This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
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COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
1KINGS
1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
God had promised that Ahab's whole family would be destroyed. But for the next three years there was no war. People tend to think because God does not discipline hastily that He has forgotten. Ahab was feeling his power, and was "itching" to go to war with Syria.
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
Ahab called all the prophets of Baal. He must have gotten some new ones after Elijah had killed 850 of them.
8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
Ahab said there was a prophet of God, Micaiah, that he trusted. But Ahab also said Micaiah always prophesied against him. And Ahab hated Micaiah for that.
13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
The messenger sent to fetch Micaiah told him to do as the prophets of Baal, and to speak of victory.
16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
Now some people think this unbecoming of a prophet of God - to speak lightly to the king of such a serious matter. However, we must understand that Micaiah already knew that the king had set his mind to go. He also knew that the false prophets of Baal were agreeing with the king in the maatter. Therefore, instead of Micaiah's words being presumed "light," we should interpret them as IRONY. And ironic sarcasm was needed at this particular point. Because, had Micaiah simply stated the truth, no one would have listened; and he wouldn't have been taken seriously.
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
Therefore, Micaiah begain to tell Ahab and Jehoshaphat what he'd envisioned from God. The truth is, God was designing Ahab's FALL! And God had seen to it that Ahab's lying prophets were used against him. They would assure him of untruth, and get him to go into battle so he could DIE!
24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
Zedekiah (not the last king of Israel, and not the prophet that helped Nehemiah) was a false prophet of Baal. He slapped Micaiah and complained that HE knew BETTER than Micaiah.
26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
Ahab ordered Micaiah returned to prison. Listen Christians: there's no shame in going to prison if it is for standing strong in the TRUTH OF GOD!
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
Ahab, fully aware of Micaiah's prophecy - and that being truth, decided to flatter Jehoshaphat into being the leader of BOTH armies.
34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
Now listen, when God has designed someone's death - he shall NOT escape!
39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
So Ahab died, and his son Ahaziah took the throne of Israel. It was actually in Ahab's 4th year as king that Jehoshaphat had become king of Judah. He was 35 years old when he took over the kingdom of Judah, and he reigned 25 years.
51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
Jehoram was a wicked king. He was a Baalist, and led Judah into Baalism. Jehoram brought God's anger upon Judah.
Please continue with us in daily Bible study.
CHAPTER 22
About that time, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, came to visit Ahab. Ahab took advantage of the situation. He mentioned out loud to his servants that the town of Ramoth actually belonged to the nation of Israel. Syria had taken it in war. Ahab also mentioned that they should go to battle and win the city back. Then he asked Jehoshaphat to join him in the battle.
Jehoshaphat committed himself and his army, but he wanted to hear from God about it first.
Of course they all prophesied that Ahab and Jehoshaphat could conquer Syria and win Ramoth back.
But Jehoshaphat was still not satisfied. He knew that the prophets of Baal were paid by Ahab, and that they prophesied what he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear from the REAL God. He wanted to hear from JEHOVAH!
The true prophet of God will prophesy against evil at all times. Ahab, the Bible says, was VERY evil. That's probably why God's prophecy through Micaiah was always against him.
Ahab sent for the prophet. He and Jehoshaphat put on their royal robes and sat on thrones to await Micaiah.
While they were waiting, the other prophets of Baal made statements assuring them of victory.
Surely it wouldn't be "politically correct" to go against the mainstream!
But Micaiah was a true man of God and said that he would tell exactly what GOD said. This man wasn't concerned with being "politicaly correct."
When Micaiah arrived, Ahab asked for his understanding of the matter. Micaiah answered, "OH! YEAH! Go ahead king ole boy! Surely you will win!"
This same kind of "ironic sarcasm" is used of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 11:9.
"Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer theee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."
Now Ahab recognized the sarcasm, and required of Micaiah the TRUTH.
Those who refuse God as Master also refuse His grace and forgiveness. They can only end in destruction - eternal torment.
Micaiah assured Zedekiah that he would end in SHAME. That's the meaning of the statement "..go into an inner chamber to hide thyself."
All people who believe they know better than God and God's Word will be like Zedekiah the false prophet. One day they will face God in shame, and will desire to run and hide.
Ahab said he'd decide what to do with Micaiah when he returned in peace. Micaiah said if Ahab returned in peace, then his prophecy would be false. The prophet of God should be SURE that what he says is indeed from God, and is TRUTH.
Jehoshaphat, being flattered, willingly took the forefront of the battle, leading the combined forces.
Friends, beware of flattery of those who are non-believers in Christ. That flattery will lead you into TROUBLE!
The king of Syria had commanded to kill Ahab, because he wanted to destroy the impetus behind the battle.
And when Jehoshaphat realized his trouble, he cried out to his aids, and the Syrian forces realized it was not Ahab. Then one Syrian soldier just sent an arrow at a random soldier, but he hit AHAB! And he hit him square between the shoulders!
Jehoshaphat escaped unharmed. God was not pleased with him for making a contract with an unbeliever. And God was not pleased with him for listening to the "politically correct" people. But God was WITH him to help him and save him from his own stupidity.
Praise God! He treats us the same way!
The battle raged on, while they propped Ahab up in his chariot. But in the evening, Ahab died. And everyone then lost HEART for the battle. They retired and ran home.
And according to God's prophetic statement in 1Kings 21:19 through Elijah, the dogs licked up the blood of Ahab.
Ahab, the evil king of Israel, was finally dead. God designed it, and God accomplished it according to His Word.
All evil men shall one day be consigned to eternal death. God has decreed it, and God will accomplish it according to His Word.
Jehoshaphat was a good king for Judah. He tried to do right like his father Asa. He chased out all the homosexuals (verse 46).
Godly men ought to fight against that which is abominable in God's sight.
Jehoshaphat secured prosperity for Judah. He even tried to secure MORE prosperity for Israel by building ships to make trade with other nations. But again, he did it by making a contract with an unbeliever (Ahaziah - Ahab's son).
God destroyed those ships in the harbor with a storm before they ever sailed.
Ahaziah approached Jehoshaphat about rebuilding the ships for the venture in partnership, but Jehoshaphat flatly refused. He had learned his lesson! (2Chronicles 20:35-37)
When Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram became king.
Someone, probably our children, will follow us in this world. We should train them in righteousness. Jehoshaphat evidently didn't do this.
Of course, a person CAN be trained in righteousness and just refuse to follow it.
Friends, when leaders do evil, and lead others into it, God becomes angry. God despises to see people led in the ways of unrighteousness.