Hated For Telling It Like It Is
I Kings 22:1
We have seen many changes in the way that the Bible believing Christians are perceived by our communities. Some perceive us as being radical cultists, while others consider us poor ignorant fools for believing the Word of God. For the most part we are considered to be out of touch with reality, because we believe that the message of God's Word is relevant for today. This isn't really all that new.
The world doesn't like our message any more than it did the message of the prophets of old. Turn with me to our text where we are introduced to a man who was hated for telling it like it is!
I. The Circumstance
A. Jehoshaphat paid a royal visit to Ahab. v1-2
1. He was godly - Ahab was wicked, sinful, ungodly.
2. He went down (Geographically, Politically, Spiritually).
3. The reformer of Judah visited the corrupter of Israel.
B. Jehoshaphat yielded to pressure. v3-4
1. Ahab said, "You know Ramoth-gilead really sins."
2. Will you go with me to war against Syria?
3. Jehoshaphat compromised - He almost had to.
a. He had accepted Ahab's favors.
b. He had dined at his table.
4. He said, "I am as thou are, my people as thy people. "
a. I wish he had not said that.
b. How can a godly man be as an ungodly.
c. God said that Christians should be different.
(2 Cor 6:14b) "…for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
C. Jehoshaphat was convicted. (Let's inquire of the Lord). v5-6
1. Ahab called 400 prophets.
2. Ahab said, "Shall we go up or shall we forbear?"
3. They replied, V. 6b.
D. Jehoshaphat got suspicious. v7-8
1. He knew that 400 men could never agree on anything.
2. He wasn't used to that kind of preaching.
3. The voice of majority is not always voice of God.
4. He asked for a true Prophet. v7
5. Ahab said, "Yes, One, Micaiah, but I hate him. v8 'He tells it like it is'
E. Jehoshaphat wanted to hear Micaiah. v9-14
1. Ahab sent an officer to try to persuade Micaiah. v13
2. Let thy word be as the 400 (Tune your fiddle to the orchestra.).
3. Micaiah said, "…What the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.
a. There will be no alterations or additions.
b. He would not compromise the message.
c. He would deliver God's message as it was regardless of the consequences.
(Prov 29:25) "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."
5. Micaiah arrived at the gate of the city.
a. The two kings - 400 preachers awaiting.
b. The 400 were looking at the king, but Micaiah is looking toward the King of Kings.
6. Ahab asks, "Shall we go up or forbear?" v15-17 [5]
a. Micaiah stung him with sarcasm. (Sure, go up)…Ahab knew he wasn't serious.
b. So Micaiah spoke seriously and predicted Ahab's defeat.
c. Ahab becomes angry. v18
d. Micaiah explains his prophecy, and is thrown in jail for it. v19-28
II. The Criticism
A. Hated for telling it like it is about sin.
1. Man hates to be called a sinner.
a. I'm not too bad, (Don't drink, run around, etc.).
b. I was born in a Christian home, fine parents.
c. I don't really see any need of a Savior.
d. Example of the fellow who got upset over the biblical term drunkard…he had a disease.
2. What is the truth about man?
a. Born in sin.
b. Corrupt in his ways.
c. Evil in his. heart.
d. Man is totally depraved
B. Hated for telling, it like it is about salvation.
1. Because man is a sinner, he wants to help with salvation.
a. He tries by joining church, baptism, good works.
b. He tries by being moral and sincere.
2. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace.
a. It is the unmerited favor of God-(No one deserves it).
b. It is not of ourselves. (we cannot contribute to it).
c. It is not of works. (It is the gift of God.)
(Titus 3:5) "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
3. Salvation is through Jesus Christ.
(Acts 4:12) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
a. Chaplain said to a wounded soldier, "You lost your arm for a great cause."
b. "No sir, I didn't lose it, I gave it!"
c. Jesus did not lose his life but He gave it that you and I might have life
d. Some people hate this teaching.
e. They talk about many ways to get to Heaven.
f. But there is only one way to be cleansed.
(Prov 20:9) "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"
(Jer 2:22) "For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD."
C. Hated for telling it like it is about separation.
1. Many would love to be saved if they could live in sin.
2. The Bible teaches separation from sin.
a. If a church is to grow, must stand for separation from sin.
b. If a believer is to be effective, they must practice separation from sin.
3. Notice the Bible says...
a. We are to walk honestly
(1 Th 4:12) "That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."
b. We are to put away sin.
(1 Cor 5:7) "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:"
c. We are to shun evil
(2 Th 3:6) "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."
D. Hated for telling it like it is about stewardship.
1. Some say, "It's my money, I work for it."
a. All that preacher talks about is money.
b. If you're honest with God, you won't mind.
2. The tithe is the Lord's. cf Lev. 27:30.
a. You are not to give the Lord's money to relatives.
b. The Lord's money is to be put to His work.
c. The Bible promises blessings to liberal givers.
(Prov 3:9-10) "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: {10} So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."
(Prov 11:24-25) "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. {25} The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."
(Luke 6:38) "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
(2 Cor 9:6) "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."
E. Hated for telling it like it is about Hell.
1. Man does not want to believe in Hell.
a. Some say, "Hell is the grave."
b. Others say, "God is too good to put man in Hell."
2. Jesus taught the doctrine of Hell.
a. Kindest man that ever lived, yet preached hell.
b. He had more love than any man, yet preached hell.
c. If you say there is no hell, you impeach and discredit Christ.
d. Jesus said that there was an eternal hell and all unsaved persons would go there.
III. The Consequence
A. Lets go back to the story.
1. Micaiah told the truth. v17
2. Ahab would not believe it.
3. Had he believed it, he would have been saved from death.
4. He threw Micaiah in jail.
B. Ahab went up to battle.
1. He disguised himself but an arrow found him.
2. You can't hide from God, nor God's judgments.
3. So the king died. v37
4. And the dogs licked up his blood. v38
Nothing more is ever said about Micaiah. Perhaps he died in jail, but he refused to compromise the message and the Word of God. He was hated for telling it like it is. But he was remembered as one that was faithful and true to the message of God.
May this be our testimony as well. Keep telling it like it is, regardless of the consequences. Others need to hear the truth. Jesus is coming soon!
Special Thanks to Rev. Don Robinson...
I continue to glean from his writings.
I truly miss him.
