Warning to the Sheep and Shepherds

1 Kings 22:1-28
    1 Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. 2 Then it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.  3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?" 4 So he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?"  Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." 5 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire for the word of the LORD today."
    6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?"  So they said, "Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king."  7 And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?"  8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."  And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say such things!"
    9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!"  10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, "Thus says the LORD: 'With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.'" 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king's hand."
    13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement."  14 And Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak."  15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?"  And he answered him, "Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!"  16 So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
    17 Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.'"  18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
    19 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' 22 The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.' 23 Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you."
    24 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?"  25 And Micaiah said, "Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!"  26 So the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son; 27 and say, 'Thus says the king: "Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace."'"  28 But Micaiah said, "If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "Take heed, all you people!"

There was peace with Syria for three years, but then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went to Ahab the king of Israel, who wanted to start a fight with Syria to reclaim Ramoth Gilead and involve Judah for help.  Therefore the king of Israel called four hundred prophets together to get the LORD’s backing for his plan at the request of the king of Judah; Jehoshaphat heard and then asked if there was one good and true prophet left, knowing this unanimous message to be untrue.  Micaiah the prophet was called against the king of Israel’s wish, for he told the unpleasant truth which was not wanted.  At first Micaiah said the same message as the other prophets, but was mocking in reality.  When pressed for the truth, the message which really was from the LORD was that a lying spirit was given to the other prophets in order to seal the doom of Ahab’s disastrous defeat and death when attempting to reclaim Ramoth Gilead.  It was a trap to stop the evil king for his rebellion and rejection of God’s word, and it was effective because Micaiah was thrown in prison to avoid Ahab hearing the truth anymore.  Micaiah warned them all to watch out, and that he would not be released by Ahab if he was telling the truth of God’s message.  We learn that sometimes everyone will assent to say what sounds good and profitable as men-pleasers (Galatians 1:10) when we should listen to what rings true in alignment with the scriptures in context and in whole.  It is easy to hear what we want to hear, but it is absolutely essential to instead hear and follow what the Lord says.  This is a warning to both sheep and shepherd, for we were once all lost sheep before knowing and following our Master’s voice, that of Christ our Lord (1 John 2:20).  We were lost sheep, but now are found in Him whose voice we follow in accordance with His word made understandable by His Spirit living in us giving us the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).