18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab,
King Jehoshaphat was one of the most righteous kings of Judah. He commanded that the Word of God was to be taught throughout all of Judah. A revival occurred which prospered Judah spiritually, materially, and militarily.
King Ahab was one of the most wicked kings in Israel. Israel was involved in syncretism, which was the combination of worshiping Jehovah with other pagan gods. King Ahab married a Baal priestess queen from Tyre named Jezebel. They both rid the land of Israel from syncretism and replaced it with the religion of Baal. Baalism was one of the most demonic religions of that day.
18:2 and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. He persuaded him to join in an attack against Ramoth Gilead.
A godly king should never join in a treaty with a satanic nation.
18:3 King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.”
Jehovah gave Judah peace, but this satanic alliance invoked Judah to war.
18:4 Then Jehoshaphat added, “First seek an oracle from the Lord.”
Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from a prophet of Jehovah before he entered war.
18:5 So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” They said, “Attack! God will hand it over to the king.”
These were not prophets of Jehovah. They were prophets of Baal. They all told the king what he wanted to hear. Evil people, non-believers, and carnal Christians prefer messages which tickle their ears.
18:6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?”
Mature believers do not want their ears tickled. They want to hear God’s truth.
18:7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!”
King Ahab of Israel did not like Micaiah the prophet, because Micaiah did not tickle this evil king’s ears. King Jehoshaphat of Judah warned King Ahab that he should respect the truth of God’s Word. Carnal christians need to respect God's written word as well. They can respect God's word by studying it at the deepest level on a daily basis.
18:8 The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
King Ahab did not want to hear the words of this true prophet of God, but it was the only way to get King Jehoshaphat’s support. Micaiah the prophet was to be escorted to the king’s court by military guard.
18:9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them.
All of these false prophets of Baal were prophesying in front of these two kings.
18:10 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!’ ”
Zedekiah was flaming zealous for his demonic gods.
18:11 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king!”
This type of teaching was very similar to what the modern liberal, emergent, and seeker churches are teaching today. These type of churches are cults who only teach the parts of Scripture which tickle the ears.
18:12 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success!”
Micaiah was warned that his message needed to be politically correct. Religious, business, military, and educational leaders today are more concerned about being politically correct than they are in teaching the truth from the Word of God. They are serving the satanic culture rather than God.
18:13 But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!”
Micaiah does not tickle ears. He does not compromise with the Word of God. He teaches only the Word of God.
18:14 Micaiah came before the king and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you.”
Micaiah was using sarcasm to send a powerful warning to Israel and Judah. Many unbelievers and carnal Christians condemn godly pastors who use sarcasm to drive home a spiritual concept. Satan understands the impact of sarcasm, so he wants only his followers to be able to use this powerful weapon of speech. Part of Satan’s attack on the Christian world is to attack Christianity with sarcasm, but also to attack the sarcasm that is used against himself. Satan very subtly condemns those Christians who expose evil. He often uses carnal Christians to initiate this attack.
18:15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?”
Apparently, Micaiah used sarcasm previously and often against King Ahab. King Ahab heard the truth and exchanged it for Baalism.
It is important to note that many believers hear the truth and exchange the truth for a shallow teaching church which tickles their ears. Large churches are filled with carnal Christians who want to be cuddled and entertained. If the pastors of large churches taught book by book from the original languages, then they would lose 90% of their congregations. These large-church congregations would either fire the Bible-teaching pastor and replace him with an ear-tickler, or they would bounce to another church which is less serious about Bible instruction.
18:16 Micaiah replied, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’ ”
Micaiah saw the satanic nation of Israel being slaughtered in battle by the Syrians.
18:17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?”
Israel was disobedient to God, so they were experiencing the curses of the Mosaic Covenant. God sent prophets to Israel to warn them to repent and avoid the judgment to come.
18:18 Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left.
Micaiah was not a seeker-friendly pastor who tickled the ears of the congregation. He saw Jehovah sitting on His throne in heaven with all of the angels and demons assembled. There is a similar situation of this kind of angelic assembly in the Book of Job. Sometimes, God calls all angels and demons to assemble before Him.
18:19 The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that.
God asked for an angel or demon to deceive King Ahab.
18:20 Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’
The text does not state clearly if this spirit was an angel or demon, but it seems to be a demonic spirit.
18:21 He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’
This spirit would send a prophetic lie to the false prophets of Baal.
18:22 So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
Since the spirit was lying, and since Satan is “the father of all lies,” the spirit seems to be a demonic spirit.
18:23 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?”
Zedekiah violated the Mosaic Covenant by giving out a false prophecy and striking a true prophet of God.
18:24 Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.”
Micaiah replied that Zedekiah was a blind prophet who could not see spiritual truth. Zedekiah’s eyes would be opened when he goes into hiding. False prophets were to be stoned.
18:25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son.
Micaiah was to be removed from the royal court. He was not good for military morale.
18:26 Say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ”
Micaiah was to be imprisoned for teaching the Word of God. Satanically-inspired nations will not allow a man of God to teach the Word of God in their nation. Many churches will not allow a man of God to teach in their pulpits.
18:27 Micaiah said, “If you really do return safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Take note, all you people.”
Micaiah’s audience was the people who were in court when Micaiah uttered his prophecy. He asked his audience to remember this incident.
18:28 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead.
Even though the good King Jehoshaphat was warned by a true prophet of God not to enter the war, King Jehoshaphat joined in an unholy alliance.
18:29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter the battle; but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle.
Ahab was an evil and crafty fellow. He wanted the king who carried the messianic seed to dress in royal attire, while Ahab dressed in camouflage. He was setting up the Davidic dynasty to be killed in battle.
18:30 Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel!”
Syria’s entire army was focused on killing the king who carried the messianic seed.
18:31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord helped him; God lured them away from him.
King Jehoshaphat’s foolish decision threatened the messianic seed. King Jehoshaphat prayed to God. Despite King Jehoshaphat’s unholy alliance, God protected him in order to keep His promise to David of bringing in the Messianic King through his line.
18:32 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him.
The chariot commanders somehow realized that King Jehoshaphat was not the King of Israel.
18:33 Now an archer shot an arrow at random and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line, for I am wounded.”
The random arrows of men were controlled by God’s sovereignty. The evil shepherd of Israel had been injured.
18:34 While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.
Israel was without their shepherd, just as Micaiah predicted.