FAITH CAPSULE: Truth is always a threat to haters, deceivers and one that lies.

1 Kings 22:1-40

At the time when Ahab the king of Israel wanted to engage in war with Syria in order to take Ramoth Gilead, he talked to Jehoshaphat, “…Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?” (1 Kings 22:4) Ahab’s reason was based on his claim that Ramoth Gilead belongs to Israel. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah did not refused the request of King Ahab but responded, “…I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the LORD today.” (1 Kings 22:4-5)Ahab gathered four hundred prophets to inquire as requested by King Jehoshaphat and all four hundred confirmed to him that God will deliver Syria into his hand. Despite the favorable prophecy of Ahab’s four hundred prophets, Jehoshaphat insisted for a further confirmation from any other available prophet in the land. Ahab’ s response to Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings 22:8 was not a good one; it was of hatred, “So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.’ And Jehoshaphat said, ‘Let not the king say such things!’” Ahab confessed his hatred for Micaiah a prophet of God. The reason for Ahab’s hatred was his dislike for the truth. Truth is always a threat to haters, deceivers and one that lies. As an acclaimed believer, a born-again Christian, do you hate in anyway towards anyone in your walk of life? Ahab was hibernating hatred. Do you have hatred for any of God’s message in your direction? Any believer that hates never makes headway and the longer they hold unto hatred is the closer they are to their self-destruction. Just as a believer cannot get away with hatred, un-believer will also fall when there is hatred. The prophet Micaiah prophesized, “…I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’” (1 Kings22:17)  Prophet told Ahab not go to war in spite of what the four hundred prophets said. King Ahab’s hate towards Micaiah denied him from responding to the warning signs. Disaster was in place for Ahab because of the hatred that was in him. Ahab went to war against the advice of the prophet Micaiah. He rather went in favor of four hundred prophets who prophesied falsely concerning the matter. Hate is a silent and eventual killer, which every believer should pray against. Ahab went to war and never returned. Hatred killed him.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from everything that represents or presents hatred in the life of man.