Death of Ahab

After 3 years of peace with Syria, Ahab decides to pick a new fight. 27:1-4

Jehoshaphat pays Ahab a visit. 2

Jehoshaphat was a good Judean king.

We could make the message tonight about the dangers of good people that foolishly associate with wicked people.

Ahab proposes that the kings work together to retake Ramoth-Gilead. 3-4

Ramoth was one of the Levitical cities.

It was situated in the inheritance of Issachar.

Syria had taken control of it from the Israelites.

Just so we are clear, this is the same Syria that was prophesied to kill Ahab.

If I were Ahab, I would stay as far away from Syria as possible.

Instead, he proposes that they try to reclaim the city of Ramoth.

Amazingly, Jehoshaphat agrees. 4

Perhaps, after the events of chapter 21, Jehoshaphat hoped that there was a chance to see Ahab serve the one true god.

Maybe he thought he could be an influence on Ahab.

Whatever the reason, Jehoshaphat links up with the wicked king.

…under one condition.

Jehoshaphat insists that Ahab consult with the prophets concerning this endeavor. 5-14

Ahab assembles 400 prophets to give advice on the proposal. 6

Do you think that Jehoshaphat would have accepted counsel from the prophets of Baal?

No.

These were “prophets of God.”

But they were powerless, neutered, men afraid of Ahab’s reaction to negative counsel.

They had been burned by the persecution of the royals and so, they too had capitalized on the half-way revival of the king.

They were YHWH’s representatives, but only so far as YHWH didn’t anger the king.

They all agree that the kings should go up and that they will experience victory. 6

Rather than tell the king what he needed to hear, they told him what he wanted to hear.

This was fine for Ahab, he only wanted affirmation.

This was not fine with Jehoshaphat.

He wants direction.

Jehoshaphat asks if there is not another prophet of the Lord that they could enquire of. 7

It didn’t matter that 400 prophets were in agreement, he wanted one more.

What kind of persons denies the consensus opinion in a quest for the truth?

A rare person, for sure.

Ahab admits that there is another prophet named Micaiah. 8

Ahab hates Micaiah.

Micaiah only ever speaks evil of Ahab, never good.

Well, Ahab, maybe if you weren’t always living contrary to the will of God, he wouldn’t have keep pronouncing judgment on you and your house.

To appease Jehoshaphat, Ahab sends for Micaiah. 9-14

In the meantime, the two kings of Israel sit in the gates of Samaria while the other prophets prophesy.

One of the prophets made a pair of iron horns and pretended to push the Syrians.

All the prophets were in agreement as the messenger came to Micaiah.

The messenger told Micaiah that the king had requested his counsel.

But, he also told him that all of the other prophets were already in agreement.

The messenger then asks Micaiah to just go and say the same thing that everyone else had said.

Micaiah responds to the messenger that whatever God tells him to say, that will he say.

Michaiah comes before the king to deliver his prophecy. 15-28

He first delivers the false narrative that the other prophets had agreed on. 15-16

The king asks him if they should go or tarry.

Micaiah tells the king to go and prosper.

To this, Ahab tells Micaiah to tell him the truth!

He then delivers the true prophecy from God. 17-23

He tells the king that he sees all Israel scattered as a sheep with no shepherd.

All men returned to their homes since they had no master.

Ahab scoffs and tells Jehoshaphat that he knew Micaiah would have nothing good to say.

Micaiah continues with his prophecy.

He tells of a scene in heaven where God asked the question of how they would get Ahab to go to Ramoth to die.

Many solutions were offered, but one spirit came forward with a winning strategy.

He would go as a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets.

He would use the prophets to convince Ahab to go to Ramoth to die.

Zedekiah moves towards Micaiah and smacks him on the cheek. 24-25

He asks Micaiah where he got his message from.

Zedekiah innocently or knowingly presents his message as being from the Lord.

Micaiah speaks a word that every preacher has to accept.

“thou shalt see...”

There is no joy in this statement.

There is no pride in this.

No preacher can force anyone to receive their message.

You can believe or reject, but, if the message is from God, it is only a matter of time before you will see.

Ahab has Micaiah imprisoned. 26-28

He rejects Micaiah’s message.

He tells his guards to imprison Micaiah until he returns in victory.

Micaiah responds by saying, if Ahab returns at all, then God has not spoken by the prophet.

Israel and Judah move as one to attack the Syrians at Ramoth Gilead. 29-33

Ahab convinces Jehoshaphat to let Ahab wear a disguise while Jehoshaphat wears his royal robes. 30

If he did not believe the prophecy, then why is he trying to conceal his identity?

Why would Jehoshaphat be so blind to agree to this arrangement?

The king of Syria (Ben-Hadad) orders his men to go only after the king of Israel. 31-33

Of course, they see Jehoshaphat looking like a king.

Of course, they chase after him as they were commanded.

How long did it take them to realize their mistake?

How far did they chase him before they turned back from chasing Jehoshaphat?

Were they frustrated that they had been duped?

Did Ahab feel like he had outsmarted God by disguising himself?

Did he think that he had escaped God’s word for the first time?

Ahab is killed. 34-40

An archer drew his bow at a venture. 34

Did the archer shoot his arrow in the air in hopes that he would hit something?

Or, did he choose his target at random?

I believe he chose Ahab at random out of the battlefield.

He aimed for this unknown enemy.

As Ahab was swinging his sword, the arrow found the joint in his armor and lodged in his side.

After being hit, Ahab directed his driver to bring him out of the fray.

Ahab stayed on the battlefield until he bled out. 35

He was not a wimp.

He propped himself and watched his army until he eventually bled out.

His blood pooling up in the floor of his chariot.

After the king had died the Israelites retreated. 36

It was now evening when news began to spread that Ahab was dead.

With no master, the men of Israel began to abandon the battle.

Each man heading back to their own house.

So the king died.

His body and chariot were brought back to Samaria. 37-38

One of the servants came and washed out the chariot of Ahab.

The water flushed the blood out onto the street.

The dogs came and licked up his blood.

This was done according to the word of the Lord.

This is a fitting end to the life of Ahab.

Whether it was Elijah, or an unnamed prophet, or Micaiah, God spoke to Ahab on many occasions.

God never lied and He never failed to do what He said.

Over and over Ahab discounted and rejected the word of the Lord, but not even the unbelief of a king can change the surety of God’s word.

Tonight, whether you believe God’s word or not, it has no bearing on the veracity of what He has said.

The same God that has created us, has also given us a book detailing everything we need to know for a successful life.

Most importantly, it tells us how we can be reconciled to Him.

It also speaks to every area of life.

Marriage

Parenting

Civics

Work

Religion

God knows what is best for His creation in every area of our lives.

He is still using preachers to warn us and instruct us regarding His message for our lives.

The contents of the message are no more the preacher’s then they were the prophets.

A false preacher is no better than the 400.

Lest you judge the false preacher too harshly, remember they were false because they said what the listener wanted to hear.

How many people are willing to pursue the truth no matter where it leads?

If you do have a preacher of the truth, you would do well to heed, not man’s message, but God’s.

If you don’t, then the words of Micaiah will apply to you.

“thou shalt see.”

You get to choose your actions, but you don’t get to choose the consequences of your actions.

Do you think Micaiah was happy about Ahab’s death?

I don’t.

Ahab had just as much potential for serving God and being used by God as any one else.

He showed glimpses of what could have been.

Ultimately he was overthrown because of his rejection of God and His message.

If it can happen to Ahab, it can happen to me.

If it can happen to Ahab, it can happen to you.