For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the past few weeks we have concentrated on the northern kingdom. We have talked about the reign of King Ahab and his malicious wife Jezebel. We have discussed their encounters with the prophet Elijah, Israel’s ongoing war with Aram, and their conspiracy to confiscate Naboth’s vineyard. Meanwhile in Judah, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat had taken the throne. Let’s backtrack a bit this morning to discuss the first several years of his rule in the southern kingdom.
I. JEHOSHAPHAT’S EARLY REIGN (1 Kings 22:41-46; 2 Chronicles 17)
After the death of his father Asa (presumably to complications from foot disease), Jehoshaphat became king of Judah during the 4th year of Ahab in Israel. Jehoshaphat's mother was named Azubah. He was 35 years old when he became king and he ruled for 25 years in Jerusalem. Like his father, Jehoshaphat was regarded as a good king who generally did right in the sight of the LORD. He did not remove all of the high places, but he did expel the remnant of sodomites that remained in the land following his father’s reign.
Jehoshaphat placed troops in Judah’s fortified cities and garrisons throughout the kingdom including in the cities of Ephraim that Asa had captured. He firmly cemented his position as king and all of Judah brought tribute to him. He walked in the ways of David, did not seek after idols, and took pride in God’s commandments. Thus, the LORD established his kingdom and made him strong.
In the 3rd year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent select officials, Levites, and priests to teach the law of the LORD throughout the cities of Judah. The surrounding nations dreaded him and kept the peace. In fact, some of the Philistines and Arabians brought him gifts as tribute, such as silver and flocks of animals. Jehoshaphat built fortresses and store cities to contain the vast quantity of supplies he accumulated. He also mustered a sizable army that was placed under the command of several skilled leaders.
II. AHAB & JEHOSHAPHAT JOIN FORCES (1 Kings 22:1-12; 2 Chronicles 18:1-11)
Earlier in his reign, Jehoshaphat had allied himself with Ahab by marriage (allowing his son Jehoram to marry Ahab and Jezebel's daughter, Athaliah). So 3 years after Israel's 2nd victory over Aram, Ahab decided to retake the city of Ramoth-gilead. It was an Israeli city that was still being held by the Aramaens. Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to assist him in this effort (it would be Israel’s 3rd campaign against Aram), and Jehoshaphat readily agreed to the alliance.
As a precursor, Jehoshaphat requested that Ahab inquire a word from the LORD as to whether this was a good idea or not. So Ahab gathered up the “prophets” of Israel, about 400 men, and asked them. They all agreed that Ahab and Jehoshaphat should move forward with their plans to retake Ramoth-gilead. However, when Jehoshaphat saw that none of these men were actually prophets of the LORD, he asked Ahab if there were any of God’s prophets available that they might ask. Ahab named 1 man, Micaiah, but said that he hated him because he never prophesied good or favorable things for him.
To appease Jehoshaphat, Ahab went ahead and summoned Micaiah. In the meantime, while they waited for him to arrive, Ahab and Jehoshaphat sat on their thrones in the palace in Samaria as numerous false prophets appeared before them ensuring victory. Zedekiah, a prominent prophet in the northern kingdom, confidently predicted that Israel would gore the Aramaens with horns of iron.
III. MICAIAH PREDICTS DEFEAT (1 Kings 22:13-28; 2 Chronicles 18:12-27)
The messenger who went to retrieve Micaiah told him that all of King Ahab’s prophets had uniformly assured him success over Aram. He asked Micaiah to deliver the same positive message. However, Micaiah rebuked the messenger saying that he would prophesy whatever God revealed to him, whether encouraging or not.
When Micaiah appeared before the 2 kings, he initially consented to the messenger’s request and simply told Ahab what he wanted to hear - that Israel would surely defeat Aram. But something in his tone or on his face must have given him away, and Ahab insisted that he tell the truth. So Micaiah prophesied the word of the LORD, that Israel would be defeated if they attempted to retake Ramoth-gilead. Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and said, “See? I told you he would not prophesy anything good for me.”
Micaiah proceeded to describe his heavenly vision of how God had sent a deceiving word to the prophets of Israel. Their false promises of victory would entice Ahab into a losing battle. Furious, Zedekiah slapped Micaiah across the face and questioned his message. Ahab commanded that Micaiah be thrown in prison and fed sparingly until he returned triumphantly from battle. The prophet defiantly responded that if Ahab returned safely from battle, then the LORD had not spoken by him. For God had decreed that Ahab would die in the fight.
