Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the LORD.”
So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”
“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?”
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man 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.” - 2 Chronicles 18:3-7 NIV
There was a marked difference between Israel and Judah. The kings of Israel led the people astray, to seek after any god but the one true God. Israel was filled with prophets who would tell the king exactly what he wanted to hear whether it was true or not. Judah, on the other hand, was ruled by somewhat godly kings who still sought the Lord. Ultimately, it didn't matter what the prophets told Ahab. God was going to do what he was going to do. Ahab was not a godly king and no good was going to come to him regardless of what his four hundred men prophesied. Micaiah, the one who heard the voice of the Lord, the voice of the God of creation, the voice that called Abraham, the voice that led Moses, was the lone prophet who spoke the truth. Ahab would have done well to listen to him instead of to the multitude of his false prophets. If he had just once listened to the voice of God, history might have been written differently, but as it was he rode confidently into what was to be his final battle.
2010 Post - 2 Chronicles 17-20: God Given Rest
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