“What the LORD Says, That I Will Speak”

Tuesday, June 03, 2025

BIBLE READING: 1 Kings 21-22

Ahab was infamously wicked and very powerful (1 Kings 21.25-26). However, he did have moments of clarity about God and his own need for humility (21.27-29). But ultimately, Ahab was swayed by the voices of others and his own personal agendas. Even when a prophet from God spoke plainly to him, his impulse was to get mad because it wasn’t what he wanted.

“And [Ahab] 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.” (1 Kings 22.8)

Micaiah enters the scene as a clarifying voice. Everybody was telling Ahab what he wanted to hear (1 Kings 22.6, 12); but Jehoshaphat understood what was going on (22.8). They needed an unbiased prophet who would truly tell them what God said. Ahab knew just the guy, but he really didn’t like him. His messengers tried to sway Micaiah, but he plainly stated, “what the LORD says to me, that I will speak” (1 Kings 22.14).

The sad part about this story is that, aside from some sarcasm, God doesn’t play games with Ahab. God tells Ahab (via Micaiah) that he was enticing him with a lying spirit to go out and be destroyed in battle… and Ahab didn’t listen. He thought he could manipulate the outcome by disguising himself in battle (1 Kings 21.30); but he could not defy the word of God. Ahab died in battle, struck by a random arrow, and the dogs licked up his blood (1 Kings 22.34-38; cf. 21.24).

A couple thoughts to consider from this episode:

1. Circumstances don’t always end well for the good guys. Imagine having the reputation of Micaiah. He was a known man of God whose commitment to speak God’s words got him publicly berated and thrown into prison (1 Kings 22.13-28). His peers were swayed by the power of the king, but Micaiah understood his calling (1 Kings 22.6, 14). Even though he spoke the truth, his staunch faith got him labeled a troublemaker. Like many prophets, his story ends with negativity with him stuck in prison. Surely this wasn’t what he wanted, but it was where faith took him and many others.
2. God is clear on outcomes. We don’t have specific revelation regarding our lives, but we can be certain that God is firmly in control of both the present and the future. Whether we like it or not, what he says is what will be. We must not attempt to defy or manipulate what God has plainly stated. To be in opposition to God’s word is to ensure we will receive judgment from God. God will judge the bad guys and reward the faithfulness of people who stand firmly on what the Lord has said.

We don’t know Michaiah’s immediate fate, but we are certain of Ahab’s. In the same way, we may not be sure of our immediate fate, but we can be certain of what will happen to those who don’t listen to God’s word. Let us stand confidently on these truths, living and speaking what the Lord has said to us.

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