You remember Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, from last week. He was more thoughtful, more self-assured, and wiser. But he was also a good friend of Ahab, who was anxious to involve Jehoshaphat in his plot to take back Ramoth Gilead—a territory he had lost in battle to the king of Syria. Ahab didn’t want to go it alone, so he sought the support of his servants and those who had helped him in battle before.
Jehoshaphat, however, wasn’t so eager to go to war without discussing the matter and praying about it. Ahab, on the other hand, was ready to move forward and had a habit of consulting false prophets—about 400 of them—to do his will and carry out his desires, whether good or evil.
When Ahab wanted to proceed with his idea (which seemed not well thought out), he turned to Jehoshaphat. The 400 false prophets were all in agreement that he should go out to battle and reclaim the land from the king of Syria. But Jehoshaphat was more cautious and asked, “Is there not at least one prophet of the Lord who can consider this matter?”
Ahab responded, sounding angry and doubtful: “There is one man, Micaiah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord—but I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me.” That response tells you a lot. His ego and weakness were exposed—he only wanted to hear what pleased him.
Still, Ahab sent a messenger to fetch Micaiah. The messenger warned Micaiah to say only what the 400 men had already declared, as that was what Ahab wanted to hear. But Micaiah stood firm in his belief in the Lord and said he would only speak what the Lord told him to say.
Micaiah did not prophesy a good end for Ahab, which angered the king. But interestingly, Ahab showed doubt in his own plan. He encouraged Jehoshaphat to wear his royal robes into battle, not knowing that the enemy had instructed their men to aim only at the king of Israel—the one in royal attire.
Both kings disguised themselves and entered the battle. The enemy soldiers followed orders diligently. But when Jehoshaphat saw how things were going, he cried out, and the enemy was distracted. In the end, Ahab was killed.
Jehoshaphat had been aligned with the one true God, and his life was spared—because of his faith.
This story offers a worthwhile lesson: not everyone who praises you gives wise advice. Not everyone who professes love or admiration for you truly cares for your well-being. Some of us believe that everyone is honest and tells the truth. Don’t be deceived. Not every idea is the right idea.
People often say, “That was my first thought—I should’ve followed my first mind.” But your first mind isn’t always right. There is wisdom in seeking the counsel of many.
Thanks for reading!
Jeanette Grattan Parker is the founder-superintendent of Today’s Fresh Start Charter School, 4514 Crenshaw Boulevard, L.A. 90043. For information, call 323-293-9826 or visit www.todaysfreshstart.org, Ask Dr. Jeanette TM “Inquiring Minds Want to Know.” All articles are copyright. All rights reserved © Questions? Errors? Let me know. Join Sundays for music and message at 11:30 a.m. by calling (712) 775-8971, code 266751. References: The Holy Bible, I Kings 22. Don’t stop praying and hoping. “Today is another great day to do good and to be successful.”
