We shall now turn to 1 Kings chapter 22. We could read again verse 28. 1 Kings 22 at verse 28. So here we have a very interesting chapter with Lots of fascinating teaching in it. We have here the godly king Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. Godly man, good king, but there were certain weaknesses. He was not totally what he should be, but he was a good man. And he visits the wicked king, King Ahab. and Ahab is spoken of in scripture as the most wicked of all the kings of Israel. He was married to a very wicked woman, Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, the priest-king of Sidon. She was a very determined follower of false religion, very hostile to the truth and very spiteful and nasty in her ways. She stirred up Ahab and he was an extremely wicked king. Jehoshaphat joins with King Ahab, goes to fight with the Syrians. Ahab's prophets tell him he will be successful but Micaiah prophet of the Lord tells him that he's going to die. Ahab is determined to go but he dies as Micaiah has said. He was warned and he made a choice. He chose to go against the word of the Lord. And how many there are today should know better people brought up in Christian homes, people who were taught and instructed from childhood, and they decide to go on the way to hell rather than the way to heaven. Surely this chapter is a warning. There's a right way and a wrong way. There's a broad way that leads to destruction with lots of people on it. There's a narrow way that leads to life. Choose life rather than death. First year we have an unequal yoke. We have to take care who we choose as our friends. Yes, it's true, the Lord Jesus Christ He ate with publicans and sinners. Yes, that's very true. He would sit down with some of the people who were the very worst in society, but he did that in order to save them. He did it out of love and concern and compassion and to witness to them and to bring the gospel to them, seeking their soul's salvation. It's a very different thing to sit with publicans and sinners. enjoying their conversation and going with them in their sinful ways. We have to choose carefully our friends. There's always a danger if we're in bad company that we end up compromising. We've got to remember that there's really only two kinds of people in this world. Some people find this shocking, but there's only two kinds of people in the world. Children of God and children of the devil. There are those who love God and those who hate God. It's all very black and white. People would like us to be a bit more grey and say, well, there's some good people and some better people and There's some who are not all that great and there's maybe a third place in eternity. There's heaven and there's hell and there's somewhere else that the rest of the people can go. Or maybe there's a second chance or something. But it's not like that. The Bible tells us you're either for me or against me. You either are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ or an enemy of Christ. We have to take that to heart because the devil wants to soften and blur the truth. So we must beware of an unequal yoke. If we're going into a business venture And we're Christians. It's not a great thing going into a business venture with somebody who's not a Christian. Because you're going to be pulling in different directions. You have different standards. Similarly, if you go, if you take somebody as a flatmate, you go to live with somebody who's not a Christian, again, There can be problems. There can be difficulties. And of course it's the same with marriage. Be not unequally yoked. Christians are free to marry but only in the Lord. Because it's no use if the person who's closest to you in life is pulling in the opposite direction. Well, it makes life very hard for you as a Christian. It's hard to be consistent as a Christian. So the Bible warns against the unequal yoke. And here we have Jehoshaphat, and he had a horrible experience. He joined up with Ahab, went to fight a battle with him, and he ended up in grave danger. and he only escaped by the skin of his teeth. His chariot was surrounded by the chariots of the Syrians. They thought he was the king because King Ahab had gone into the battle in disguise and Jehoshaphat was in his royal robes. So they all set upon Jehoshaphat and Jehoshaphat had to flee for his life. He cried out in terror. And eventually the Scythians, in God's mercy, realised that he wasn't the king and turned back and let him go. It was a close shave. An unequal yoke got him into big trouble. So there's a warning for us there. That's the first thing that we have here. The next thing that I'd like you to notice is how we must beware of worldly ministers. Sadly, too many ministers today are worldly, compromising and weak. They want to be popular. They want to say what pleases. They find it impossible to rebuke people, to challenge people, to speak directly to them, and to say they're wrong and that they've got to repent. Whatever is fashionable, that's what they'll say. Whatever the crowd thinks. You think of somebody like the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. You'll never hear Justin Welby. standing for biblical morality against what's fashionable. Never. He always goes with what's politically correct, what's