What I Noticed Today (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18)
1 Kings 22
1 Kings 22 describes three years of relative peace between Aram (some translations say Syria, this is Ben-Hadad) and Jehoshaphat (king of Judah).
In verses 1-12, Jehoshaphat came to Ahab (king of Israel) to form an alliance (in the third year of the peace, 853 B.C.).
- Jehoshaphat asked Ahab for a prophet to inquire if they would have victory over Ben-Hadad.
- Ahab brought 400 prophets who told the kings what they wanted to hear; that they would succeed in the battle.
- But Jehoshaphat asked for a true prophet of God.
In verses 13-28, Micaiah, a prophet of God, came and appeared before the kings.
- At first, Micaiah told the kings they should go into battle.
- Ahab made Micaiah swear to tell only the truth in the name of God.
- At that point, Micaiah bravely told the kings they would lose the battle.
- Ahab ordered Micaiah turned over to the jailer and put in prison until he returned safely from battle. Micaiah said, if you return from battle, the Lord has not spoken through me.
In verses 29-40, Ahab tried to deceive the enemy and Jehoshaphat by having Jehoshaphat wear his robes into battle (the enemy would always try to kill the king).
- This, he thought, would keep him safe, and make Jehoshaphat the target.
- A random arrow from the enemy killed Ahab, king of Israel.
- Ahab died and was buried in Samaria. His son, Ahaziah reigned in his place.
In verses 41-50, Jehoshaphat, son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab.
Note: Jehoshaphat ruled as co-regent with his father, Asa, due to Asa’s poor health for three years (873-870 B.C.). Jehoshaphat ruled for a total of 25 years (873-848 B.C.).
- He was 35 years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years.
- Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of his father, Asa. He tried to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
- However, he allowed the high places to remain, and people still sacrificed and burned incense there.
- He removed the rest of the male cult prostitutes, leftover from the reign of his father, Asa.
- Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the city of Jerusalem.
- His son, Jehoram, became king in his place.
Note: Jehoram began ruling as a co-regent with his father Jehoshaphat (853-848 B.C.). Then he ruled as king for another seven years (848-841 B.C.).
In verses 51-53, Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, became king over Israel in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. He ruled for less than two full years (853-852 B.C.)
- Ahaziah was an evil king who walked in the ways of his mother and father, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, leading the people of Israel away from God by worshipping Baal.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- The story of Ahab and Naboth’s vineyard recounts my sins. Ahab was covetous (Exodus 20:17), he and Jezebel worshiped other gods (Baal), they lied, they committed murder by having an innocent man killed, they stole his property, and they tried to cover it all up. But God saw all the sins of Ahab and Jezebel and passed judgment on them. Covetousness led to many other sins!
- The story of Jehoshaphat and Ahab illustrates how we must be careful in forming alliances. Ahab seemed to want to hear from God, but ultimately, both kings did what they wanted despite the prophecy from Micaiah.
2 Chronicles 18
Jehoshaphat made some huge mistakes! God had been with him, prospering him, and protecting him and the people of Judah for years.
In verses 1-11, Jehoshaphat entered into a marriage alliance with Ahab, the king of Israel between his son Jehoram and Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel!
Note: Ahab had made Samaria the capital of Israel and made Baal worship the official state religion.
In verses 3-11, Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join with him in the battle against the Arameans at Ramoth-Gilead:
- Jehoshaphat agreed to go to war if they inquired of the Lord first. So Ahab brought 400 priests together and asked them, and they said God would hand the Arameans over to them.
Note: These priests of Ahab’s were not Levitical priests; they were priests he had appointed.
- Jehoshaphat wanted to inquire through a priest of God. The only one left in the region was Micaiah, who was brought to them.
In verses 12-27, Micaiah came before Jehoshaphat and Ahab.
- Micaiah was warned to tell king Ahab what he wanted to hear because all the other prophets he prophesied success in the battle.
- Micaiah at first told them to go to battle and win. But when pressured to prophesy in the name of the Lord Micaiah said they would be defeated and scattered.
- Micaiah even spoke of a vision he had that God had put a lying spirit in the mouths of the other prophets in order to entice Ahab into a war with the Arameans.
- Ahab was angry with Micaiah and ordered him to be put in prison until he returned.
In verses 28 34, Ahab and Jehoshaphat marched with their armies to Ramoth-Gilead.
- But Ahab put Jehoshaphat at risk by telling him to enter into battle wearing his royal robes while Ahab went into battle in ordinary clothes.
- The idea was that the Arameans would see the royal robes, assume it was Ahab and end up killing Jehoshaphat.
- The plan backfired on Ahab when he was killed, and Jehoshaphat called on the Lord who gave them the victory.
