1 Kings 22: God Who Provides Opportunities

Verse 14:

Micaiah said, "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me."

◇ In Israel, even the worst of kings had the greatest of prophets. It seems true that heroes emerge in troubled times. At the height of idol worship, God's true prophets, who feared not death, appeared. Thus, the worship of Yahweh continued and grew strong.

King Ahab had other prophets who spoke the word of the Lord besides Elijah; there was Micaiah. Ahab disliked him, saying he never prophesied anything good about him, only bad. How many true prophecies must Micaiah have delivered to receive such criticism? The fact that Ahab did not kill him might be proof that the king feared him as a prophet.

King Ahab, in alliance with King Jehoshaphat of Judah, planned to go to war against Aram. While many prophets predicted victory, Micaiah foretold that Ahab would die in battle. Enraged, Ahab ordered that Micaiah be imprisoned until he returned from the battlefield.

Ahab never saw Micaiah again; he died in battle, just as Micaiah had prophesied. It was not that God had abandoned Ahab, but rather Ahab had abandoned God. Ahab had given his heart to the flattering lies of false prophets instead of listening to God. What if Ahab, like King David who heeded the words of Nathan the prophet that awakened him to his sin, had listened to Micaiah?

♧ I am grateful to God for giving even the wicked Ahab a chance. Grant me the wisdom to see Your plans, O Lord. Provide me with coworkers like Micaiah, and help me to be Your servant like him! Holy Spirit, lead me in the path of truth!