There is a lot of humor in the Scripture…at least I see it that way.

One place is in 1 Kings 22 when Ahab, king of Israel, wants to go to war, but doesn’t feel he has enough army men to succeed. So, he asks Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him. Jehoshaphat rightly wants to first inquire of the Lord. Ahab quickly agrees, snaps his fingers and his prophets march in with their “Go Ahab” signs. Jehoshaphat recognizes that these are merely “yes” men and asks if there is not a prophet of the Lord around. Ahab responds by saying that there was one, Micaiah, but he hated him because he never said anything good about the king…old Ahab.

Nevertheless, Micaiah is called in. But Micaiah isn’t a “yes” man for the king and he declares that Ahab would die in the battle and dogs would lick up his blood.

Ahab sneers, “See, I told you he never says anything good about me!”

But what happens next is interesting.

Micaiah, who had sounded a warning to the king, is slapped on the face by one of the “yes” prophets for speaking a contrary word about the king’s plans. The king then orders Micaiah to be arrested, put in prison, and fed bread and water until the king returned from battle…which he never did because Ahab died just as Micaiah had prophesied.

Micaiah is not an anomaly in the line of God’s people. Yes, there are those today who say that we are not to speak out against the king or his plans. But Moses did. And Elijah. So, too, Elisha and Daniel and Jeremiah…down to John the Baptist, who lost his head because he stood before the king and said “you do wrong!” Jesus declared there was no man born greater than John.

Don’t let anyone tell you that it is wrong to speak out, nor be afraid to do so.

For if we do not, who will?

There will always be a host of “yes” men that will cry out “Go Ahab!” even when that pathway leads to destruction. We, however, are called, not to flatter and appease, but to warn…whether that is to the king, or to the citizens who hold the power of a king, or to leaders in the church, or business owners, or husbands or wives…or neighbors or friends.

Just make sure it is always done with grace…attractively winsome!

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” Matthew 5:6

Related posts:

1. The Two Crowns