What Was The Lying Spirit
And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner and another spoke in that manner (1 Kings 22:20).
Micaiah’s vision of God giving power to a lying spirit raises questions: How could an angel stoop to such a trick? Do angels frequently do this sort of thing? It seems unfair to Ahab, tyrant and idolater though he was.
But readers must remember that Ahab was told everything before he went into battle. When he died, he was not the victim of an angelic deception but the victim of his own foolishness for ignoring God’s revelation to him. In fact, the shocking vision from heaven might well have been God’s way of using every available means to turn Ahab around. God held nothing back. Still, Ahab chose otherwise.
We know that God Himself is perfectly good, truthful, and holy. Scripture repeatedly states that He hates evil in every form (Ps. 11:5; Prov. 6:16-19, 17:15; Isaiah 61:8; Jer. 44:2-4; Hab. 1:13; Zec. 8:17; Mal. 2:16). It is possible that the lying spirit sent to the 400 prophets was a demon or the devil, in a situation similar to when Satan appeared before God and asked for permission to afflict Job. Regardless of the identity of the spirit Micaiah describes, neither God nor His angels were responsible for the evil in Ahab’s life or in that particular situation. Because God never changes, He and His angelic servants can never be responsible for evil in our lives either.
One of the ways God brings judgment on people is to give them over to their persistent sins (Rom. 1:24). This is exactly what happens to Ahab in this account! He chose to follow lying prophet, so God gave Ahab a lying prophet-even though he first gave Ahab the truth.
The decision to listen to lying voices leads people away from God’s word and God’s will.
Consider this:
- Who do you listen to or turn to when you need answers to some questions you have?
- Are you following enticing words of lying prophets or God?
Prayer: Thank You Father for all Your goodness and mercies towards me. Help me to live my life following Your voice always. Amen!
Read: 1Kings 22:1-20
SALSES! SALES! Shop Now for all your GIFTS HERE