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careful lest we speak our own mind in op position to others, but we should be equal ly careful that we “preach the word,” how ever large may be the majority that is against us. Micaiah boldly asserted that he would not listen to what the four hundred had said, but that he would listen to what the Lord said, and that would he speak (v. 14). Have we not the same privilege today? W e have what the Lord hath spoken, we are instructed to preach just what the Lord hath said, and we are given the opportunity to sound abroad the mes sage received from the Lord. What we need above all else, in these perilous days through which the Lord is leading us, is that spirit of Micaiah which will not be influenced by popular opinion but will boldly declare, “ Thus saith the Lord.” Points and Problems 1. In this passage there is an instructive lesson regarding the utter worthlessness of appealing to majorities in matters o f re ligion. Four hundred prophets agreed that the kings should do battle with Syria. One lone prophet declared the project would end in disaster. And the one prophet was right. Mere majorities mean nothing in questions of religion. The many may be wrong. But on the other hand, we are not to think we are right just because we are the minority. Some men suppose that it is an evidence of rightness to be against every one else. Micaiah, the lone prophet o f this lesson, was not right merely be cause he stood alone against the four hun dred. He was right because he spoke only what the Lord gave him to speak. 2. There is a peculiar danger which al ways surrounds the great, especially those in high governmental positions. It is hard for such men to get frank and uncolored advice from their counselors. The advisers o f the great man are always likely to tell him what they have reason to believe he would like to hear. The four hundred prophets of Ahab had their ears close to the ground. They were the original “yes” men. The greater a man becomes, the greater his need is for men about him who are not afraid to say “no.” 3. The attitude of Ahab toward M i caiah reveals a universal trait of fallen human nature. W e do not take kindly the advice of those we dislike. Ahab’s reluc tance to listen to the prophet’s word was not based on any rational ground. It was not that Micaiah had shown himself to be a false or unworthy counselor, but merely because “I hate him,” the king declares. Thus we are likely to judge the worth of ideas, not on reasonable grounds, but rather on the basis of whether we like or dislike the men who express them. Golden Text Illustration In an Eastern land, a boy once set out from his mother’s home for a distant city, where he was to begin life and earn his livelihood. Before parting with him, his mother gave him forty gold dinars, which, for safety, she sewed inside his waistcoat. Her last counsel to him was to seek and to followsalways the truth. On his way, he had to cross part o f a desert, infested by Bedouin robbers. One o f these saw him coming and came galloping up. “ Boy, what money have you got?” he sternly de manded. The boy looked up at him and said, “ I have forty gold dinars sewed up in my waistcoat.” The Bedouin burst into a fit o f laughter; he thought the boy was joking. And turn ing his horse, he galloped back to his troop:
JULY 29, 1934 MICAIAH SPEAKS THE TRUTH 1 K ings 22
were not prophesying for the Lord, but for the king. “What do the people wish to hear?” is the question that many present- day “prophets” ask, and their message is ir. line with the people’s wishes. The prophets called by Ahab were unanimous in declaring that the battle should be joined. I f Ahab should be successful in the war, they would be credited with speak ing the truth; if he should be unsuccess ful, it would make little difference, for they, as well as the king, would lose what ever position they held. Jehoshaphat seemed to be unsatisfied with the ready declaration o f the prophets, and he asked if there was not a “prophet o f the Lord” there (v. 7). I f Ahab had been an honest man, this remark would have proved an insult. But he revealed his own sinfulness by refusing to accept such a meaning as that which was implied. Ahab confessed that there was one prophet whose word could be trusted, and who would speak the truth without fear or favor. And once more Ahab showed his sinfulness by saying that he hated that true prophet, because the prophet would not speak good concerning him (v. 8 ). Not only was Ahab sinful, but he was blind as well. Knowing that this prophet spoke the truth, he preferred to listen to the' others, whom he knew prophesied only that which he wished to hear. Nevertheless, he sent for the