1 Kings 22 Ahab’s End
Ahab has done much evil in his role of king of Israel. There were a few high points but Ahab’s end isn’t one of them. He is ‘enticed’ into evil.
God has Ahab’s end planned out. It is time to stop his evil and punish him for the sins he has piled up. Yes, Ahab repented, but he didn’t change his ways. He still refuses to listen to the truth. And God uses that willingness to listen to lies to His advantage.
God allows Ahab to hear false prophecies. God didn’t make Ahab’s prophets lie, but He allowed it to happen and encouraged it from Heaven. God did NOT sin. He allowed Ahab’s and his prophet’s natural nature to be loosed.
Ahab’s prophets were his ‘Yes men.’ Whatever he wanted to do, they said that he would succeed. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah was not fooled by the prophets. But he didn’t refuse to accompany Ahab into battle when he heard the truth. The prophets’ lies, Jehoshaphat’s willingness to go along with Ahab, and Ahab’s arrogance brought about Ahab’s end. Let’s rejoin our story and see how God frees Israel from Ahab’s hand.
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There is been peace between Israel and Judah since Jehoshaphat rose to sit on the throne of Judah. Jehoshaphat doesn’t approve of all that Ahab does, but he doesn’t go to war with him. Jehoshaphat is a godly king, like his father before him. He keeps away from Ahab when he is at war with others and FAR from his idols.
Ahab is enjoying his time of peace from Syria. It has been three years since he made a covenant with Ben-hadad. Ahab is enjoying rest all around. Jehoshaphat decides that this would be a good time to go and visit Ahab.
Ahab is happy to see Jehoshaphat’s chariots pull up in front of his palace. He goes out and embraces him. “It is good to see you my brother” Ahab says.
“And you my brother” Jehoshaphat replies.
“What brings you to Samaria?”
“I just wanted to see how you were doing and spend some time with you. I trust this is not an inopportune time.”
“No. It is a perfect time! Come. Join me in a meal.”
Word is sent immediately to the herdsmen to prepare sheep and oxen for a feast. It will be for Jehoshaphat and all who are with him.
The two kings enter the palace when evening comes. The tables are overflowing and all are treated to a banquet fit for a king. “Do you always eat like this my brother” asks Jehoshaphat with a smile.
“Not always, but often enough. Especially while I am entertaining important guests.”
“That explains your shape” Jehoshaphat says while patting his belly.
Ahab roars with laughter. “Yes. I do enjoy ‘entertaining important guests’.” Ahab rubs his own protruding belly.
The next morning, Ahab decides to show Jehoshaphat around his kingdom. Ahab shows Jehoshaphat the ivory house he has made. No one has dared live in it for fear of marring it and upsetting Ahab. Then Ahab shows Jehoshaphat his gardens. He does not take Jehoshaphat to Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab has steadfastly refused to use the vineyard in any way. He allows tenants to take the harvest and put it to use, but Ahab does not even avail himself of the produce through the tenants. Their tour concludes at the threshing floor at the entrance to the gates of Samaria.
Two regal thrones were set up in this location while they were out touring. The two of them take their respective seats and smooth out any wrinkles. They sit in companiable silence for a while and watch the activity of the day.
After a bit, King Ahab leans over towards Jehoshaphat and says; “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” (1 Kings 22:3).
Jehoshaphat looks at Ahab with interest.
That was all Ahab needed to get him to continue. “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” (1 Kings 22:4a).
Jehoshaphat spreads his hands wide; “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses” (1 Kings 22:4b). Jehoshaphat sits forward on his throne and turns to face Ahab better. “Inquire first for the word of the Lord” (1 Kings 22:5).
Ahab nods and calls for the prophets. It takes a little while for all the prophets to assemble, as there are about 400 of them. When they are all together, Ahab poses his question.
“Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” (1 Kings 22:6b).
Almost as if they were one man, they all say; “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king” (1 Kings 22:6c).
After hearing the answer, Ahab sits back in his throne, content. Jehoshaphat, though, is not content. His spirit is not at rest within him. He feels that something is not right with Ahab’s prophets. Maybe they are right, but Jehoshaphat senses evil in them, NOT the Spirit of the Lord.
“Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” (1 Kings 22:7).
Ahab sighs. “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil” (1 Kings 22:8a)
At the name of Micaiah, Jehoshaphat feels comforted, but Ahab’s resistance is bothersome. “Let not the king say so” (1 Kings 22:8b).
Ahab resigned himself to hearing what Micaiah had to say to please Jehoshaphat. “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah” he tells one of his messengers.
While they wait for Micaiah to arrive, Ahab and Jehoshaphat watch the other prophets. Ahab is enthralled by them. He is lapping up their performance. They are dancing about and uttering prophecies over the top of one another. At one point, Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah, grabbed a few pieces of iron and held them together at his head, using them like horns. “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed’” (1 Kings 22:11).
The other prophets kept coming up to Ahab and prophesying. “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king” (1 Kings 22:12).
Jehoshaphat is doing all he can to remain seated. His spirit is NOT at ease with these posers. And he knows that is exactly what they are. He hopes Micaiah arrives soon with the real words of the Lord.
When the runner arrives at the home of Micaiah, he tells him that Ahab has need of him. He pleads with him before setting off together. “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably” (1 Kings 22:13)
Micaiah shakes his head. “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak” (1 Kings 22:14).