acceptable to the BBC. That's the way he goes. And there's so many like that. Moderators of the Church of Scotland and so on. So many of them like that. Whatever is fashionable, they will say. So many ministers will never talk about sin. About the wrath of God. Hell is never mentioned. And yet Jesus often talked about these things. All they talk about is God's love and God's forgiveness and God's mercy and God is wonderfully gracious to everyone and everything will work out fine. They're like the false prophets in the days of Jeremiah. Remember these false prophets who are going round saying, peace, peace. When there is no peace, saith God to the wicked. Peace, peace, everything's fine. Everything will be fine. The Babylonians won't come. We won't be taken captive to Babylon. Those who are in Babylon will be returned. Everything's fine. Don't worry. Be at peace. Be prosperous. Enjoy your life. Don't worry about anything. so many ministers today, that's the way it is, worldly ministers. Here we find 400 prophets. Jehoshaphat was asked by Ahab to go and accompany him to take back Ramoth Gilead which had been taken over by the Syrians and Jehoshaphat agrees, joins with Ahab and goes to battle but he wants first to inquire of the Lord and he says can we inquire of the Lord to find out whether the Lord will go with us and bless us and prosper us. So Jehoshaphat is wise in that he wants to inquire of the Lord and so King Ahab calls together his ministers and he's got lots of them, 400 of them, 400 of these prophets. And he says to them, shall we go up to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we not? And they say, go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king. Go up, it'll all be fine, everything will work out well, you'll be successful, you'll come back in triumph. Joshua feels a little bit uneasy about this. But there you have the worldly ministers. And in fact, Zedekiah, one of them, Zedekiah, the son of Chenana, seems to have been the leader of these. He makes horns of iron and he says, with ease you will drive the Syrians until you consume them. You're going to be so successful. Just what Ahab wanted to hear. The very message that would make him popular. And there's plenty like that today. All is well. Don't worry. You'll go to heaven when you die. God is love. Everything will work out great. Isaiah talks of prophets like that. He says they're like watchdogs. Dogs which cannot bark. that love to slumber. Would you like to have a watchdog like that? A dog that cannot bark, a dog that loves to sleep and is not guarding or protecting you. What good is that? Well, so many ministers today are like dogs that cannot bark. Oh, that God would cause ministers to bark, to bark against sin. and to bark in warning those who are on the broad road that leads to hell, to call them to repentance. Beware then of worldly ministers. But then next we have here a real man of God. Jehoshaphat hears all these 400 ministers and they're all talking away saying how wonderful everything is, how successful Ahab will be, Joshua thinks of the prophets that he has in Judah, and there's something that doesn't ring true about these prophets, the prophets in Israel. The prophets in Judah were always calling people to repentance, pointing out sin, demanding a different standard of life. But these prophets, they're all just stroking the king on the back, telling him You're wonderful, you're wonderful. You're a great person. Whatever you do, you'll be successful in. Jehoshaphat has his doubts. He feels there's something wrong. So he asks here in verse 7, is there a prophet of the Lord here besides? Is there a real prophet of the Lord of whom we might inquire? So the King of Israel says, well, there is one man. I don't like him. He's not a nice person. He's a hard man, harsh man, an extremist. There is 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. And Jehoshaphat said, let not the king say so. I hate him. A real man of God. So they send for Micaiah. And the messenger who goes to get Micaiah tells him, now all the prophets, all the prophets are saying nice things to the king. You should be like the rest of the prophets. You just join with the rest. It's far better to go along with the majority. Be with a crowd and say nice things to the king. Why have you got to be so awkward and difficult and troubling everybody? You just say nice things to the king. And you notice what Micaiah says. What the Lord says, that will I speak. I can only say what God says. Whether it's popular or not, I can only say what God says. So Micaiah comes along to the king and the king of Israel and the king of Judah are there and it's quite an awe-inspiring sight, the two kings dressed in their royal robes and all this majesty and prestige in this part of the sort of public square at the gate of Samaria and all the prophets prophesying before them and Zedekiah the son of Chenana with his horns there talking away And all the prophets say, go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper. So the king of Israel says, he says to Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth Gilead, verse 15, to battle, or shall we forbear? It's interesting to notice what Micaiah says. Go and prosper, for the Lord shall deliver it into thine hands. But he said it