2 Chronicles 18:4-8 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

A council of war: Jehoshaphat and Ahab among the prophets.

I. JEHOSHAPAT 'S PROPOSAL . To inquire at the Lord ( 2 Chronicles 18:4 ). A proposal:

1 . Good. Commanded by God ( Proverbs 3:5 , Proverbs 3:6 ), recommended by the pious ( Genesis 25:22 ; 1 Samuel 23:2 , 1 Samuel 23:4 ; 1 Chronicles 21:30 ), approved by experience as indispensable for safety ( Jeremiah 10:23 ), and one that can seldom be neglected without loss ( Zephaniah 1:6 ), and even hurt ( 1 Chronicles 10:14 ).

2 . New . At least in Israel, where the custom had been to say, 'Inquire of Baal' (Hall). As such, it probably appeared to Ahab unnecessary, as to ungodly men generally religion and its forms mostly do; though to Ahab it should likewise have served as a rebuke, reminding him of his apostasy from Jehovah and inviting, him to return. " A word fitly spoken," etc. ( Proverbs 25:11 ).

3 . Untimely. It should have been made not after but before the conclusion of the treaty, and was now too late. It is not clear that God will direct those whose minds are fixed before they consult him.

4 . Insincere. Jehoshaphat's suggestion not that of an honest man who desired guidance from Heaven, but of one who half suspected he had entered on a doubtful course, from which, however, he did not care to withdraw, but for which he wished Divine permission, if not approbation. Cf. Balaam with the messengers of Balak ( Numbers 22:7 , Numbers 22:8 ).

II. AHAB 'S CONSULTATION . ( 2 Chronicles 18:5 .)

1 . The oracle inquired at.

2 . The question proposed.

3 . The answer returned.

4 . The reason given.

III. JEHOSHAPHAT 'S QUESTION . (Verse 6.)

1 . Dictated by suspicion. The King of Judah was not satisfied with the answer of the prophets; which was not wonderful, considering:

2 . Prompted by caution. Jehoshaphat would not act precipitately. If possible, he would have Jehovah's mind upon the matter. He would imitate David, and urge Ahab to inquire at Jehovah again ( 1 Samuel 23:4 ). Good men should ponder the paths of their feet ( Proverbs 4:26 ), remembering that he who hasteth with his feet sinneth ( Proverbs 19:2 ), and that the prudent man looketh well to his going ( Proverbs 14:15 ).

IV. AHAB 'S ANSWER . (Verse 7.)

1 . Promptly given. To Jehoshaphat's inquiry, "Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides?" etc. (verse 6), Ahab responded there was one. Ahab probably at the moment did not know where Elijah was, or was afraid of the Tishbite. Most likely he mentioned Micaiah because he expected either that Jehoshaphat, heating Micaiah was in jail, would never dream of proposing he should be called, or that Micaiah, though summoned, would not have courage to speak in presence of two kings and four hundred prophets. In both expectations Ahab miscalculated and outwitted himself, as wicked men usually do.

2 . Instantly qualified. The prophet's name was Micaiah, the son of Imlah—conjectured, without historical foundation, to have been the disguised prophet who had announced to Ahab his doom for permitting Benhadad to escape ( 1 Kings 20:38 ), and by the rabbis to have been either he or the unnamed prophet mentioned earlier ( 1 Kings 20:13 , 1 Kings 20:22 , 1 Kings 20:28 ). That Ahab disliked him was a point in his favour, it being a dubious commendation to be liked by a bad man. Moreover, the ground of Ahab's displeasure was an additional certificate to Micaiah, though a heavy condemnation of Ahab. Unless Micaiah had been a true prophet he would not so invariably have spoken evil of Ahab; that he did so was unmistakable evidence that Ahab was a bad man ( Isaiah 3:11 ; Isaiah 48:22 ). Then Micaiah at the moment was in prison, which Ahab probably imagined would end the matter. But it did not, Jehoshaphat perhaps remembering that good men were often imprisoned unjustly ( Genesis 39:20 ), and that Micaiah's incarceration, like Hanani's ( 2 Chronicles 16:10 ), might be to his credit rather than the opposite.

V. JEHOSHAPHAT 'S REMONSTRANCE . (Verse 7.) The speech of Ahab told of:

1 . A great wrong to Micaiah. Ahab would have sinned in hating Micaiah even had Micaiah been an offender (Le 19:17 ); much more when Micaiah was innocent and Ahab's anger was without a cause ( Psalms 35:19 ; Matthew 5:22 ); most of all when Micaiah was a prophet of Jehovah ( Psalms 105:15 ), who had only spoken the words Jehovah put into his mouth ( Jeremiah 1:7 ; Jeremiah 7:27 ).

2 . A greater wrong to Jehovah. Just because Micaiah's words were not his own so much as Jehovah's, a reflection on Micaiah was a virtual reflection on Jehovah. When Ahab charged Micaiah with always speaking evil concerning him, he practically charged Jehovah with being malignant towards him. But if Micaiah prophesied calamity for Ahab that was conditional on Ahab's disobedience, and would have been averted by repentance and reformation ( Ezekiel 33:14 )); if Jehovah put minatory language into his prophet's mouth;—this was out of love to Ahab, to turn him from his evil ways.

VI. AHAB 'S SUBMISSION . (Verse 8.) An officer (or eunuch) was hastily despatched to fetch Micaiah from his cell. The haste may have indicated:

1 . Ahab ' s sense of the importance of the question under consideration; and certainly nothing can be of greater moment for any than to understand what the will of the Lord is. Only this can be ascertained by none but renewed hearts ( Romans 12:2 ). More likely, however, it marked:

2 . Ahab ' s sense of his own importance, which could brook no delay in the execution of his royal commands. An earthly king's business, even when insignificant, is commonly supposed to require haste ( 1 Samuel 21:8 ); how much more the business of the King of kings ( John 9:4 ; Romans 12:11 )! The haste may even have been due to:

3 . Ahab ' s inward irritation with Jehoshaphat, to whom he had submitted, possibly not with the best grace. It requires a large amount of magnanimity to enable even good men to accept the rebukes and yield to the persuasions of others.

Learn:

1 . The propriety and wisdom of consulting God in everything ( Proverbs 3:6 ; Philippians 4:6 ; James 1:5 ).

2 . The unlikelihood of learning God's mind from the world's prophets or teachers ( John 3:31 ).

3 . The certainty that God's faithful servants will not be liked by their contemporaries, and that in exact proportion to their faithfulness ( John 7:7 ; John 15:19 ).

4 . The danger of playing fast and loose with conscience.—W.