A True Prophet
(1 Kings 22:13 ~ 28)
We celebrate National Liberation Day this week. Last weeks sermon was about Ahab, who tried to wage an unnecessary war after the peaceful three years, urged on by Satans evil scheme. The Israelites couldnt discern Ahabs hidden ambition and his evil thoughts even though they worshiped God. The four hundred prophets actually urged Ahab to wage the war. Who could stop this dreadful king preparing for the war but God the uncheatable Lord, who sees through Ahab? Lets see who a true prophet is.
1. He delivers Gods message only. The messenger sent by Ahab forced Micaiah to make his prophecy as favorable as the other prophets. Actually he forced Micaiahs hand to support Ahab, rambling on about the political, economic, and military profit that Israel could win by retaking Ramoth Gilead. So many people blindly chase good news to them, not knowing whats in store for them tomorrow. Worshiping 850 different gods is actually worshiping Baal, the god of property, as his name means to possess. Micaiah said that he would tell only what the Lord told him, whether good or bad, saying the LORD twice, We often try to subordinate the Word to us instead of subordinating ourselves to the Word The favorable prophecy to Ahab is in reality a poisonous prophecy that would lead him to his death The best choice is to throw away our own thoughts and chase Gods will, which is the most difficult and the easiest choice for us. Our QT is focused on interpreting our life, our family and work place through the Word from the perspective of redemption history. Ahab followed the false prophets prophecy not because of his stupidity but because of his self-centered sinfulness, the result of his spontaneous wickedness. Ahabs illusion that he achieved the victory against Aram was getting worse till it is solidified as a fact. Nevertheless, God didnt give up on Ahab no matter how wicked he was, giving him a chance to avoid the way of destruction. Every single verse reflects Gods sympathy for him.
2. He delivers a bad prophecy based on Gods love. Micaiah said 'I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd,' adding 'These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.' This implies that Ahab would be killed and his people would enjoy peace because of his death. God had handed over the gentiles to Israel not because God recognized Ahab but because he wanted to show the gentiles who his chosen people were. However, Ahab misunderstood that the victory was his. Unable to stand this anymore, God made up his mind to dethrone Ahab while protecting his kingdom. Having a lord unguided by God is a suffering. Before my husband passed away, I gave him my best love prophecy by delivering him the gospel wrapped in the most unfavorable news to him. Wouldnt it be a privilege for him to hear the gospel before he passes away? However, Ahab didnt listen to the Word of God. Despite Gods prophets like Elijah and Micaiah, despite Jehoshaphat who followed the Lord, and despite the sign of the Lord revealed through 850 to 1 contest, Ahab failed to keep his faith in God even though he humbled himself before God for a moment. From a human perspective, the gospel could be a sort of 'bad prophecy.'
3. He discerns a lying spirit. Gods question, 'Who will entice Ahab to his death?' can be misinterpreted as his intention to put Ahab to death. Yet God didnt mean to do that by telling a lie or testing Ahab. God asked this question because he knew that Ahab would be willingly deceived because of his greed. God had waited for Ahab to return on his own free will. The best way to entice an evil man to death is by using a lying spirit. As a matter of fact, it was Ahab himself, not God, who actually drove him to be deceived by Satan. Dying unsaved is the result of believing that this world and our lowly body are everything. God pairs cheaters with the cheated as their right matches. God sometimes urges us his beloved one to return by whipping. The poorest wretches are those forgotten by God. A comfortable earthly life is not always the best life for us as Ahab shows, who was killed in a battlefield after spending three years without a war. God keeps sending his prophets one by one to us because of his love for us, risking having them slandered and even killed. God loves us all, whether Japanese or North Korean. We need to see the world, clothed in His heart.
4. He risks being fed with the bread and water of affliction till the Word is fulfilled. Angered with Micaiahs prophecy different from his, Zedekiah slapped him in the face. Yet Micaiah continued to deliver Gods message. What a contrast between a true prophet Micaiah and a false one Zedekiah. Ahab decided to imprison Micaiah because of his bad prophecy. Like him, some people refuse our gospel, even ready to imprison us. Thus a true prophet is to be imprisoned, living on the bread and water of affliction till the Word is fulfilled. He can do that voluntarily because of his willing moderation, consideration, and patience for the sake of God. We also need to take our bread and water of affliction in our prison, believing that God works for us. Micaiah proclaimed that the people would see soon if his prophecy was true or not. As he prophesied, Ahab, who went against the Lord, came back dead against his will. We also have a true a prophet in our community. Two sisters attended our QT festival. Their parents are currently waiting for the court decree of divorce. Their father, a non-Christian told them to go to their mother, a member of our church to receive their registration fee for the festival. Actually he gave them an emergency fund in case their mom refused to give them money. Later the sisters decided to use their pocket money and gave the money back to their father, saying their mother gave them money. What an application for the salvation of their family! They are the true prophets! A true prophet is the one who risks his life, living out his/her life for salvation.
But Micaiah said, 'As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.'(1Kgs 22:14)