obviously in an ironic way. He said it obviously just mimicking the false prophets. And the king Ahab said unto him, how many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? So then Micaiah began to prophesy. I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, these have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace. All Israel, the shepherd is dead. The king is gone. Let them return each man in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me but evil?' And then Micaiah added, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne and all the host of heaven, the angels and the devils before him on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab that he may go up and follow Abram of Gilead. One said after this manner, another said after that manner. Then came forth a spirit and said before the Lord, I will persuade him. And the Lord said, wherewith? And he said, I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, thou shalt persuade him. prevail also. Go forth and so do. Very interesting isn't it? A lying spirit sent from God to be a lying spirit in the mouth of his ministers. Devil carrying out the work of God, yes. We must remember God is sovereign and he uses even Satan and the demons to carry out his work. And so he sends this devil to be a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets. Sovereign God sending the spirit to deceive, to lead astray. Well, here we have a real man of God standing for what is right. This man, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, he stands for what is right and true and he warns sinners to repent. Next point that we have here is the persecution of the faithful. It's not easy to belong to the faithful few. It's not easy to stand for the truth. Naturally, we all want to be popular. Do what everyone else is saying, the messenger said, and be popular, and the king will like you, and he'll reward you. But it's not the king we should be concerned about, it's God. What does God think? And it's not this life that ought to concern us, it's eternity. What shall it profit a man though he gain the whole world, though he be so successful that he possess the whole earth, if he dies and goes to hell to be tormented forever? There was a lot of pressure on Micaiah, the two kings on their throne. Could be easily overawed, but he, instead of looking at the thrones of the two kings, he looks up and he sees God on the throne. First and foremost, concerned about the Almighty. Keep God before your mind's eye. And so Micaiah tells the truth, and the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He's hated for it. Said Micaiah, the false prophet comes up to him and smites him across the cheek. Which way went the Spirit of God from me to speak to you? You'll find out the day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself, being ashamed when you're found out to be a liar. And the king that you said would be successful is killed in battle. It's not easy to have somebody coming up to you and slapping you on the cheek. But Jesus says when they do that, If they smite you on the right cheek, turn to him the left also. The Kaia didn't fight back. He meekly accepted it. So the king says, put him in prison and feed him with a bread of affliction and with water of affliction. Feed him on rations. Give him just a little bread and a little water. Half-starve him. Give him dirty bread with ashes mixed in with it. Torture him. Torture this man who hates me. Did Micaiah actually hate him? Of course he didn't. You and I, we get accused of hate crime today because we love people and want them saved, want their souls saved, but we're told we hate them because we born them. about their sins and that sin brings punishment and that punishment without repentance is hell forever. Hate crime. So here's Micaiah, poor Micaiah, suffering for the truth. But as the Puritans used to say, it's better to suffer than to sin. Better to suffer than to sin. Better to suffer for the truth in this world than to suffer for your sins throughout eternity. Persecuted for the faith. And then, finally, a bow at a venture. Ahab, despite the warning, is determined to go. He believes the lying prophets and the lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets. And sadly, Jehoshaphat has said, I'll go with you. My people are your people. My horses are your horses. He's made a commitment. He received a warning, but he just goes along. That's what happens when you get too involved with people who are not Christians. You get led along by them, as it were, into things you shouldn't do and places you shouldn't be. The Rehab has an interesting idea. He thinks to himself, I'll go in disguise. I'll pretend I'm not the king. You put on your royal robes and I'll go in disguise. What was he thinking? Why did he go in disguise? He was so foolish. He thought he could disguise himself from God. And that God wouldn't know. But God knows everything. We're all naked and opened in the eyes of him with whom we have to do. God reads the thoughts of your heart. as clearly as an open book. He knows everything you're thinking. He's heard everything you've said. Knows everywhere you are and everything you're doing. So it's a silly thing he does, but he thinks maybe if he puts on disguise and pretends to be just