Speak The Truth

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.