In 2 Chr 18.1-34 we learn that Yehoshaphat enters into an alliance with King Ahab (Ahav meaning “brother father”) in the north when his son Joram marries the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, named Athaliah. We will see that she is not much different than her infamous parents. Ahab now wants Yehoshaphat to go up with him against Ramoth-Gilead (“heights of Gilead”). The king of Syria had promised to return certain cities in exchange for mercy after he was defeated in battle. Ben-Hadad failed to return Ramoth-Gilead because it was in a strategic position (1 Kings 20.34), and it was a city of refuge (Josh 20.8).
So Yehoshaphat wanted to seek the Lord about this (v 4-6), so Ahab assembled false prophets, but Yehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of Yehovah yet in the land (remember, Ahab and Jezebel were persecuting the true prophets of Yehovah). Ahab said, Yes,” but he said the prophet hated him because he never prophesied anything good. His name was Micaiah (“Who is like Yah”). 2 Chr 18.8-11 says the false prophets prophesied in the name of Yehovah (Matt 7.22), and these were not pagan prophets, and they said Ahab should go up and fight, and he would succeed.
Ahab knew that Micaiah was a true prophet of God, and in 2 Chr 18.12-22 it says that Micaiah is consulted, and he tells them, “Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand.” He said this sarcastically. Ahab knew he did not say, “Thus says Yehovah,” so he knew he wasn’t serious. Ahab then tells him to speak to him only what Yehovah tells him.
So Micaiah tells him that he saw Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep with no shepherd, and Yehovah said: “These have no master.” Then Micaiah tells him he was given insight into the heavenly realm and that Ahab’s prophets were inspired by lying spirits (v 22). He saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the armies of heaven were around him. He asks, “Who will entice Ahab, the king of Israel, to go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?” And one said this, and another said that, but then a spirit came forward and stood before Yehovah and said, “I will entice him.” And Yehovah asked, “How?” and the spirit said that he would go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord told him to go and entice him, and prevail.
So Micaiah says that Yehovah has put a deceiving spirit into the mouths of all his prophets, who prophesied in the name of Yehovah, because the Lord has proclaimed “disaster against you (v 18-23).” Spiritually, just because someone says they are of the Lord and speak in his name doesn’t mean they are. Matt 7.21-23 tells us that there will be many who claim to have prophesied in the name of the Lord, but the Lord never knew them. They were “lawless” or “Torah-less.
This brings us up to the subject of “revivals.” Psa 119.154 says, “revive me according to your word (“davar”, another name for the Torah).” There are also false revivals which are “not according to your word (Torah).” We should judge any “revival” by this standard, “Is this according to God’s word (Torah).” Any revival in the Scriptures always brought the people back to the Torah (2 Kings 22.1-20; 2 Chr 29 and 30, for instance). False revivals will quote 2 Chr 7.14 but that verse is calling the people to repent and come back to the Torah. God will forgive their sin, and sin is defined by the Torah (Rom 3.20; 1 John 3.4). If the “revival” does not call people back to a Torah-based faith in Yeshua (Sabbath, biblical kosher, no idolatry or idolatrous holidays, etc) it is a false revival and just the work of man.
2 Chr 18.23 tells us that Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah (international trader) came forward and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of Yehovah pass from me to speak to you?” Evidently, Zedekiah thought he had the Ruach Ha Kodesh, but he really didn’t. This is just like the prophets of today who think the Spirit is talking to them when He really didn’t. The Holy Spirit will not speak anything that is contrary to the revealed Word of God, and that includes the Torah. So Ahab put Micaiah in prison and kept him there till Ahab got back from the battle (v 26), and Micaiah tells Ahab that if he returns from battle, then Yehovah did not speak to him (in 2 Chr 18.16).
In 2 Chr 18.28-34, Ahab goes to battle, along with Yehoshaphat. Why Yehoshaphat went along after hearing all this is very curious, especially after a defeat was predicted. And Ahab, knowing the prophecy of Micaiah, decided to disguise himself and thought this would protect him. Yehoshaphat would be the only identifiable king on the battlefield, and why he went along with this is also very, very curious, and it nearly gets him killed. But this would not save Ahab. Ben-Hadad tells his army to fight with no one small or great, but only with the King of Israel. Ahab’s previous mercy to Ben-Hadad in 1 Kings 20.31-34 will not be reciprocated. He will return evil for good, but God was directing Ben-Hadad in this.
So when the battle started, Yehoshaphat noticed the enemy was coming after him because he was the only one dressed as a king. He cries out to Yehovah in v 31, and the Lord diverted their hearts away from him. Now, a certain archer drew his bow and shot a random arrow, and it struck Ahab between his armor. God directed the arrow to hit Ahab. Man cannot hide from the judgment of God, even though he thinks he can. Micaiah obeyed the Lord and ended up in prison, but that was better than a king who did not obey the Lord. Ahab propped himself up in his chariot with the help of the “shalish.” The shalish is a third man in a chariot, along with the driver. To Ahab’s credit, he stayed propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians until sunset, when he died
The lesson in all this is, we should not believe anyone who says he speaks for the Lord but what they say does not line up with the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, the Gospels, or the Epistles. Those prophets and teachers are being inspired by lying spirits, not the Spirit of God.
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