Amherst Wesleyan Church

1 Kings 22:1-40 tells a clear story of three characters who respond very differently during crisis. If you can, take the time to pause and read this passage.

In the story, the stubborn king of Israel, Ahab, partners with Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, in hopes of overthrowing a nearby kingdom. Up to this point, Ahab has done evil in the eyes of the Lord, while Jehoshaphat has been a godly king. Nonetheless, Jehoshaphat chose to partner with Ahab, despite his track record; this was a political alliance that was not encouraged by God, and therefore not a wise decision. The third character in this story, Micaiah, is a prophet of God who enters the picture speaking nothing but God's truth. In verse 14, Micaiah says, "As surely as the Lord lives, I can only tell him [Ahab] what the Lord tells me." Micaiah was not willing to lie or be swayed from what the Lord said, even though many were doing just that.

Here are the three responses to crisis that arise from this story: Ahab rejects the truth, Jehoshaphat chooses spiritual compromise, and Micaiah shows unwavering conviction. What a reminder for us!

Ahab was told directly by the prophet Micaiah that he would die in this battle, and yet, with no repentance and a hard heart, Ahab waltzes into battle and ends up dead. How many times are we drawn to making poor decisions in our own stubbornness, even after the wise counsel of another? Ahab rejects the truth, and suffers the consequences.

Jehoshaphat has his life miraculously spared, but even after the warning from the prophet, he still chose to go along with the political alliance to Ahab, finding himself in the midst of an ungodly scheme. Spiritual compromise in our own lives can look like making small commitments to things we know are not in God's will, or going along with the plans of another who we know is not following God. While we may be alright in the long run, putting ourselves in these circumstances is putting ourselves outside of God's will and command.

Finally, Micaiah shows us what it is to hold fast to the unwavering conviction of God's truth. He did not choose to reject the word of God or compromise it, but took it for what it was. He recognized the danger in watering down or abandoning God's direction, as many kings in that time had done. The Lord protects and stands with those who stand for Him. Micaiah had a fear and reverence for God and his truth that always prevails.

This has been a good reminder for me today, as I think about times when I have fallen into all three of these responses during crisis. Is there a circumstance in your life this week or month to which you have responded in one of these three ways? How can we choose to move forward with boldness as we stand on God's truth, being like Miciaiah? My prayer is that we would become the people who speak God's word with conviction, knowing that He is the only way. This is how we bring His kingdom to earth!

Three Responses to Crisis

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