Micaiah is brought before the kings. Ahab addresses him. “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” (1 Kings 22:15a).
Micaiah immediately answers Ahab. “Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
Even Ahab knows that this is not Micaiah’s true answer. Why? Because Micaiah always seems to predict exactly the opposite of what Ahab wants to hear. “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” (1 Kings 22:16).
Micaiah squares his shoulders and proceeds to tell Ahab and Jehoshaphat the truth. “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace’” (1 Kings 22:17)
Ahab holds out his hand toward Micaiah. “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” (1 Kings 22:18).
Jehoshaphat wants to hear more of Micaiah’s prophecy. “Please let him speak. I want to know more.”
Micaiah bows his head for a moment. The he looks up, looking both men in the eye. “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you” (1 Kings 22:19-23).
Ahab is flabbergasted! He believes Micaiah’s words, but will not relent on his plan. Jehoshaphat is caught in the middle. He wants to follow the Lord, but also help Ahab. Before Jehoshaphat can make his decision, his thoughts are interrupted by Zedekiah. He marches up to Micaiah and slaps him, hard, across the face.
“How did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?” (1 Kings 22:24).
Micaiah doesn’t retreat. He looks straight into Zedekiah’s eyes. “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself” (1 Kings 22:25).
Zedekiah puffs up his chest as if to challenge Micaiah. Before anyone can start exchanging anything more than harsh looks, Ahab calls out to his guard. “Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace”’” (1 Kings 22:26-27).
Micaiah shakes his head and says to Ahab; “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” Then he said to all who were gathered around; “Hear, all you peoples!” (1 Kings 22:28).
Jehoshaphat feels trapped. He believes Micaiah’s words about Ahab and the battle, but he is an ally to Ahab. He feels duty bound to accompany him on his mission. Before leaving, Jehoshaphat also lays his life in the hands of the Lord.
“Lord God of my fathers, I have heard Your words concerning Ahab. You did not tell me not to accompany him on this quest. What I did hear is that You have designed for Ahab to go, and have sent enticements to him. I trust You with my life. I know You are able to deliver me from danger, if that is Your will. If not, they I trust You to lead Judah in Your ways after I am gone. My life is in Your hands Lord. Do with it according to Your will.”
As Ahab and Jehoshaphat prepare to leave with the troops, Ahab has a plan. “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes” (1 Kings 22:30).
Jehoshaphat believed that the Lord could identify him in whatever he wore, so he agreed to Ahab’s plan. Neither man knew of the orders that the king of Syria had given to his troops.
“Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel” (1 Kings 22:31).
Ahab’s strategy put Jehoshaphat right in the cross hairs. Syria did not know that they were facing both Israel and Judah.
As the battle rages, Jehoshaphat is spotted in his chariot in his royal robes. Ahab is among the soldiers. The charioteers of Syria zero in on Jehoshaphat, believing him to be Ahab. They pursue Jehoshaphat until they hear him cry out to Ahab for help. Hearing Jehoshaphat, the men of Syria realize that they have been tricked and they withdraw from pursuing Jehoshaphat. They have no idea where Ahab is, so they continue the battle in search of him.
Quite by accident, an archer from Syria strikes Ahab between the plates in his armor. He has no idea that he has struck the king of Israel. Mortally wounded, Ahab calls to his chariot driver. “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”
Ahab’s driver got him away from the battle and propped him up in the chariot so he could watch the Syrians. The battle raged on without Ahab. It raged on all day and into the early hours of the evening. Ahab’s blood had been constantly draining from his body as he watched. When evening falls, so does Ahab. He is dead. Realizing that the king of Israel is dead, a cry goes up.
“Every man to his city, and every man to his country!” (1 Kings 22:36).
No one knows for certain if it came from a Syrian or and Israelite, but it is obeyed by both. Both armies disperse, bringing Micaiah’s prophecy to pass. Ahab is brought, still in his chariot, back to Samaria. His blood fills the bottom of the chariot. Once his body is removed, his chariot is brought over to the pool of Samaria to be cleaned out. This is the same pool where the blood of Naboth ran and the dogs licked it up. Now the dogs come again and lick up the blood of Ahab, just as Elijah prophesied they would.
Ahab is no more. All the cities that he built and the house of ivory are just a ‘footnote’ in history. What he will be remembered for most of all is for the evil he did in the eyes of the Lord.
*to be continued)
As I was working my way through the story, I noticed a couple of things. I noted in the story one of those things; that the words of Micaiah came to pass regarding Israel scattered on the hillside. The call of every man to his own house was the fulfillment of that prophecy.
The other thing that struck me is that Ben-hadad sought out Abah’s life above all else. His men weren’t to fight anyone else but Ahab. Ahab’s death was an accident. But even more than that, Ahab showed great mercy to Ben-hadad when they met previously. Ahab didn’t seek him out personally in that battle. Ahab returned Ben-hadad’s life, so Ben-hadad could seek Ahab’s life. If Ahab would have followed, or even asked, the will of God, Ben-hadad would not have been free to seek his life.
When we charge ahead in life without asking the Lord for direction, we can set up a situation like what Ahab did. If we listened and FULLY obeyed, we wouldn’t have things to come back around to bite us in the ‘end’.
Father God, I want to listen to Your instructions the FIRST time! I don’t want to set myself up for ‘boomerang’ problems. Help me ask enough, and the right, questions so that I can know Your will for my life.
