1 Kings 22:6-14 Speak the Truth
Telling the truth is not easy for us, but God demands that we do that. 9th Commandment tells us not to lie. Exo 20:16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
A minister told his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17."
The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up.
The minister smiled and said, "Mark has only 16 chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."
Jesus says the devil "is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) ...He does not hold to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language.
· Husband and wife must be true to each other - that would solve a lot of problems. Parents must explain the truth to their children and help them understand. We must teach children to be honest and tell the truth.
· Jesus always use the phrase, "Truly, truly, I said to you..."
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Today we want to learn from one man in the Bible, an OT prophet Micaiah. If you want an example your children can follow, here it is - in 1 Kings 22.
He lived in the days of wicked King Ahab of Israel. The King wanted to pick a war with his neighbouring country Aram (Syria), claiming that one of the cities in their land belong to Israel - Ramoth Gilead. King Ahab asked his friend King Jehoshaphat (Judah) for help and he was given this advice: "First seek the counsel of the Lord." (v.5)
So King Ahab brought together his prophets - 400 of them... "Shall I go to war against Aram or should I not?" The false prophets did not really consult God... They just wanted their own ways. "Go," the answered, "for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand." (v.6)
Ahab’s friend Jehoshaphat must have been a little skeptical about 400 prophets all agreeing so completely on something. So he asked Ahab, "Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?" (v.7)
Ahab said there was - Micaiah, the no. 401 prophet - but said, "I hate him because he never said anything good about me, but always bad." (v.8)
You see, truth is not always nice, but it’s the truth. Eph 4:15 "Instead, speaking the truth in love..." Telling the truth set us free - Jesus: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)
The Lord loves those who are truthful - Psalm 15:1-3
1LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
2He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman...
So they decided to send for Micaiah. A messenger was asked to fetch Micaiah. And he said to him (v.13), "Look, as one man the other prophets are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favourably."
Bro/Sis, do you have this experience, when someone comes to you and ask you to tell a lie? Are you going to help him?
Or tell the truth and risk losing your friend or be ill-treated?
Or you want to be accepted and so you tell a lie so that your friends will welcome you into their group...
Micaiah said, "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him ONLY what the Lord tells me." (v.14)
He was not afraid of anybody. He was not afraid of the consequences. In fact, he was only afraid of God - he HONOURS God - He would only say what God wants him to say.
Prov 6:16-19 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.
Principle (1) SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES
Majority does not mean it’s right. We have 400 against 1. Yet all those 400 were wrong.
If the world says so, it doesn’t mean right. If all your friends do that, it doesn’t mean right.
What is important is the truth - what God would say. What the Scriptures say. We stand firm on that, not on the majority.
When children are in doubt, search the Scriptures with them. Understand what God thinks is more important than how the world thinks, or how our friends think.
Before the 2 kings and 400 false prophets, Micaiah stood his ground and told them the truth. He said openly that the 400 false prophets were lying.
V.23 "God has decreed disaster for you." - the war will be a disaster. The King was not happy. And his man went up to Micaiah and slapped him in the face (v.24). He was persecuted for telling the truth!
He said that King Ahab would die in the war: The King refused to listen - he said, "Put Micaiah in prison until I return safely." (v.27). Micaiah declared (v.28), "If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Mark my words, all you people!"
King Ahab died in the war. He tried to disguise himself, yet he was killed.
We cannot run away from the truth.
Num 32:23 says when you sin against God, "... you may be sure that your sin will find you out."
Principle (2) THE TRUTH BRINGS BLESSING - SET US FREE
It’s better to tell the truth that hurts - but bring good, bring healing and blessing, than to tell a lie that feel good but then kills you.
Prov 27:5-6 5Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
“Rough truth is better than polished falsehood.”
Principle (3) HONOUR GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE
Micaiah was hated for telling the truth, because it wasn’t good news to Ahab.
It’s better to be unpopular for telling the truth, than to be loved for telling a lie.
We must not tell a lie to gain acceptance.
You may gain man’s favour but incurs God’s wrath.
We can’t run away from the truth. We all have to face the truth, if not today, someday. If not this world, then before God one day.
3 students at Michigan State University were up visiting friends at Lake Superior State University in Sault St Marie. They partied really hard over the weekend and by Sunday they were so hung-over that they could not make the drive back. They both had a biochemistry test on Monday that they missed.
They called their teacher when they got back into town on Monday and told him that they had gotten a flat tire up north. The teacher responded very calmly and told the students to simply come in and take the test on Tuesday. The students were very happy with the understanding professor.
When the boys came into class on Tuesday, to take the test the teacher had put the boys in separate rooms just so they would not cheat. The teacher trusted the boys, but he did not want them to have any temptations. The boys were fine with this... they knew their material.
The first page had a difficult chemistry problem on it but both boys figured the problem out. The boys turned to the second page and the question said... "Which tire?"
It pays to know the truth and live by it. Truth brings blessings...
Dear friends, we have been deceived by the devil... not knowing what is true.
Since Adam’s time the devil has been lying to us about who God is, what He can or cannot do... for some, he put a lie that God don’t even exist. We’re living under a bondage - to a lie... When a person lies, you’re in fear of the truth - you’re worried that someone who finds out, you’re always on the lookout, living in anxiety... always afraid, always covering up...
God revealed to us the truth - that we are created and loved by Him. And Jesus has already died on the cross for our sins. Accept Him today and you will be freed from such a lie and began to live in the light - experience a blessed life in Christ.
