Week of Monday, October 5 – Saturday, October 10
Speak the Truth - Man as an Instructor
Speak the Truth - Man as an Instructor
But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak.” 2 Chronicles 18:13 (ESV)
“Speaking truth to power” is nothing new. God’s prophets were doing it thousands of years ago, holding political leaders accountable by fearlessly communicating God’s Word. Often, it got them into trouble. In 2 Chronicles 18, we meet a truth-telling, “stand courageous” prophet named Micaiah.
Micaiah was a “thorn in the side” of Israel’s wicked King Ahab. Remember Ahab? He and Queen Jezebel promoted idolatry and suppressed the worship of the one true God. Yet when Ahab made an alliance with Jehoshaphat, the God-fearing King of Judah, for a joint military operation to take a city, Jehoshaphat had asked if there was a genuine prophet who would offer a word from the LORD. King Ahab replied: “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” (v. 7). But to keep Jehoshaphat happy, Ahab had Micaiah summoned in the hopes he would “bless” their military campaign.
Now the easy thing to do in this situation was for this prophet to bow to King Ahab’s request. After all, 400 other prophets had just proclaimed the campaign would be a success. In fact, the king’s officer who brought the prophet to Ahab urged him to line up with them: “please…speak encouragement” (v. 12). Plus, by going along with Ahab’s plans, Micaiah might have even found favor in the king’s court. But Micaiah sought only the favor of the one true King, the Lord God of the Universe. The Bible says: “the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1), and Micaiah stood courageous and fearlessly, forcefully and faithfully spoke God’s truth to power. He predicted defeat and death for Ahab. Not surprisingly, King Ahab didn’t like the prophet’s message. Micaiah was punched in the face and thrown in jail. Yet he was vindicated when King Ahab was defeated and killed in battle. Micaiah’s word from the LORD came true.
Men of God, we must stand courageous and boldly speak the truth to a culture filled with lies. For example, we are expected to affirm abortion as a “reproductive right” that ought to be a paid for with tax dollars as “health care”; affirm men who want to become “women” and make us pay for their surgeries and treatments; invade women’s bathrooms and participate in women’s sports; affirm people of the same sex getting married, raising children, and affirm having our children taught their sexual practices are normal; that because of the “separation of church and state” Christians ought to keep our faith to ourselves, etc. Men, we must counter deception with the truth: abortion takes an innocent life, God made us male and female and we change that to our hurt, marriage is only for one man and one woman, our God given freedom includes the constitutionally protected right to the free exercise of our faith in the public arena, etc. We need bold men speaking those truths in love.
But listen to the voice of experience when I tell you: Some people won’t like it when you do. You may be “unfriended,” banned, or otherwise punished for it, but stand boldly for the transcendent truths of God’s Word and He will stand with you. If you and I do not stand and speak the truth of God’s Word, regardless of the pressures we might feel to buckle and bow to those in positions of power, who will? So men, even if it gets you into trouble, speak the truth!
Micaiah was a “thorn in the side” of Israel’s wicked King Ahab. Remember Ahab? He and Queen Jezebel promoted idolatry and suppressed the worship of the one true God. Yet when Ahab made an alliance with Jehoshaphat, the God-fearing King of Judah, for a joint military operation to take a city, Jehoshaphat had asked if there was a genuine prophet who would offer a word from the LORD. King Ahab replied: “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” (v. 7). But to keep Jehoshaphat happy, Ahab had Micaiah summoned in the hopes he would “bless” their military campaign.
Now the easy thing to do in this situation was for this prophet to bow to King Ahab’s request. After all, 400 other prophets had just proclaimed the campaign would be a success. In fact, the king’s officer who brought the prophet to Ahab urged him to line up with them: “please…speak encouragement” (v. 12). Plus, by going along with Ahab’s plans, Micaiah might have even found favor in the king’s court. But Micaiah sought only the favor of the one true King, the Lord God of the Universe. The Bible says: “the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1), and Micaiah stood courageous and fearlessly, forcefully and faithfully spoke God’s truth to power. He predicted defeat and death for Ahab. Not surprisingly, King Ahab didn’t like the prophet’s message. Micaiah was punched in the face and thrown in jail. Yet he was vindicated when King Ahab was defeated and killed in battle. Micaiah’s word from the LORD came true.
Men of God, we must stand courageous and boldly speak the truth to a culture filled with lies. For example, we are expected to affirm abortion as a “reproductive right” that ought to be a paid for with tax dollars as “health care”; affirm men who want to become “women” and make us pay for their surgeries and treatments; invade women’s bathrooms and participate in women’s sports; affirm people of the same sex getting married, raising children, and affirm having our children taught their sexual practices are normal; that because of the “separation of church and state” Christians ought to keep our faith to ourselves, etc. Men, we must counter deception with the truth: abortion takes an innocent life, God made us male and female and we change that to our hurt, marriage is only for one man and one woman, our God given freedom includes the constitutionally protected right to the free exercise of our faith in the public arena, etc. We need bold men speaking those truths in love.
But listen to the voice of experience when I tell you: Some people won’t like it when you do. You may be “unfriended,” banned, or otherwise punished for it, but stand boldly for the transcendent truths of God’s Word and He will stand with you. If you and I do not stand and speak the truth of God’s Word, regardless of the pressures we might feel to buckle and bow to those in positions of power, who will? So men, even if it gets you into trouble, speak the truth!
- Put yourself in Micaiah’s sandals and be honest: What would you have done after hearing that the other 400 prophets had already proclaimed success and the King was asking for a positive word from you? Are you more likely to “go along and get along” and compromise your convictions when you are under pressure to conform? Or would you stand and speak truth?
- In today’s “live your own truth” culture, how can you better communicate biblical truth in a loving but firm way with some men in your circle of relationships who are living contrary to God’s Word? Remember, Ahab hated the messenger because of the message. His real conflict was with God, but he focused his hatred against the prophet Micaiah. So don’t take rejection personally.
- Pray that, like Micaiah, you will boldly speak God’s truth no matter what—even if you have to stand alone and even if you have to suffer for it.