IV. DEFEAT & DEATH OF AHAB (1 Kings 22:29-40; 2 Chronicles 18:28-34)
The allied forces of Israel and Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. Before the conflict began, Ahab disguised himself in order to conceal his identity from the Aramaens. When the fighting broke out, Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, ordered some of his charioteers to the singular mission of finding and fighting against Ahab. In the heat of battle, they mistook Jehoshaphat for Ahab and sought to overtake him, but when they realized their error, they broke off their pursuit.
As the confrontation raged on, Ahab was randomly struck by an arrow in the joint of his armor. Severely injured, the driver of his chariot withdrew him from the battle. At a safe distance, they propped Ahab up in his chariot so that he could watch the fighting. As the disguised king slowly bled out, his blood stained and pooled in the bottom of his chariot. Ahab died that evening, and Israel’s and Judah’s troops withdrew in defeat from Ramoth-gilead.
King Ahab’s body was returned to Samaria and buried. His chariot was taken outside of the city to be washed, just as Naboth had been taken out of the city to be stoned. As it was being cleaned, Ahab’s blood dripped onto the ground where it was licked up by the dogs, just as Ezekiel had prophesied (1 Kings 21:17-19). Thus, Ahab died and his son Ahaziah became king of Israel in his place.
CONCLUSION
King Ahab had surrounded himself with “yes men”. His many prophets told him exactly what he wanted to hear. They even tried to suppress and silence any messages to the contrary so that there would be no dissenting opinions. Ahab didn’t want the truth, and he despised and imprisoned the man who was bold enough to speak it. Emboldened by his previous success, Ahab foolishly ignored the word of the LORD. But Ahab’s arrogance and corruption ultimately was his downfall, and his disregard for God’s prophetic word cost him his life.
Beloved, people need to hear the truth. It may not be popular or easy to listen to, but it alone has the power to save. This world hates the truth of God. It revels in the darkness and despises the light. It delights in the filth and stink of sin, while stubbornly resisting purity and righteousness. This fallen world deceives itself with comforting lies and empty deception. Nevertheless, this world desperately needs the truth more than anything. Jesus is the truth! May we have the courage to say it.
For the past few weeks we have concentrated on the northern kingdom. We have talked about the reign of King Ahab and his malicious wife Jezebel. We have discussed their encounters with the prophet Elijah, Israel’s ongoing war with Aram, and their conspiracy to confiscate Naboth’s vineyard. Meanwhile in Judah, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat had taken the throne. Let’s backtrack a bit this morning to discuss the first several years of his rule in the southern kingdom.
I. JEHOSHAPHAT’S EARLY REIGN (1 Kings 22:41-46; 2 Chronicles 17)
After the death of his father Asa (presumably to complications from foot disease), Jehoshaphat became king of Judah during the 4th year of Ahab in Israel. Jehoshaphat's mother was named Azubah. He was 35 years old when he became king and he ruled for 25 years in Jerusalem. Like his father, Jehoshaphat was regarded as a good king who generally did right in the sight of the LORD. He did not remove all of the high places, but he did expel the remnant of sodomites that remained in the land following his father’s reign.
Jehoshaphat placed troops in Judah’s fortified cities and garrisons throughout the kingdom including in the cities of Ephraim that Asa had captured. He firmly cemented his position as king and all of Judah brought tribute to him. He walked in the ways of David, did not seek after idols, and took pride in God’s commandments. Thus, the LORD established his kingdom and made him strong.
In the 3rd year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent select officials, Levites, and priests to teach the law of the LORD throughout the cities of Judah. The surrounding nations dreaded him and kept the peace. In fact, some of the Philistines and Arabians brought him gifts as tribute, such as silver and flocks of animals. Jehoshaphat built fortresses and store cities to contain the vast quantity of supplies he accumulated. He also mustered a sizable army that was placed under the command of several skilled leaders.
II. AHAB & JEHOSHAPHAT JOIN FORCES (1 Kings 22:1-12; 2 Chronicles 18:1-11)
Earlier in his reign, Jehoshaphat had allied himself with Ahab by marriage (allowing his son Jehoram to marry Ahab and Jezebel's daughter, Athaliah). So 3 years after Israel's 2nd victory over Aram, Ahab decided to retake the city of Ramoth-gilead. It was an Israeli city that was still being held by the Aramaens. Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to assist him in this effort (it would be Israel’s 3rd campaign against Aram), and Jehoshaphat readily agreed to the alliance.
