Prophesying lies

“Ahab was married to a gal named Jezebel and you know with that kind of a name she had to be a character,” says Jordan. “Her father was a priest of Baal and it was through Jezebel and Ahab that the state religion in the northern kingdom became Baal worship. It had been there and tolerated but with them it became the STATE religion.

“Ahab is of the house of Omri, his ancestor. All of that corruption in the lineage in Ahab actually goes back to Omri and the statutes of Omri. Omri wasn’t there, but the things he set up, the corrupt laws that had been there because of him, were for future generations to obey and be corrupted by. They walked in the counsel of all that previous abomination.

“When it says in Hosea 5 that ‘they kept the commandment,’ it’s the commandment actually of Jeroboam in I Kings 12, when he set up the Baal worship in the northern kingdom rather than teach God’s Word like he should have been doing.

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“A really fun passage to preach is this story in I Kings 22 of the ‘lying prophets of Ahab.’ The chapter starts out, ‘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. 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?’

“Now Jehoshaphat didn’t have any business going down to Ahab and associating with him. Jehoshaphat was way out of line to go align himself with that. He was a good guy but this was going to ruin him.

“Verse 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.’

“In other words, ‘Ramoth-gilead belongs to us. The Syrians have got it but will you go with me to take it back?’

“The passage continues, ‘And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
[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. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?’

“See, he knew that the prophets Ahab was calling on weren’t Jehovah’s prophets. He knew that was the wrong crowd; the wrong church.

“Verse 8 says, ‘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.

“He’s saying, ‘We got one guy but every time I talk to him he says something bad! He’s negative all the way around.’

“ ‘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.

“Now that’s just a bunch of hooey, but you see that’s what was happening. That’s what Hosea’s complaining about. These guys are saying they’re prophets of the Lord and they’re just prophesying what they know the king wants to hear. They’re prophesying for money; they’re just prophesying lies.

“This is where it gets funny:  ‘[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.’

“Now buddy, that’s what gets you into trouble! ‘I’m just going to tell you what the Book says.’

“ ‘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.’

“So Micaiah says the same things all the others said. ‘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?

“He knew he wasn’t telling the truth. Ahab says, ‘C’mon, Micaiah, tell me!’ The guy says, ‘Hey, all the other prophets said it’s good to go.’ So Micaiah says, ‘Okay, it’s good, the Lord’s gonna bless you.’ And Ahab says, ‘I know that’s not right! You never say anything good about me!’

“So Micaiah says, ‘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.’

“What he’s prophesying is that Ahab’s going to go up there and get killed. You know what happened? Exactly that.

“But you see how he responds? ‘Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
[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.’

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“Now that’s that spirit of whoredom we read about in Hosea 5.

“The passage goes on, ‘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.’

“That’s what’s happening in Israel. And when the Lord forsook them he forsook them to the lying prophets they wanted to believe and that their revolting hearts trusted.

“Hosea 5:4 says, ‘They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.’

“That stuff going on back there with Ahab just continued right on down and it destroyed them.

“Hosea 5:5 says, ‘And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
[6] They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.’

“There’s the problem. The pride of Israel. That’s the leading sin in religious apostasy. That’s the leading sin in rebellion and revolt against God.

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“Notice that thing about his face. Proverbs 21:29 says, ‘A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.’

“A wicked man sets his jaw against doing anything but what he wants to do. And his pride decides, ‘This is the way it’s going to be. Nothing else!’ You ever seen anybody with an anger-management problem?

“Paul said ‘be angry and sin not.’ Anger is not a sin unless it’s used in an inappropriate way.

“You have two great motivators: one is love at one end of the spectrum  and the other is hate. One draws you toward something and one pulls you away from it. Anger is a motivator like fear is a motivator.

“Every emotion you have that God gives you isn’t evil. They’re designed to be used in the right way. They’re evil when they’re misused.

“ ‘Only by pride comes contention,’ says Proverbs 13:10. If you want to manage anger, anger’s often fear in disguise. If you want to manage fear and insecurity, the real problem underneath it all is pride.

“So if you’re just trying to get anger-management techniques, you’re dealing with the smoke and mirrors.

“If you want to put a fire out, you don’t take the extinguisher and put it at the flames; you get right down at the base where the flames are coming from. Pride is a vicious thing. It’s the middle letter of the word ‘sin.’

“Religion is designed to satisfy the lust of your flesh for pride. That’s what’s happening with Israel. The pride of Israel testifies to its face. I mean, just look at what they’re doing and you can see it. They can’t because of their pride. The verse says, ‘They shall go with their flocks and shall not find him.’ ”