(based on 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 18) We are missing some parts of Ahabs story today - but we will return to fill in these gaps soon. For today, it seems that Israel and Judah were not always fighting. The scene before us is of a royal visit in Samaria by Jehosaphat just before the death of Ahab. The king of Judah is paying a visit and the reason is fairly simple - the Chronicler tells us ...Jehosapht...by marriage, he allied himself with Ahab... (2 Chron.18:1). Two very different men - one who is used to making decisions with the prophets of God and the other who finds the prophets of God difficult (see 1 Ki.22:8). At his son-in-laws insistence, Ahab calls the prophet of God (he has a few of his own but they are all yes-men); and, it turns out, people who lived about 1,000 years before Christ used irony - Micaiah uses some in 1 Ki.22:15 and Ahab responds with ...how many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth... (1 Ki.22:16). It seems they had had a love-hate relationship for some time. In both histories, the message from the prophet is clearly related. Indeed, it is not a word you would enjoy hearing. It stikes me as odd really - that a good king who knew the value of the Word of the Lord from a prophet (like Jehosaphat) should, after hearing the Word, still risk His life in battle - especially when the Chronicler later says that when Jehosophat was at risk in the battle that followed ...Jehosophat cried out and the Lord helped him and diverted them (the enemy soldiers) from him...(2 Chron.18:31). I guess it goes to show that it is always possible to be drawn into actions by other things you value too - in this case, probably by the desire for good family relationships. Ahab wants the prize (the city of Ramoth) so his motivation is pretty straightforward. But let me get back to the prophets word - the Word itself is stated simply in 1 Ki.22:17 and 2 Chron.18:16 - Israel will be scattered and return to their homes. In other words, Israel will be defeated in the battle by the Syrians. But then it gets interesting. In 2 Chron.18:18-22 (and 1 Ki.22:20-23) the prophet describes the scene in heaven. He does so in a way that is reminiscent of Job 1. The Lord is present on His throne and the host of heaven about Him (which is reminiscent of Revelation 4). It seems that while the Lord had asked satan (in Job) - where have you been? (Jb.1:2); this time His question was ...who will persuade Ahab the king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth... (2 Chron.18:19). The scene is described as involving a lying spirit who suggests a way and the Lord agrees to it. For me this is different to the scene at the start of Job now - and I have a problem with this whole concept of the Lord using a lie to make His will reality?! But the best explanation for me (at least the best I have found so far) is that God used this lying spirit because Ahab had rejected the truth in every other warning; having already prophesied Ahabs end (1Ki.21:19) and having warned Ahab again here, the Lord allows the lying spirit to lead him into this battle knowing he would not survive it. Interesting! I think we must learn from this that fidelity to the Lord is critical to understanding the Word that is revealed - what we are shown and told is built on who we are by our relationship with Him.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:14:17 +0000
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