us pray that the fallen churches will rise again and take the lead in saving lives.