1 Kings 22
-The last chapter of the book of 1 Kings gives the details
of Ahab’s, king of Israel, death in battle, along with some of the successors
to both the kings of Israel and Judah after Ahab and Asa. Ahab and Jehoshaphat
(who was Asa’s son and ruler of Judah) agreed on trying to take back
Ramoth-gilead (in the Transjordan area) from the king of Aram. Jehoshaphat
proved devout in seeking a word from the LORD in regards to going into this
battle (1 Kings 22:1-5). As four hundred false prophets were gathered together
speaking blessing and victory, Jehoshaphat discerned that a true word from a
real prophet of the LORD was needed. Micaiah was summoned by the king of
Israel, even though he detested this man of God and knew he would prophesy evil
against him (1 Kings 22:8, 18). Sure enough, the prophet spoke that all Israel
would be scattered on the mountains in chaos without a shepherd or master (in
other words, the king would be killed, 1 Kings 22:17). The word concerning the
scene in Heaven was given as the LORD sent demonic spirits of enticement
through the mouth of all the false prophets for ultimate disaster (1 Kings
22:19-23). Zedekiah (a false prophet) came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek
claiming to be the man with the real word of the LORD, but he was wrong (1 Kings
22:24). Micaiah was put in prison, but he maintained his prophesy, which came
to fruition (1 Kings 22:25-28).
-The battle went on as planned with Ahab disguising himself
and going into the fray knowing that the enemy was gunning for him alone in
this encounter. Jehoshaphat had the royal robes on and decoyed the enemy until
he cried out and they knew it wasn’t Ahab (1 Kings 22:29-33). Meanwhile, in the
battle Ahab was randomly struck in the joint of his armor and began to die from
the severe wound. By the evening he had perished and his chariot was saturated
with blood, which was later cleaned out in Samaria where the dogs licked up his
blood according to the prophetic word of the LORD (1 Kings 22:34-38). Ahaziah,
his son, became the new king of Israel in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat
and “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
caused Israel to sin. So he served Baal and worshipped him and provoked the
LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all his father had done (1 Kings
22:40, 51-53).” On the other hand in Judah, Jehoshaphat was known for walking
in the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from doing right in the sight
of the LORD, although the high places were not taken away. He made peace with his
brother Israel, and he expelled the remnant of the sodomites from the land (1 Kings
22:41-46).
-*Application* Disobedience to the Living God has its consequences.
Obedience has its blessings. We see the antagonists in this saga play out in our
modern scenarios all the time. How often do people around us shun what they know
the LORD has said in His Word and follow their own way right into destruction? Let
us be wise and follow the ways of the LORD by His Book for peace, favor, and benefit.
God will bless those who fear Him above all else. Meditate on this theme today.
Verse to Memorize: 1
Kings 22:23
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