Post date: Sep 25, 2012 11:52:57 AM
I was reading 2 Chronicles 18 this morning. I noticed in the story of Ahab and Jehoshaphat arises an interesting point that affects the modern day.
The setting starts with Ahab and Jehoshaphat planning to go off to war. Jehoshaphat recommends that they inquire of God before doing so. Here's an abridged version of the story:
2 Chr 18:6-7) But Jehoshaphat said, Is there no other prophet of the Lord here from whom we may get directions? And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is still one man by whom we may get directions from the Lord, but I have no love for him, because he has never been a prophet of good to me, but only of evil: he is Micaiah, the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
v12) Now the servant who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, See now, all the prophets with one voice are saying good things to the king; so let your words be like theirs, and say good things.
v16-17) Then he (Micaiah) said, I saw all Israel wandering on the mountains like sheep without a keeper; and the Lord said, These have no master: let them go back, every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not say that he would not be a prophet of good to me, but of evil?
v25-26) And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the ruler of the town, and to Joash, the king's son; And say, By the king's order this man is to be put in prison, and given prison food till I come back in peace.
In this story, the word of God came from a prophet. The king hated the word, so he rejected it. The king went as far as to throw the prophet in prison because he didn't like the word the prophet brought.
I think about this in modern times. Today, people don't want to hear what God is saying. As a result, people tend to reject those who truly delve into scripture to find what God is saying. The result of this is a pleasure based society that rejects the only one who can rescue them from death. Jesus said two things on the subject. First, Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Shortly after, we see Jesus saying that those who keep His commandments will be loved by Jesus (John 15:10).
The word of God is a hard thing to live for. Especially since our society glorifies itself. People say, "so long as you're a good person, what does the bible matter?" The truth is that without Jesus, what hope do we have in death? We are doomed to the everlasting torment of hell without Jesus. So, when Jesus sends prophets, friends, or even Bible verses your way, even if they're hard, listen. If you love Jesus, you will listen and in obeying, you are proved more a worshiper of God than someone who is self absorbed.