Micaiah the son of Imlah

 

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy anything good regarding me, but only bad. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah.” – 1 Kings 22:8 (NASB)

Are you, like king Ahab, opposed to godly advice because it does not meld with your truth?

King Ahab hated the prophet Micaiah because he did not like what he had to say regarding him. Now keep in mind that Ahab “did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him” (1 Kings 16:30 NASB), and “…Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.” (v 33)

So, we can conclude that Micaiah hadn’t a choice, as a God-ordained prophet, but to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Micaiah was a true prophet of God; he delivered God’s truth no matter what or for whom this truth, good or bad, was intended.

But Micaiah told him, “This I vow, that I will say only what the Lord tells me to!” (v 14 TLB)

Even if God’s message would rock the boat, Micaiah wasn’t afraid to rock it. Whatever God instructed him to say, he said, despite the ramifications. Micaiah was not about to soften God’s words just to make others feel comfortable, he spoke even though it would lead to controversy. He was a fiercely obedient messenger, not opposed to stirring the pot so to speak.

When the king asked Micaiah about going into battle (see 1 Kings 22:15-18), Micaiah did not water down his prophesy; his response was definitely not the answer Ahab wanted to hear.

This prophet, barely spoken of on pulpits, was a man who stood for God. He did not waver in his resolve to deliver God’s word. Even under the threat of death or when imprisoned, Micaiah’s stance remained the same (see 1 Kings 22:26-27).

We too must be willing to boldly stand for truth and speak even if no one else will. Even if you are the only person standing, you must speak what people need to hear and not water down what God has told you to say. As God’s messenger, you must be more eager to please God than to indulge the cravings of others.

And, as children of God, we must be willing to listen to the messages that God-fearing men and women bring from God.

Understand that oftentimes God will use others to let us know what He needs us to know, and sometimes it may not always be what we want to hear. But God is deeply concerned about you (1 Peter 5:7).

God may raise up a prophet from your own family or friends however, Jesus Himself tells us, “you can be sure that no prophets are liked by the people of their own hometown.” (Luke 4:24 CEV). But still, you as God’s prophet, must not be daunted, be like Micaiah the son of Imlah.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Micaiah the son of Imlah” © August 13, 2025