2Chronicles chapter 18

 

Memory verse: 2Chronicles 18:13

 

Jehoshaphat was a good king of the southern kingdom of Judah, and led the people into a great revival (2Kings 17). God prospered him and his kingdom. He had one character flaw which cost him, his desendants, and Judah. He made allegiances with three consecutive generations of evil kings of the northern kingdom of Israel – Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram. Jehoshaphat managed to maintain his relationship with God despite his poor friendships. His son and grandson did not

Jehoshaphat's son Joram replaced him, married Ahab's daughter Athaliah, and lost his place in God (2Kings 8:16-18). His son Ahaziah, the son of Athaliah (2Kings 8:25-29), visited king Joram in Jezreel, and both were killed by Jehu who was sent by God to judge the house of Ahab (2Kings 8:29 - 2Kings 9:27).

 

Day 1 – enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day

Verses 1-8

Jehoshaphat went to see Ahab, who had a big party for him and convinced him to go to war with him against Syria. However, Jehoshaphat did have enough sense to ask for advice from a prophet before going to battle. Ahab gathered his 400 false prophets (1kings 18:19). They all said to go to battle because God was going to give them victory. Apparently Jehoshaphat was not convinced, because he asked if there was another prophet they could ask. They had just heard from 400 prophets that all said the same thing, but his conscience knew something was wrong, and they had not really heard the word of God. Ahab said there was one man they had not called named Micaiah. Ahab hated him because he always prophesied evil to him. That was not the prophet’s fault. That was because of Ahab’s evil (1Kings 21:20). Jehoshaphat said Ahab should not say that, so they brought Micaiah. We must seek righteousness and truth, and not be so shallow that we only want to hear nice things (Isaiah 30:8-11, 2Timothy 4:3-4). We should not want to hear a word of peace when it is not true (Jeremiah 6:14, Jeremiah 8:11, Jeremiah 23:17, Ezekiel 13:10 & 16, Daniel 8:25, Micah 3:5, 1Thessalonians 5:3).

 

Day 2 – as the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak

Verses 9-13

The two kings sat on thrones in the gate of Samaria as the false prophets told them God was with them. All the false prophets with one voice said they would win the battle. A messenger arrived to bring the true prophet of God, and told him to agree with the false prophets. He said he could only speak what God gave him. This is the mark of a faithful messenger of God. He maintains his integrity with God, and whether it is a happy message or not, he delivers what God tells him to. He does not seek to please men, but God (Galatians 1:10). He cannot be bought (John 10:1-15). This does not apply to preachers or prophets only. It applies to anyone who claims to be telling what the Bible says. We need to be very careful what we are saying when we are alleging we are speaking sound doctrine. Just because a man said something who claims to know what he is talking about does not make it true. We need to be diligent to seek truth, and not just what we want or what is convenient (Proverbs 18:1, Matthew 16:6, Matthew 24:4, Luke 8:18, John 5:39, 1Corinthians 3:10, 1Timothy 4:16, 2Timothy 2:15).

 

 

Day 3 – the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets

Verses 14-22

The king asked Micaiah if they should go to battle or not. Micaiah said to go. The king knew it was not actually the truth, which means he knew his 400 prophets were not telling the truth. After all, they were not God’s prophets. They were just employees of the king telling him what he wanted to hear. Micaiah told him his army would be scattered when he was killed in the battle. Ahab told Jehoshaphat that this is what he told him was going to happen. Micaiah then told them of a vision he had. He saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the angels before Him. Whenever someone had a vision like this, it was always One sitting on one throne (1Kings 22:19, Isaiah 6:1, Ezekiel 1:26, Ezekiel 10:1, Daniel 7:9). The One Isaiah saw in Isaiah 6:1 was actually Jesus in His divine nature before the incarnation (John 12:41). The book of Revelation has 31 references to the throne of God. John always only saw One sitting on one throne, and it was God the Father manifested in the flesh as Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5-8, Revelation 3:21, Revelation 5:1-14, Revelation 21:5-7). He did not see two persons, but two natures – divine and human – in one person. It is also important to note that God is a Spirit and omnipresent, and does not literally sit on a throne except in the person of Jesus Christ. The throne is a symbol of His authority. In Micaiah’s vision, the Lord asked the angels who would persuade Ahab to go to battle. A spirit (possibly Satan) said he would be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets. God told him to go. So the voice of Ahab’s prophets was a lying spirit. God sends delusions to the rejecters of truth:

