The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-07-28
Sunday, July 20.

Golden Text-What the Lor,
saith unto me, that will speak
I. Kings 22:14.
Ahab, king of Israel, planne'
an expedition to recover the cit.
of Ramoth in Gilead from Syria
He asked Jehoshaphat, king O
Judah. to join him. To gratIt.
ROYAL ambition the court prophet
predicted the success of the cam
naign But when Mieaiah wa:
called upon to concur in favor
able forecast he had the courage
r. speak the truth as Jehovah re
vealed it unto him. And nj:
work came true because it wa:
the word of God.
AHAB AND JEHOSHAPHAT:
AMBITION
Truth was disregarded by the
two kings. 1t is a vivid though
sad story. There had been peace
between the northern kingdom OF
Israel and Syria for three years,
Ahab had defeated Benhadad but
had been too lenient with him in
the treaty. He had the Syrian's
word that certain cities should be
restored to Israel and that the
Israelites should be given certain
concessions mercantile or other
wise) on the streets of Damascus.
There was also a peace pact be-
tween Israel and Judah. The old
hostiities had ceased. The new
relation was now being cemented
by a visit from King Jehoshaphat
of Jerusalem. Indeed the two
royal houses had been brought
together through the marriage of
! Jehoshaphat's son to Ahab's
! daughter, union that later prov
ed disastrous to the southern
kingdom. The royal visit was
featured by the proposal which
Ahab first made to his servants
regarding the recovery of the
| City of Ramoth-Gilead situated
above the Jabbok east of the
Jordan and upon the heights
which commanded the approach
to Israel from the northeast. This
was one of the cities which Ben
hadad had promised to return to
Israel but failed to do 80. Evi-
| IDENTIFY, his courtiers approved
Ahab's suggestion and so he ap'
pealed to Jehoshaphat to join hin
in the expedition. The king OF
Judah assented in rather extra
VACANT language stating as a fact
that the two kings and their peo'
pie were one and hence then
armies and equipment should be
undivided. Neither king was &C
tuated by other motive than am
bition.
FOUR HUNDRED PROPHETS:
FALSITY
Truth was despised by the -four
hundred prophets and their king
In a goodness which was weak il
not imbecile Jehoshaphat after
committing himself to the cam,
paign asked that inquiry be made
flor word from Jehovah respect
ing it. Ahab was ready to an.
swer but he gave his answer
through four hundred prophets
who were simply court chaplain:
protesting to be true prophets
though probably devotees of cali
worship. Certainly the worship OF
God was not predominant anC
these religious leaders tolerated
if they did not advocate Baa
worship. They knew their king
and as puppets in his hands they
prophesied to his liking. Oh
course they advised him to ad.
vance and declared that the LORD
would give him success. The
transaction was so transparent
that Jehoshaphat ventured to in.
quire if there was not available
"a prophet of Jehovah besides
Ahab's answer was characteristic
He admitted that there was one
such man. Micaiah the son OF
Imlah: but he went on to say
that he hated him because he
never prophesied good for Ahab
This implies that Micaiah had
raised his voice in courage time
and again but his word had been
rejected. Yet as a courtesy to
the visiting monarch the order
was given to fetch quickly the
lone and perhaps imprisoned
Micaiah into the royal presence
While waiting for him to be
brought, the two kings occupied
two thrones in a park at the city
gate. The four hundred prophets
engaged in prophesying before
Jehoshaphat and Abah. One of
them in a spectacular perform.
ance made him two horns of iron
emblematic of the two kings
ready for a strong offensive, de-
clared that they would gore the
Syrians pushing them back until
they were overthrown. With one
voice all the prophets urged the
kings to go up to Ramoth-Gilead
and prosper, falsely predicting
that Jehovah would deliver it in
to their hands. -
MICAfAH: TRUTH .. -t
Truth was declared by the
courageous phophet of God. When
the kings messenger reached
Micaiah with the royal mandate
he dared to. make suggestion tc
the prophet which in all sincerity
he may have hoped would be tC
his interest He reported that al
the prophets endorsed the king:
campaign and with one voice de.
clared that it would issue happily
for Ahab. He urged that Micaiaf
do exactly as they had done
speaking good and only good fol-
the expedition and use the same
or similar words as the other
prophetS The ansyyer Of M;