Micaiah

“And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” 1 Kings 22:14 NKJV

Did you know that when tracing the name Michael back to its roots the first recorded and earliest version of the name is Micaiah?  Micaiah is considered a minor prophet yet here he is a contemporary of Elijah and Elisha (and his story right between the two) in a time when the power of the Lord moved mightily through the prophets. Hang onto your seats while we read about this sarcastic, stubborn, and hard man of God – and I tell you of another Micaiah.

Dear Heavenly Father – As always, please open eye to see and our ears to hear what you are saying! Lord – open our understanding that we may know you and give us wisdom. Please do not let us miss out on what you want and need from us today. And please keep us and bless us and shine your face upon us and pour out grace over us and give us peace! Thank you! – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Today’s reading is from the book of First Kings chapter 22 and Second Chronicles chapter 18 (embedded below the image below for your convenience).

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so real – that you are convinced it was? I can still remember a dream I had back in 1996 – clear as day.  I woke up the next morning so completely shook by it and the events in the dream came true and changed my life.

In my dream and angel came to me.  Told me I was pregnant with a boy.  His name was to be Robert Micaiah and we would call him by his middle name. (Not Mic or Mike. Not Mikey, Micah, or Michael.) He was going to grow up to be on a stage and be musical and God had a purpose for his life. God had called him, made him, formed him and named him.

Half way through my pregnancy I learned that Micaiah was a minor prophet and marked the place in my Bible. The day he was born I had lost the book make. So I had to look it up the old fashion way – to my surprise Micaiah was in there 2 times!  The day was February 22 and my mom pointed out who with God there are no coincidences and his name was in 1 Kings, chapter 22!! But God has a bigger since of humor than that. I was overdue, the baby was late! My son was due on the 18^th day of the SECOND month and the second place Micaiah is found in the Bible is the 18^th chapter of SECOND Chronicles!!

In Psalms 139 – we see David worshiping God at the revelation of how God knew us and planned us from before what we think of as the beginning. God made us with a purpose and plan.  God called us.

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14 NKJV

Some people think this isn’t true of everyone. But in my spirit, I believe every time I have quoted this verse, God laid it on my tongue because God did make and call the person I was speaking of. I know that if you have found this obscure little blog with the word of the lord and follow it – God gave this to you and it applies to you.  I am not advertising or promoting. This continues to grow and grow organically giving ALL glory to God for each of you who finds this and reads it. Just like God formed us – God formed this ministry. Therefore, going back to my point – if you are reading this then this applies to you that God formed you, named you, created you with a purpose.

When my son was a small child, just old enough to start memorizing – I read him these passages regularly. The first verse he memorized was the opening verse today.  He used to take his little Bible and lay it open and tap on it and pretend to preach. And honestly it frightened me.

I am quite close to one of those crazy people on a street corner holding a sign saying “Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand!” Because quite frankly that isn’t a lie! But I know the battle I face daily and how difficult it is – I know the persecution. I am quite positive someone will be trying to kill me on the day of the rapture telling me to deny God or die and I’ll just fly away! (I may have romanticized it – it’s going to get ugly.)  This isn’t what a mother wants for her toddler.  And as an adult – I long for it for him because I failed to raise him in church he is so far off base and doesn’t know the scriptures. And worst – he thinks he can get it together after the rapture – oh people!!! IF this is how you think – rethink your stand. The period called the dispensation of grace ends with the rapture. How, without the transforming resurrection power of grace, does anyone expect to serve the Lord? If the cares of this life keep you from him when life is easy and good – do you really think you can do it on your own?!! Those of us who are trying WITH grace stumble regularly and cannot without grace.

I am that crazy preacher – running around yelling IT IS TIME!

It is high time to wake up – Romans 13:11

Today is the day – Now is the time of our salvation – 2 Corinthians 6:2

The dispensation of grace does come to an end and it is soon. What shall we say then, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbids it (Romans 6:1).

I told my son I was writing about him and I would send him the link to this. I am sure he won’t read it. His life is a struggle right now. But the spiritual is manifesting in the natural. If he just surrendered to God… but he has put too much at stake of his own making, desire and design. And He knows surrendering to God doesn’t make it easier – it just makes it right.  There are still struggles and battles and sometimes that are worse – but it is the right thing to do. God made him for a purpose and like Jonah – he cannot run away forever. Until that day – when he shows up covered in whale vomit and hungry to learn the Bible, will you join me in prayer for him? I appreciate it. It is tough to be in your mid-twenties and railing against God when you were created because God had need and had to create exactly what He needed for such a time as this!!

