The Majority and Micaiah
This story is in First Kings 22 and Second Chronicles 18, they match up pretty evenly, I’m going to use the one in First Kings for the amazing reason of “because I feel like it”.
“1: And they continued three
years without war between
2: And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of
3: And the king of
4: And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go
with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of
5: And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of
6: Then the king of
Ahab is
king over
So about 400 prophets come together and proclaim that going to war is the right thing to do, God will bring the victory!
Jehoshaphat isn’t convinced.
“7: And Jehoshaphat
said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides,
that we might inquire of him?
8: And the king of
9: Then the king of
Yeah there’s another guy, but he doesn’t have nice things to say, so why bring him in? But Ahab agrees to do it. Still the large group continues with their good words:
“10: And the king of
11: And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him
horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With
these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12: And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it
into the king's hand.” First Kings 22:10-12 KJV
Go up and prosper, hear the word of the Lord! We even have symbols, you will have horns of iron! In the meantime:
“13: And the messenger that was
gone to call Micaiah spake
unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the
king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of
them, and speak that which is good.
14: And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what
the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.” Kings 22:13-14 KJV
This messenger thinks that he can get Micaiah to say good things as well, just go along with the crowd and make the king comfortable. But the prophet is having none of it, although he does begin by mocking the others:
“15: So he came to the king. And
the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he
answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of
the king.
16: And the king said unto him, How many times
shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the
name of the LORD?” First Kings 22:15-16
KJV
These two verses make me wonder what kind of interaction the two have had in the past, has he mocked before? Finally we see what Micaiah really has to say:
“17: And he said, I saw all
18: And the king of
19: And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the
LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his
right hand and on his left.
20: And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab,
that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one
said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21: And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said,
I will persuade him.
22: And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And
he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his
prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and
prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23: Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth
of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken
evil concerning thee.
24: But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went
near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto
thee?
25: And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see
in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.” First
Kings 22:17-25 KJV
So indeed it isn’t a nice word, Micaiah prophesies the fall of Ahab, and also calls out the other prophets as having a lying spirit. Not only that, but it gives God the credit for it in verse 23! I shall explain this when I write about where false prophets come from.
Zedekiah gives it right back to Micaiah though, even hitting him on the cheek. Who will be proven right?
“34: And a certain man drew a
bow at a venture, and smote the king of
35: And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his
chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the
wound into the midst of the chariot.
36: And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going
down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and
every man to his own country.
37: So the king died, and was brought to
Ahab dies even though he is disguised (this is in verse 30), every man goes back to his city and country, and the man in the minority is proven right.
These many voices are pretty loud, noticeable, and sound good, declaring victory and not evil. One voice in disagreement turns out to be the correct one.