Text: 1 Kings 22:1-28
The books of the history of Judah and Israel (1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles) are some of my favorites to read. If you’ve got small males running around the house these are some good bedtime stories – the Arch books like this one or the Brick Testament (the bible amazingly staged out and told with legos). The books are also suitable for girls, but the mayhem and conflict at the center of many of them keeps the boy’s attention.
The text today finds the King of Israel (Ahab) plotting to steal a city from Syria and bringing the king of Judah with him. And the company of prophets does what they typically do in corrupt Israel – they tell the king what he wants to hear. “Go up! for the Lord will give the city into you hands.” The King of Judah is a little swifter and asks – “do you have any non-sychophantic prophets in this place?” And Ahab says yes, but all this one ever does is tell me I’m doomed. Jehoshaphat says bring that guy – Micaiah. Micaiah comes and delivering a line dripping with sacasm – “go and triumph.” The king presses him and Micaiah reveals the true Word.
And here is the surpising scene. The LORD in heaven asking the gathered host, “Who will entice Ahab that he will fall trying to take this city?” And one after another of what must be angels come forward and say various things – none of which seems to catch the attention of the LORD. Until another comes forward and and says, “I’ll put a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets.” And God tells this spirit to go do that.
In many ways this parallels the scene in Job. It also is somewhat uncomfortable from a ‘problem of evil’ standpoint. Isn’t God in this case the author of an evil? It is a rare glimpse, a moving back of the veil, of the spiritual reality behind events. The fact is that Ahab still can choose not to go to war. In fact he has now been told what the effects of the war would be and that his company of prophets is a bunch of liars. Is that not God’s way? He tells us what the effects of sin will be – death. He warns us that false Christs will be around and not to run to them. He tells us that there will be prophets who tell us what our itching ears want to hear. And he gives us the freedom. And without the intervention of the Holy Spirit – we charge headlong the wrong way. Macaiah ends with the call – Hear! Just as Jesus would often say – “those who have ears let them hear.” God constantly calls us to Hear the way. If we are saved – it only through God’s effort. If we are not – we chose not to hear.
The Lutheran doctrinal statement is the Formula of Concord article XI on Election with special attention to thesis 11 found here.
