From Whom Should We Seek Counsel?

By Rev. Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Mountains and Magnolias:

One of my favorite Bible passages comes from the book of 1st Kings. In that portion of God’s Word there is a continuing war against the people of Israel by their enemies the Syrians. The king of Judah, who at that time is named Jehoshaphat (of jumping fame), has come down to meet with Ahab, king of Israel to speak about what they can do together about the problems they both face. In those days it was common for someone seeking the LORD’s wisdom to go to a prophet and discern what it was that God had in mind for them. The kings could not agree on which prophet to seek, Ahab only wanted to talk to a prophet that would give him good news and Jehoshaphat wanted a prophet who had been approved by God. Compare the words of the kings. Ahab says, “There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil” while Jehoshaphat states, “Is there not here a prophet of the LORD?” (1 Kings 22). Notice the difference in their focus. Ahab does not want someone who will speak the truth to him, but only a person that will confirm his already held beliefs. He had no interest in what God had to say.

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