S) "28 Micaiah said, 'If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by me.' And he said, 'Listen, all you people.'"
1 Kings 22:28 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 22
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read 1 Kings 22
O) This is one of my favorite stories, because this is probably the most sarcastic prophet. Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and Ahab king of Israel, had a peace treaty. During a state visit, Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to go to war with him. While Ahab had many prophets telling him what he wanted to hear (that victory was sure), Jehoshaphat asked if any of the prophets were from the LORD. Ahab laments this, because he says that Micaiah is a prophet of the LORD, but he only speaks evil against him (that is, harm against him - Ahab was an evil king). When he is brought, he is told by the other prophets to give a victorious pronouncement, but he tells them he must speak the truth that God gives him. When he came before the kings, they asked him for the word, but he initially lied. He told them to go to war and have victory, but Ahab knew better. So, he asked him again, and Micaiah tells them that Ahab will surely die and the army will suffer loss. Ahab tells the guards to take Micaiah to prison, to be fed and watered sparingly until Ahab returns victorious. Then, the above is Micaiah's response to his sentencing.
A) There are so, so many things to dig through when reading this story. There is the issue of why Jehoshaphat was ever allied with Ahab. There is the issue of how Ahab probably should have consulted with the LORD way before ever hitting the battle field (which I covered a little more on 06/18/2014, with the concurrent record in 2 Chronicles 18). There is also the deep topic of how Ahab knew that Micaiah was lying, what kind of precedent there must have been, and what it meant with all of the prophets of the false gods among them. Then, there is the difficult subject of God sending a deceiving spirit among those same prophets. But, the area where this speaks to me the most, is the area of God's nature that comes through this story.
God does not lie. When He tells us that something is going to happen, He is not guessing. He is not giving likelihoods or probabilities. It can be debated how much God dictates or ordains things to happen, but we certainly know that His omniscience is, in fact, prescient (see Isaiah 46:10). So, when Ahab dies by a stray arrow, despite the fact that he had disguised himself, no one should be surprised. God, in a sense, had already seen it happen when Micaiah told the people it would be so. When the doges licked the blood of the dead king, no one should be surprised, because Elijah already revealed what God already knew. So, when Micaiah said the words in the above verse, that reminds me that there is no uncertainty with what God has spoken. The test, is simply to watch it happen. I have heard people "prophesy" to me, things which made no sense and did not, in fact, come to pass. That wasn't God talking through them, then. On the other hand, Jesus prophesied about his death and resurrection, and about the destruction of the temple in 70 AD (and other things), all of them came to pass. So, when Jesus says faith in Him means I get to go to heaven, I know that the Father has spoken by Him. When Jesus says I must know the truth, and then the truth will set me free, I know that He has spoken by the Father (which is also, exactly what Jesus said He did). While the gift of prophecy can be debated (although I certainly believe God still speaks to and through people), there can be no doubt about the authenticity of the plain biblical prophecies. I have confidence in my own salvation, because I have seen God's work through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I have confidence in my own salvation because I have seen God's work through my own life. I know what the New Testament says is true, because I know the evidence for its truthfulness, which is then the evidence for its trustworthiness.
God does not lie. When He tells us that something is going to happen, He is not guessing. He is not giving likelihoods or probabilities. It can be debated how much God dictates or ordains things to happen, but we certainly know that His omniscience is, in fact, prescient (see Isaiah 46:10). So, when Ahab dies by a stray arrow, despite the fact that he had disguised himself, no one should be surprised. God, in a sense, had already seen it happen when Micaiah told the people it would be so. When the doges licked the blood of the dead king, no one should be surprised, because Elijah already revealed what God already knew. So, when Micaiah said the words in the above verse, that reminds me that there is no uncertainty with what God has spoken. The test, is simply to watch it happen. I have heard people "prophesy" to me, things which made no sense and did not, in fact, come to pass. That wasn't God talking through them, then. On the other hand, Jesus prophesied about his death and resurrection, and about the destruction of the temple in 70 AD (and other things), all of them came to pass. So, when Jesus says faith in Him means I get to go to heaven, I know that the Father has spoken by Him. When Jesus says I must know the truth, and then the truth will set me free, I know that He has spoken by the Father (which is also, exactly what Jesus said He did). While the gift of prophecy can be debated (although I certainly believe God still speaks to and through people), there can be no doubt about the authenticity of the plain biblical prophecies. I have confidence in my own salvation, because I have seen God's work through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I have confidence in my own salvation because I have seen God's work through my own life. I know what the New Testament says is true, because I know the evidence for its truthfulness, which is then the evidence for its trustworthiness.
P) Father, today is Good Friday. This is the day when my death sentence was, not reduced or removed, but it was displaced. I was sentenced to die justly, for guilt that rightly belonged to me. However, on this day, Jesus took my place on that cross. This was exactly as He said He would do. This is exactly as You said He would do. You have proven Your truthful character, Your trustworthiness, time and time again, and time everlasting. This is the basis for my faith. I am reminded that it is not faith alone that is needed, but it matters what is the basis for that faith. More to the point, it matters who is the basis for that faith. My faith is in You, God. My faith is because of Your faithfulness. This is all from Your grace upon me. Open my eyes and ears this weekend, especially. As I pay close, deliberate, special attention to the work of the cross, and the victory Jesus claimed over sin and death, increase my faith. Let me see clearly, every biblical prophecy. Give me wisdom and understanding. Let all of this be done, only ever according to Your will. You are good, and Your plan for me is good, and I only want Your will to happen in my life, because Your will is better than mine. You alone have a right for Your will to be done. Thank You, God. Be magnified, this weekend especially. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment