Micaiah the Life Saver

Synopsis     1Kings 22:23-32     7/15/2019 

Micaiah the prophet told King Ahab that his prophets were lying to him. As a result, the head of Ahab’s prophets struck Micaiah. And afterward, Ahab arrested him and put him in a prison until the conclusion of the battle.  

Still, Micaiah remained faithful to the word he had been told. And he called upon the people to remember the words he had spoken.  

With that, the two kings marched on Ramoth-gilead. As they prepared for battle, King Ahab informed King Jehoshaphat that he intended to join the battle in disguise. Presumably Ahab made this decision because he was personally well-known to the Arameans and Jehoshaphat was not.  

However, the leader of the Aramite army had already instructed his charioteers not to engage with anyone except King Ahab. As a result, the Aramite charioteers immediately sought to engage with King Jehoshaphat.  

Micaiah the Life-Saver 

Ahab perceived Micaiah as an adversary. So, he convinced himself that Micaiah was personally against him. 

But God had given Micaiah a true prophecy concerning Ahab. And if Ahab had been open to Micaiah’s prophecy, he wouldn’t have entered into this military adventure. Accordingly, it is unlikely that he would have died – at least not in combat.  

Micaiah was God sent. He was Ahab’s life-saver. But Ahab treated him like an enemy. 

My Life Saver

Sometimes people I know say critical things to me.  It hurts. And when this happens, I sometimes feel offended. Of course, all of this is normal. 

Yet, it might be that the word which has offended is actually the God-sent word that is intended to save my life. As it is written in Paul’s letter to the Romans, “all things work together for good for those who love God”.  

And if this is true, then it means that nothing comes to the lover of God except good. So, while things inevitably come that don’t always feel good, good they remain.  

 

“Trustworthy are the blows of a friend, dangerous, the kisses of an enemy.” Prov 26:7