   1. Hardens heart

      a. Pharaoh - Exodus 7-14 (14 times)

      b. Sihon – Deuteronomy7:30

      c. Israel – Isaiah 6:10, Isaiah 63:17

   2. Midian – Judges7

   3. Ahab - 1Kings 22:22-23

   4. Moab sees water as blood - 2Kings 3:20-24

   5. Syrians hear noise - 2Kings 7:6

   6. The deceived and the deceiver are his – Job 12:16

   7. I will choose delusions - Isaiah 66:4

   8. Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived – Jerermiah 20:7

   9. If prophet deceived, I have deceived – Ezekiel 14:9

   10. I gave them statutes that were not good – Ezekiel 20:25

   11. God gave them up – Romans 1:18-32 (vs 26)

   12. God shall send strong delusion – 2Thessalonians 2:9-12

Even though Ahab was given this revelation about his own decision, he went ahead with it anyway. This may seem crazy, but people all over the world do the same thing every day.

 

Day 4 – if thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me

Verses 23-27

The false prophet Zedekiah hit Micaiah in the face, and implied that he was the proprietor of the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. God can use anyone He wants, even a donkey (Numbers 22:22-33). Nobody should be so presumptuous as to think they have exclusive access to God. Moses had a unique relationship with God (Numbers 12:6-8, Deuteronomy 34:10). Yet even he said that he wished all God’s people could be prophets (Numbers 11:26-29). Ahab ordered his men to take Micaiah back to Samaria, put him the prison, and feed him moldy bread and polluted water until he returned. Micaiah said if he returned, then he had not spoken the word of God. He warned everyone there, including Jehoshaphat. Nobody is going to have an excuse when they stand before God to be judged. God makes sure everyone has an opportunity to be saved (John 1:9, John 12:32, Acts 14:17, Acts 17:30, Titus 2:11). Some ask about those who live in places where the gospel is not being preached. The creation itself testifies to them, so they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). Their own conscience is also witness (Romans 2:12-16). God always sends a warning before He sends judgment. The problem is not a failure on God’s part to give us a chance. It is a failure on man’s part to respond, and instead to reject God’s visitation (Luke 19:44). God is gracious and longsuffering, giving us opportunities to repent (2Peter 3:9). It is up to us to respond and be saved, or to reject and be lost.

 

Day 5 – the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle

Verses 28-34

Ahab and his army, and even Jeoshaphat and his army, ignored the warning of the prophet and went to battle anyway. Jehoshaphat chose his allegiance to Ahab in a misguided attempt at reaching out to his “fellow” Israelites. Ahab may have been Israelite in lineage, but certainly not in lifestyle (Matthew 3:9, John 8, Romans 2:28-29, Revelation 2:9, Revelation 3:9). God sent a prophet to Jehoshaphat later to judge him for this (2Chronicles 19:2). Our love must be guided by principles and wisdom, lest we are made fools of. Ahab told Jehoshaphat that he would disguise himself so as to appear to the Syrians as a soldier, but not the king. He told him to wear his robes to the battle so the Syrians could tell he was the king. The Syrians were only after Ahab, and were not even planning on fighting with Jehoshaphat. What a coward Ahab was. He should have learned from two prior experiences that when he stood up like a man and faced the enemy correctly, God would give him the victory (1Kings 20). The problem was he never repented, and now his judgment had come. He was trying to hide from it. We cannot escape from God (Isaiah 24:18, Jeremiah 11:11, Jeremiah 32:4, Jeremiah 42:17, Jeremiah 48:44, Ezekiel 17:15, Amos 5:19, Amos 9:13, Romans 2:3, 1Thessalonians 5:3, Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 12:25). The only escape is obeying the gospel, not our own efforts (Isaiah 20:6, Isaiah 30:16, Amos 5:19). The Syrians saw Jehoshaphat and thought he was Ahab. They surrounded him, but he prayed to God who had mercy on him and delivered him. A Syrian randomly fired an arrow which “just happened” to strike Ahab. He died later in the day from his wound, just like Micaiah said. Elijah had also prophesied Ahab’s death, and it came to pass exactly like he said (1Kings 21:19, 1Kings 22:38). The word of the Lord always comes to pass, whether it is for good or judgment (Isaiah 55:10-11).