As a precursor, Jehoshaphat requested that Ahab inquire a word from the LORD as to whether this was a good idea or not. So Ahab gathered up the “prophets” of Israel, about 400 men, and asked them. They all agreed that Ahab and Jehoshaphat should move forward with their plans to retake Ramoth-gilead. However, when Jehoshaphat saw that none of these men were actually prophets of the LORD, he asked Ahab if there were any of God’s prophets available that they might ask. Ahab named 1 man, Micaiah, but said that he hated him because he never prophesied good or favorable things for him.
To appease Jehoshaphat, Ahab went ahead and summoned Micaiah. In the meantime, while they waited for him to arrive, Ahab and Jehoshaphat sat on their thrones in the palace in Samaria as numerous false prophets appeared before them ensuring victory. Zedekiah, a prominent prophet in the northern kingdom, confidently predicted that Israel would gore the Aramaens with horns of iron.
III. MICAIAH PREDICTS DEFEAT (1 Kings 22:13-28; 2 Chronicles 18:12-27)
The messenger who went to retrieve Micaiah told him that all of King Ahab’s prophets had uniformly assured him success over Aram. He asked Micaiah to deliver the same positive message. However, Micaiah rebuked the messenger saying that he would prophesy whatever God revealed to him, whether encouraging or not.
When Micaiah appeared before the 2 kings, he initially consented to the messenger’s request and simply told Ahab what he wanted to hear - that Israel would surely defeat Aram. But something in his tone or on his face must have given him away, and Ahab insisted that he tell the truth. So Micaiah prophesied the word of the LORD, that Israel would be defeated if they attempted to retake Ramoth-gilead. Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and said, “See? I told you he would not prophesy anything good for me.”
Micaiah proceeded to describe his heavenly vision of how God had sent a deceiving word to the prophets of Israel. Their false promises of victory would entice Ahab into a losing battle. Furious, Zedekiah slapped Micaiah across the face and questioned his message. Ahab commanded that Micaiah be thrown in prison and fed sparingly until he returned triumphantly from battle. The prophet defiantly responded that if Ahab returned safely from battle, then the LORD had not spoken by him. For God had decreed that Ahab would die in the fight.
IV. DEFEAT & DEATH OF AHAB (1 Kings 22:29-40; 2 Chronicles 18:28-34)
The allied forces of Israel and Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. Before the conflict began, Ahab disguised himself in order to conceal his identity from the Aramaens. When the fighting broke out, Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, ordered some of his charioteers to the singular mission of finding and fighting against Ahab. In the heat of battle, they mistook Jehoshaphat for Ahab and sought to overtake him, but when they realized their error, they broke off their pursuit.
As the confrontation raged on, Ahab was randomly struck by an arrow in the joint of his armor. Severely injured, the driver of his chariot withdrew him from the battle. At a safe distance, they propped Ahab up in his chariot so that he could watch the fighting. As the disguised king slowly bled out, his blood stained and pooled in the bottom of his chariot. Ahab died that evening, and Israel’s and Judah’s troops withdrew in defeat from Ramoth-gilead.
King Ahab’s body was returned to Samaria and buried. His chariot was taken outside of the city to be washed, just as Naboth had been taken out of the city to be stoned. As it was being cleaned, Ahab’s blood dripped onto the ground where it was licked up by the dogs, just as Ezekiel had prophesied (1 Kings 21:17-19). Thus, Ahab died and his son Ahaziah became king of Israel in his place.
CONCLUSION
King Ahab had surrounded himself with “yes men”. His many prophets told him exactly what he wanted to hear. They even tried to suppress and silence any messages to the contrary so that there would be no dissenting opinions. Ahab didn’t want the truth, and he despised and imprisoned the man who was bold enough to speak it. Emboldened by his previous success, Ahab foolishly ignored the word of the LORD. But Ahab’s arrogance and corruption ultimately was his downfall, and his disregard for God’s prophetic word cost him his life.
Beloved, people need to hear the truth. It may not be popular or easy to listen to, but it alone has the power to save. This world hates the truth of God. It revels in the darkness and despises the light. It delights in the filth and stink of sin, while stubbornly resisting purity and righteousness. This fallen world deceives itself with comforting lies and empty deception. Nevertheless, this world desperately needs the truth more than anything. Jesus is the truth! May we have the courage to say it.