"The word of the LORD, The truth and nothing but the truth."
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
1 Kings 22:1-40
Introduction:
- “Why do we gather with other believers/go to church?”
- How people answer that question, tells us a great deal about them and the believers with whom they choose to gather/their church.
The word of God reminds us why we gather together as a church. We are the church.
Corporate worship that is acceptable to God.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
Accurate preaching and teaching of the word of God and prayer.
And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
All members of this body of believers need to come together.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
- While some of the more common answers seem commendable, if common to our answers is not worshipping the triune God, Biblically true preaching and application of the word of God, including all aspects of sound teaching/doctrine, we might begin to accommodate those having “itching ears who accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
Once we understand the dilemma that some people always prefer to hear what they want to hear, we must be even more careful that every time we ask each other, “What does the LORD say?”, we make doubly sure that we speak, “nothing but truth in the name of the LORD.” – 1 Kings 22:16
The question facing Ahab, king of Israel (northern kingdom) in alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (southern kingdom, was “when and how to reclaim Ramoth-gilead?” that they had not reclaimed from the king of Syria. Answering their question was exacerbated by conflict between the prophecies of:
Ramoth-gilead - “a Levital city east of the Jordan River in Giead, on the northern border of Gad, the home of Jephthah (Judges 11:24) and a key administrative center in Solomon’s kingdom (1 KIngs 4:13) . It seems to be one of the cities that Ben-hadad should have returned to Israel - 1 KIngs 20:34. “ (MacArthur Study Bible - re 1 Kings 22:3)
Alliance of Ahab - Israel - and Jehoshaphat - Judah - came about with the marriage of the son of Jehoshaphat and the daughter of Ahab. While re read part of that alliance here, it had tragic results:
Jehoshaphat drew God’s wrath - 2 Chron 19:2.
After Jehoshaphat died, Athaliah, his daughter-in-law, seized the throne and killed most of David’s decendants - 2 Chron 22:10ff.
Athaliah brought the wicked idols of Israel into Judah
Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.”
1. Four hundred (400) prophets (false) of Ahab to Ahab– 22:5-12
o “Inquire first for the word of the LORD.” (Jehoshaphat) – 22:5
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was willing to help but reminded Ahab of the need to seek the will of God before going into battle.
This request somewhat surprising.
Ahab had previously repented - 1 Kings 21:25-29.
Previous kings had inquired of the LORD before going into battle.
David re fighting the Philistines.
Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
David re inquired of the LORD whether the men of Keilah would be disloyal and surrender him into the hands of Saul .
1 Sam 9:23:9-13
David re going up into cities of Judah.
After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”
David re going up against the Philistines.
And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Jehoram, son of Ahab, then king of Israel in Samaria inquired of Elisha, re the word of the LORD re God’s provision and whether the LORD would give the Moabites into their hands.
So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” Then one of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No; it is the Lord who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you. But now bring me a musician.” And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’ This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand, and you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop up all springs of water and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” The next morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country was filled with water.
Present day missundertanding of “if two or three be agreed”
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Something needing to be done and two or three agreeing does not mean their agreeing is the only determining factor for the will of God.
o “Go up for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” (400 prophets) – 22:6
Not true prophets of the Lord.
Worshipped at Bethel at the golden calf set up by Jeroboam
So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.
Supported by Ahab whose religious policy supported worship of idols.
Ahab’s prophets.
And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
Words designed to please Ahab - 22:8.
Refused to begin with authoritative, “Thus says the LORD” and did refer to god by His covenenant name.
o “Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire?” (Jehoshaphat) – 22:7
Jehoshaphat - King of Judah.
o “There is one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah, son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophecies good concerning me, but evil.” (Ahab) – 22:8-9
o “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these (horns of iron) you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.” (Zedekiah& all the prophets) – 22:10-12
2. Micaiah, from the LORD to Ahab – 22:13-28
o Messenger of Ahab compared to Micaiah, messenger of the LORD – 22:13-14
o Micaiah’s sarcastic parroting of the prophets & Ahab’s request for nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD – 22:15-16
o “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountain, as sheep that have no shepherd. … These have no master. Let each return to his home in peace.” (Micaiah/the LORD)
o “The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of there your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you.” (Micaiah’s answer to Ahab’s comment) – 22:17-23
o “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me. … Hear, all you peoples.” (Micaiah’s response – Zedekiah’s and Ahab’s reactions) – 22:24-28
Postmortem summary statement - “What the LORD says is true and will come to pass, whether we think it evil or attempt to hide from it.” – 22:29-46.
- Ahab was killed in battle according to the word of the LORD that had been spoken – 22:29-40.
o Ahab tried to disguise himself, but a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale of the amour and the breastplate.
- Jehoshaphat continued to walk in the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what is right in the sight of the LORD – 22:41-46
o Yet, the high places were not taken down.
o Exterminated the remnant of the cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa.
Our postmortem question – “How will we be remembered?”
Nov 12/23