true prophet, Micaiah. Then both the kings arrayed themselves in royal robes and prepared to hear what this pro phet would say (vs. 9, 10). While waiting for his appearance, they heard another prophet who had “made him horns of iion,” declaring that with these Ahab would push the Syrians until they would be consumed. Such a statement would feed Ahab’s pride, and that was what the proph et intended to do. All the four hundred prophets agreed in saying that Ahab should go to the war, promising success to the venture (vs. 11, 12). III. T he L oyalty of M icaiah (13, 14). The messenger who was sent to call Micaiah told him what all the prophets were speaking, and he advised that, if Micaiah was wise, he too would join with the others and speak good concerning the project (v. 13). Likewise today, we are told that we should not speak in such a way as to cause division among the peo ple ; that is, if the modernists speak evil of the Lord, let no voice be raised against such assertions, lest some division may be caused. Those who attempt to stand firmly for the Lord and the truth o f His W ord are commonly charged with Micai- ah’s fault. It is inferred that because four hundred prophets speak one thing, it would be folly for just one to oppose such a majority. However, we remember that Our Lord, when upon earth, stood against an even greater majority. W e should be BLACKBOARD LESSON W ITH W H A T DO W E FLAVOR. OUR. ’4 », * S P E E C H ? J
Lesson T ext: 1 Ki. 22:1-14. Golden Text: “What the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak” (1 Ki. 22:14). Outline and Exposition i. ■ ¡ft T he F olly of J ehoshaphat (1-4). A hab was upon the throne of Israel, and Jehoshaphat was king in Judah. Ahab was given over to the worship of Baal and other pagan gods, and the Lord had declared that his house was under judgment. In the course of events, a truce had been declared between Israel and Syria (v. 1), but that did not mean there was a cessation o f hostility between them. Syria had taken some territory from Is rael, and Israel merely waited an oppor tune time to recover the lost possessions. At this time, Jehoshaphat visited Ahab —a visit which indicated that he wished to be a close friend and to ally him self with the king of Israel (v. 2 ). Ahab was quick to seize the opportunity o f hay ing the support o f the kingdom of Judah in an attempt to regain what Syria had taken from him. Hence, he began a campaign of propaganda to stir up his own people against Syria by reminding them of what Syria had done, and by taunting them with their yielding to this condition (v. 3). After stirring up his own people, Ahab made a direct overture to Jehoshaphat (v. 4). Having secured the apparent friend ship o f Jehoshaphat, he was not slow to press the advantage, endeavoring to get Judah allied with his own forces, by which union he hoped to regain the lost province. There would be nothing of value that would accrue to Jehoshaphat, even though the adventure should be successful. When Satan has persuaded the Lord’s people to listen to him, even in a slight degree, he advances from that position o f advantage until he succeeds in entangling them in a snare from which they escape with no honor or benefit to themselves. It would seem that Jehoshaphat should have been on his guard against such temptation. But when the people of God become mixed with the world, there is a curious blindness that besets them, which hides the truth from their eyes and leads them to do things for which they must repent with shame and bitterness. It is still true that the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children o f light. In spite of the way in which the Lord had blessed Jehosh aphat, he deliberately turned his back upon the Lord and cast his lot with the idolatrous Ahab. II. T he S infulness of A hab (5-12). _ Before entering fully into the campaign, Jehoshaphat suggested that inquiry should be made o f the Lord (v. 5). In spite o f doing what they know to be contrary to the will of God, the Lord’s people think they may obtain. guidance into the very course from which the Lord would keep them. It is a strange perversion that the one who is out o f fellowship with the Lord thinks in terms that belong only to those who are in fellowship with Him. There was no lack o f prophets from whom to inquire (v. 6 ). 3Ahab gathered about four hundred of them and asked them whether or not he should go to the battle. The four hundred were already aware that Ahab wanted to go, they knew he had stirred up the people with his propa ganda, and they answered in the way which they knew would please the king. They
THE PROPHETS* WORDS________M IC A IA H *S W O RDS
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