For those of you just joining for the first time – God wants a relationship with us through His son. Since the very first sin separated us from him – He has been working diligently to bring us back. Once we begin to have a real relationship, including talking to Him often throughout the day, reading His word and memorizing it, and following His will – then we begin to fulfil the purpose He created us for. We must first prove faithful in the small things.  Let’s talk more about how to begin that relationship:

RELATIONSHIP:
Do you already have a relationship with a powerful God who cares about your every need because He loves you? Did you know my God can communicate with you and protect you – He has a plan for you to prosper if you just submit to His will and let His plan play out in your life!!! God wants a relationship with you and has already made a plan for your life. He loves you so much He sent His son to this world, to die as a sacrifice for your sins and rise from death with victory over sin and the ability to have a personal relationship with you.
“⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Here is a prayer for you to pray:
Jesus, I believe you are the way, the truth, the life, and the only way to the Father. I believe you are the son of God, you came to Earth and lived. That you died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins, and rose again so that I may be saved from my sins and be able to get to know you. I declare: Jesus, you are Lord!
Therefore, I confess that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my life. Help me to turn away from my sins and transform me into what you have lovingly created me to be. Help me through a real personal relationship grow and accept your will for my life – that I may live in your blessings. Please walk with me, and talk with me – I accept a relationship with you and with our Father God, through you. In the name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen

MEMORY WORK: Mark 16:17-18 – This month is month two of the two for one special!!!
NKJV – “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
NAS – “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
ESV – “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
NLT – “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”
NIV – “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Thank you for reading.
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

BIBLE READING: 1 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 18 NKJV

1 Kings 22

Micaiah Warns Ahab

22 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 ^[a]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 ^[b]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!”

Ahab Dies in Battle

²⁹ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. ³⁰ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

³¹ Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” ³² So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. ³³ And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. ³⁴ Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

³⁵ The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. ³⁶ Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, 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 Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while ^[c]the harlots bathed, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken.

³⁹ Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which he built 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 ^[d]rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

⁴¹ Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. ⁴² Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³ And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. ⁴⁴ Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

⁴⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? ⁴⁶ And the rest of the ^[e]perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. ⁴⁷ There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.

⁴⁸ Jehoshaphat made ^[f]merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. ⁴⁹ Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

⁵⁰ And Jehoshaphat ^[g]rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

⁵¹ Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. ⁵² 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 had made Israel sin; ⁵³ for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according^[h] to all that his father had done.

Footnotes

1. 1 Kings 22:6 The false prophets
2. 1 Kings 22:7 Or him
3. 1 Kings 22:38 Tg., Syr. they washed his armor
4. 1 Kings 22:40 Died and joined his ancestors
5. 1 Kings 22:46 Heb. qadesh, one practicing sodomy and prostitution in religious rituals
6. 1 Kings 22:48 Or ships of Tarshish
7. 1 Kings 22:50 Died and joined his ancestors
8. 1 Kings 22:53 In the same way that

2 Chronicles 18

Micaiah Warns Ahab

18 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. ² After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. ³ So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?”

And he answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.”

⁴ Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”

⁵ Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

⁶ But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”^[a]

⁷ So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

⁸ Then the king of Israel called one of his officers and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imla quickly!”

⁹ The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, clothed in their robes, sat each on his throne; and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. ¹⁰ 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.’ ”

¹¹ 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.”

¹² 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. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

¹³ And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”

¹⁴ Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

And he said, “Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!”

¹⁵ 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?”

¹⁶ 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.’ ”

¹⁷ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

¹⁸ 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 on His right hand and His left. ¹⁹ And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. ²⁰ Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ ²¹ 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.’ ²² Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

²³ Then 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?”

²⁴ And Micaiah said, “Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

²⁵ Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁶ and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I return in peace.” ’ ”

²⁷ But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab Dies in Battle

²⁸ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. ²⁹ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

³⁰ Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots who were with him, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”

³¹ So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him. ³² For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. ³³ Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the ^[b]joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” ³⁴ The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died.

Footnotes

1. 2 Chronicles 18:6 Or him
2. 2 Chronicles 18:33 Or scale armor and the breastplate