The Last Chapter

In the last chapter of I Kings, we read of a remarkable account between two kings and one prophet.  I Kings 22 tells the story of Jehoshaphat and Ahab coming together and figuring out if they should go to war with the Syrians because the victory seems almost inevitable.  Indeed, all the prophets of Israel and Judah are saying to go into battle for the victory is theirs.  Come down to verse 7 and the plot gets very interesting.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I HATE him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Of course, after this Micaiah is brought before them to testify and in verse 15, Micaiah strangely tells the two kings to “go and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” Ahab, though he wants to hear that, adjures Micaiah to tell them the truth, which he then does.  Come down to verse 23 and Micaiah explains himself and says: “Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of ALL THESE THY PROPHETS…”  The cross reference is Ezekiel 14:4 which says, “Therefore speak unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols.”

This is so profound because here WE are today in the LAST CHAPTER of the church age waiting for the rapture of the church, and God’s people are so messed up.  So many professing Christians see nothing wrong with modern perversions of the Bible, they don’t see anything wrong with alcohol, smoking, drugs, rock music, modern country music, cursing, swearing, “mild forms” of witchcraft in their churches.  They aren’t repulsed by Harry Potter or profanity on their television sets, and they embrace ecumenicalism thinking that we should just all get together as Christians and “party.” Why don’t they think anything is wrong?  Because they have heard the voice of God as a “lying spirit” in the mouths of their preachers, college professors, teachers, and religious broadcasters.

God eventually gets fed up with his people’s sins and their attitude towards holiness and actually tells us WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.  God forbid that should be you today.  God’s company is not known by niceties, sweet swelling words or smiles.  It is often known by a man preaching against sin and standing AGAINST something.  The church, as a whole, has lost that ability to properly discern the spirits of their prophets.   You can better discern them today by repenting of your OWN sin, and coming to God as you are on your knees, open that blessed King James Bible and believing it, call upon the name of the Lord to show you the truth, and he will.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.  This last chapter is dragging on.