Folks, this chapter (1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18-19) has it all! It has political intrigue, it has supernatural insight as we see the curtain pulled back on the scene in heaven, it has war, and it introduces us to Ahab’s successor. We will look at 1 Kings 22, but you can read 2 Chronicles 18-19 as well for more insight!

1 Kings 22:1 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. 2 Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel. 3 During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!”

4 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” 5 Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”

6 So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?”

They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.”

So, the band is back together! Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom side by side! Well, kind of. Ahab wants to take some territory back, and Jehoshaphat is willing to help him, but he wants to ask the Lord first! Ahab brings in the false prophets! Jehoshaphat realizes this and he says, “Hey man, can’t we get a real prophet of the Lord in here.” I love Jehoshaphat’s discernment!

8 The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”

9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

I laugh every time I read this because Ahab knows that Micaiah isn’t going to say what he wants to hear, and because Jehoshaphat is trying to teach Ahab what a king should look, act, and sound like! Before you ask, Elijah is out of the Northern Kingdom picture for the moment with the mission God had given him on Sinai to anoint new leadership in Israel and Aram, and to call Elisha.

10 King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them. 11 One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!”

12 All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the Lordwill give the king victory!”

13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”

14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”

15 When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?”

Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!”

16 But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord?”

17 Then Micaiah told him, “In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.’”

18 “Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.”

19 Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’

“There were many suggestions, 21 and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’

22 “‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked.

“And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’

“‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’

23 “So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom.”

24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” he demanded.

25 And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”

26 “Arrest him!” the king of Israel ordered. “Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash. 27 Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’”

28 But Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!”

There is so much we could unpack here, but first look at what Micaiah says when Ahab’s servant said, “Just go with the flow, bro.” He replied, “Fella, I can only say what the LORD tells me to say.” Church, it is so easy just to go with the flow, but we are called to be a set apart (sanctified, holy) people who share the word of the Lord. Especially when the masses are saying otherwise. How do we know the word of the Lord? We read it, we hide it in our heart, we live it! Remember what Peter says:

1 Peter 2:8b They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

So even when the masses are saying the same thing, if it’s against the Word of God, we must be a light like Micaiah, even if it means we end up on the wrong end of the system!

At the end of the day, this was God’s plan to remove Ahab from the throne of Israel to bring the downfall that He had prophesied in the chapters before. But even still, he allowed Ahab a life raft by the true Word of God from Micaiah, but Ahab refused the warning.

Also, this is just how my mind works, the false prophets and the carnal spirits show themselves, like Zedekiah, when someone speaks in opposition. Don’t be like those people.  Back to the story:

29 So King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

31 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!”32 So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out, 33 the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him.

34 An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. “I’m badly wounded!”

35 The battle raged all that day, and the king remained propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he died. 36 Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: “We’re done for! Run for your lives!”

37 So the king died, and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there. 38 Then his chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria, and dogs came and licked his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed, just as the Lord had promised.

39 The rest of the events in Ahab’s reign and everything he did, including the story of the ivory palace and the towns he built, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. 40 So Ahab died, and his son Ahaziah became the next king.

In verse 34 you have the biggest air quotes around the word “randomly.” At the end of the day Ahab aligned himself with a lost woman and was his own worst enemy. Despite warning after warning and repentance opportunities galore, Ahab stayed in his sins. Church, God’s Word always has the final say. I’ve read that last book; the victory is ours. For all of those who are called children of God, He will wipe away every tear! There will be no mourning or sadness, there will be no sickness or pain, because in the end, the old order of things will have passed away! (Revelation 21) Let us heed His word, live in His will, serve according to his purpose, and we will experience His glory!

(Paul Harvey voice) And now, the rest of the story.

41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to rule over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign in Israel.42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

43 Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the example of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45 The rest of the events in Jehoshaphat’s reign, the extent of his power, and the wars he waged are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. 46 He banished from the land the rest of the male and female shrine prostitutes, who still continued their practices from the days of his father, Asa.

47 (There was no king in Edom at that time, only a deputy.)

48 Jehoshaphat also built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But the ships never set sail, for they met with disaster in their home port of Ezion-geber. 49 At one time Ahaziah son of Ahab had proposed to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with your men in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat refused the request.

50 When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.

Ahaziah Rules in Israel

51 Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years. 52 But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin.53 He served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.

Jehoshaphat was a good king, he did not purge Judah of all the pagan shrines, but he did follow the Lord. In Chronicles, Jehoshaphat is convicted by a prophet named Jehu for aligning himself in that war despite Micaiah’s warning, but for the most part, Jehoshaphat ended his reign very well. Unfortunately for the Northern Kingdom, Ahab’s son Ahaziah was just like his dad.

So what are today’s practical take aways.

1. Know the word of God well enough to know when the message, even of the majority, is wrong.

2. Stand up for the truth, even if it puts us in a tough spot.

3. Have the mindset of a victor not a victim, our God is on the throne, and the battle is His!

4. (Bonus) Do not be like Zedekiah – playing prophet and then lash out when opposition (from God) arose.

I pray you are experiencing God’s presence in your life in a deeper and closer way! I’ve heard testimony after testimony of those who have been reading tons of scripture and are loving the things they are discovering! Keep it up, God is at work! Have a blessed day!