Pastor Rusty Milton
1 Kings 22:1-13
"False Prophets"

How can we discern God's will and direction from the false messages of the world. In 1 Kings 22, Ahab and Jehoshaphat seek divine wisdom from the nation's prophets. Jehoshaphat notices, however, that no true prophets of the Lord are present. Ahab offers to summon Michaiah, but despises his prophecy because it doesn't tell him what he wants to hear. Like Jehoshaphat, we can discern God's true direction by recognizing that false teaching and prophecy only give a positive message, are usually not specific, and misapply the Word of God in order to achieve their own goals. 

How should we apply these insights into our own quests to discover God's direction for our lives? 

1) Don't come to the scriptures with unrepentant hearts. 
2) Don't come to the scriptures with decisions already made. 
3) Engage in fervent prayer prior to reading the scriptures. 
4) Allow scriptures to interpret scripture.
5) Consult the guides God has put in your life.

1 Kings 22:1-13
English Standard Version

Ahab and the False Prophets

22 For three years Syria and Israel continued without war. 2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “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?” 4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” 8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “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.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” 9 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab

13 And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “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.”