Who Are You Asking?

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?”

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 no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?”

⁸ The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet 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 such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.

1 Kings 22:1-8 NIV

Do you have someone you go to for guidance that will tell you the truth or just someone who will agree with you in your plans? Would it not be great if every idea we had was the best way to do something. Often times though we will ask others to validate what we are thinking and planning about. When they do not agree with our ideas or plans what sort of reaction do we have? That was Ahab he knew that no matter what he asked Micaiah the prophet it would not be in agreement with what he was planning. It’s always easy to get along with those who will tell you ok, that works or yeah that sure sounds like a good idea. Just like the 400 prophets of Baal that Ahab first calls. Yet when people don’t agree what do we do? I don’t have room here for the whole story so take time to read the rest it is found in 1 Kings 22 but the short version is. Micaiah comes and prophecies first with sarcasm. Ahab automatically recognizes it and tells makes him tell the true vision he has seen. It is a prediction that they should not go to war and that God has allowed a lying spirit to come upon all the prophets of Baal. He predicts the death of Ahab and is thrown into prison. Now you can probably guess how the story ends. Ahab convinces them to go on and fight he instructs Jehoshaphat to wear his royal close and he will wear a disguise so he can fight. Jehoshaphat survives the battle but Ahab is struck by a random arrow and dies that day. I have often wondered why we ask others for their advice and then when it does not match with our desires we get mad and at like they are stupid. See these Kings sought out the counsel of the one true God. His instruction was plan and yet they went ahead and did what they wanted anyhow. Why bother asking? Throughout scripture we are instructed to seek wise and Godly counsel. If you are not doing that and everything you try fails don’t you think it’s time to change who you are talking to? Have a blessed day in the Lord.