an ordinary soldier, he'll kind of fool God. Interestingly the king of Syria says to his 32 captains of chariots, these chariots were like I suppose tanks today that was the idea, iron chariots, these captains of chariots he said to them don't fight with anyone small or great but only with the king of Israel. So they come into the battle and they're looking for the king and the only person they can see with kingly robes is Jehoshaphat and so they attack him. And he flees in terror from all these chariots that are surrounding him. And through God's mercy, backslidden though he is, he's enabled to escape. And then the chariot men come back. And one man draws a bow at a venture. And the arrow goes like a guided missile. It doesn't crash harmlessly. on Ahab's shield, not even on his breastplate. But it finds a gap in his armour and it goes straight through to an artery. And Ahab is fatally wounded. You see, your life is in God's hand. You think you can do what you like. You think you can go where you like. You think you can determine your own life, but no, you're in God's hands. And God determines the day of our birth and the day of our death. And we cannot fool God. There was Ahab thinking if he put on disguise he would escape, but no. A boat adventure, a chance shooting of an arrow, but the arrow is guided by God. planned from all eternity, and it pierces through the armour, through a joint and a harness, and Ahab is fatally wounded. He's propped up in his chariot for a while, the adrenaline keeps him going, the pride of his heart wanting to win the battle, and he's propped up in the chariot, but by even time, he faints and dies. And the message goes out, let everyone return to his own home. And we're told that they carried Ahab's body back, back to Samaria. And he was buried there. And we're told that one washed the chariot the pool of Samaria and the dogs licked the blood of Ahab. Well that had been prophesied some time before 1 Kings 21 verse 19. You remember how Jezebel arranged the wicked murder, judicial murder of Naboth in order to get his vineyard. Jezebel arranged it for Ahab. said to Ahab, I've got the vineyard for you. And Ahab went down. But as he came to the vineyard, he saw another man coming along. And he said, hast thou found me, O mine enemy? Yes, I have found you, said Elijah. And the Lord has found you. And the dogs shall lick your blood, where they licked the blood of Naboth, godly Naboth. And that's what happened. God's Word comes true. The Bible is truth. And every word in the Bible is truth. It's the infallible, inerrant Word of God. And everything that the Bible says will happen. Everything that God says happens. Be sure your sins will find you out. Beware of God. God's the one whom we have to be aware of. God is watching and God in his wonderful mercy has provided a saviour for us, the Lord Jesus Christ. And whatever sins we may have done in the past, if we come to Jesus Christ today, he's willing to forgive us, to save us. He's rich in mercy unto all that call upon Him. Jesus Christ is able to save, and I offer Christ to you tonight because my master said, go and preach the gospel to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe whatsoever things I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always. even unto the end of the world. Jesus Christ is able and willing to save. Don't despise him and end up in hell. Let's pray. O Lord, O God, we thank Thee that Thou hast said before us in Thy Word all that we need to know. We thank Thee for every warning that is there in the Scriptures, every challenge that Thou hast put before us, Help us, O Lord, to hear the voice of God speaking in the Scriptures. Give us ears to hear, give us a heart to understand. Open our heart as thou didst open Lydia's heart long ago, and so may we receive the Word with joy. May we receive the Christ whom the Word sits before us. Bless us then, O Lord, each one, and bless our fellowship later on tonight, for Jesus Our closing praise is Psalm 46, singing verses 8 to 11. Psalm 46, verses 8 to 11. Come and behold what wondrous works have by the Lord been brought. Come see what desolations he on the earth hath brought. Unto the ends of all the earth Wars into peace he turns, the bow he breaks, the spear he cuts, and fire the chariot burns. Verses 8 to 11. Come and behold what wondrous works have by the Lord be brought. I see for desolations the only earth of growth. Unto the ends of all the earth was it to be, he turns, The bold he braves, the spear he casts, in fires of childhood. Be still and know that I am God, among the heathen I. will be exalted high on earth, will be exalted high. Our God who is the Lord of Hosts is still upon our side. The God of Jacob's our refuge, The intonations are as follows. There's a fellowship in the manse immediately after this service. You're all warmly invited to come along and join with us. You can just make your way straight through the corridor into the manse. Prayer meeting on Thursday evening at the usual time, 7.30. The service is next week at the usual times, 11.00 and 6.30, God willing. And Mr. Ferrier's book on the ministers of the Free North is on the table in the vestibule for those who have ordered it. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all now and forevermore. Amen.