1 Kings 22:1-12 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Kings 22:1-12. Let’s go!
1 Kings 22:1-3 (NIV)
1 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel.
3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?”
On verses 1-3: For years Israel and Aram had been at war with one another. Then God gave Israel an amazing victory over Aram. However, in the heat of victory, instead of executing Ben-Hadad King of Aram and disabling the Arameans as a future threat, King Ahab signed an economic treaty with the Arameans and let their king go free (1 Kings 20:30-34).
Now three years later, King Ahab of Israel is unhappy because the Arameans have control over a territory called Ramoth Gilead, which Ahab thinks should be under Israel’s control. Ahab could have easily taken over that territory three years earlier. But because he was careless while entering into a peace treaty with the Arameans three years before, now King Ahab has to fight to reclaim that territory.
What can we learn from this? When you enter into a relationship or a business agreement with someone, don’t do so on emotion alone. Do your due diligence and think carefully through the consequences. That way you won’t end up regretting your decision and having to spend extra time and effort to reclaim territory that you never should have lost in the first place.
1 Kings 22:4-12 (NIV)
4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the LORD.”
6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets–about four hundred men–and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?”
8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that,” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
10 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
11 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.'”
12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.”
On verses 4-12: King Ahab asks Jehoshaphat king of Judah to join him in his fight against Aram to reclaim the territory of Ramoth Gilead. Before Jehoshaphat decides, he says he must “first seek the counsel of the Lord” (v5). So Ahab brings out 400 prophets, who do seem to be legitimate prophets of the Lord. They may have been prophets of Baal, or people Ahab selected and decided to give the title of “prophet” to, instead of people who genuinely had a prophetic gift from God. All 400 prophets advise that King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat should attack Aram and expect success (v6, 11-12). However, King Jehoshaphat is doubtful of the legitimacy of these prophets. He asks if there is any “prophet of the Lord” that they can consult (v7). Ahab says there is one prophet called Micaiah, but that “I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad” (v8).
What can we learn from this? When making an important decision, like Jehoshaphat, first seek the counsel of the Lord. Get good advice from godly, experienced people who can help you see the situation more clearly. Don’t make Ahab’s mistake and look merely for “yes men” or “yes women” who will just say what you want to hear. Rather, look for people who will give you honest, objective, godly feedback in a loving way.
Heavenly Father, more than anyone else’s opinion or counsel, it is Your counsel and opinion that I need and want to hear. Soften my heart so that I would seek Your counsel before making important decisions, and follow Your counsel wholeheartedly, because You always know best. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
