2 Ch. 18: Project Ahab

2 Chronicles 18:19 "And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?'"

I talked about this story already back in September, but here is 1 Kings 22 again. I suppose what I want to focus on for this go-round is Micaiah's prophecy to Ahab. Which wouldn't have happened had Jehoshaphat not insisted that a prophet of the LORD speak regarding Ahab's impending attack on Ramoth Gilead.

Micaiah speaks of an interesting bit of conversation in heaven. It sounds like God wants Ahab attacking Ramoth Gilead. But not for victory. For death. For judgment. In order to accomplish this, God listens to various spirits suggest means for enticing Ahab to go to war. Very interesting. 

Ahab was intent on this attack. On imposing his will. And here, God's will and Ahab's will lined up. But it was the intended outcomes here that differed greatly. Ahab was going to do whatever he wanted.

One spirit told the LORD that he would lie to Ahab's prophets. Of course these prophets were going to be believed by Ahab, because he probably surrounded himself with like-minded and like-spirited individuals. Prophets not especially attuned to what the LORD would say. 

The LORD used Ahab's desires as judgment upon him. Genius.

1 Ki. 22: The Double

1 Kings 22:8 "And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.' And Jehoshaphat said, 'Let not the king say so.'"

Well, the king of Israel comes to the realization that this section of land, Ramoth Gilead, belongs to Israel, but is occupied by Syria. The king of Israel, I assume is Ahab. Jehoshaphat is the king of Judah, and he agrees to help him out. Jehoshaphat was a good king, and came from good stock (Asa). Jehoshaphat decides to consult the prophets, who clamor to say that "Now is the time to attack!" Not satisfied, Jehoshaphat asks if there are any more prophets who could say something. Boy does this guy like to be sure.

Then some guy makes some horns out of iron to defeat the Syrians. Which I don't get. What that's about. But he says the LORD told him to make them. Awesome.

There happens to be another prophet, Micaiah. Micaiah's prophecy is quite amazing. It's really a riveting read, and I hope you'll check it out. It looks like Micaiah goes along with the other prophets, and sees a victory for the king. But its tempered by him seeing Israel scattered like sheep with no shepherd on the mountains. That doesn't sound like a victory. But the LORD told him to say it, and he had to know it was going to be an unpopular prophecy. From Ahab's (presumably) conversation, it sounds like Micaiah had a history of telling him bad news. And Ahab has a history of whining.

Micaiah's not done. He goes on rather apocalyptically, seeing the LORD on the throne, surrounded by the hosts of heaven. And the LORD asked who would be the one to entice Ahab to go to Gilead and fall, and one of them steps up and says, "That's me." And how will he do it? By being a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets. Boom. That's like the Shyamalan twist to Micaiah's prophecy. Can you imagine the reaction of these other prophets, who thought they were telling the "God's honest" truth? One of them even comes over and slaps him in the face. Zedekiah the Horn Maker asks him how he knows. Micaiah tells him he'll know when goes and hides like a bi...g wimp.

Ahab reacts expectedly, by imprisoning Micaiah. No dissenting opinions allowed. Ahab tries to subvert the prophecy by going to war in disguise, realizing the Syrian men would go after him mainly. It doesn't work. They don't kill his dupe, and Ahab ends up getting killed by some random archer. Ahab bleeds out in his chariot, which ends up being washed in the whore pond in Samaria.

The evil Ahaziah takes over for Ahab, and Jehoram takes over for Jehoshaphat.