If 400 hundred prophets agree, does that make it right?
Read 2 Chronicles 18 and 1 Kings 22
Here we see King Ahab of Israel persuading King Jehoshaphat if Judah to join him in going to Ramoth-Gilead in a military campaign against Syria.
Before committing, Jehoshaphat wisely suggests “Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day”.
Ahab then gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, “Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” And they said, “Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.”
Jehoshaphat then says “Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?”
Ahab then admits “There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla.”
Notice that Ahab only wants to hear from the four-hundred prophets that will tickle his ears with what he wants to hear.
Jehoshaphat then insists that they hear from Micaiah.
As the prophets presented before the two kings, Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, “Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.”
(Reminds me of another false prophet in Revelation 13:11)
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.”
Micaiah was briefed by the messenger sent to fetch him to speak in agreement with the other lying prophets, however Micaiah responds by saying “As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.”
When asked by the king if he should go battle, Micaiah says “Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.”
Notice that Micaiah does not say “the Lord shall deliver” or “Thus saith the Lord”.
Micaiah was apparently mocking the other false prophets as the king then says: “How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?”
Micaiah then delivers the truth: “I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.”
Ahab then says to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?” Micaiah then continues:
“Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.”
So we see that all four-hundred prophets were in agreement because they all had the same lying spirit.
Of course, speaking the truth that nobody wants to hear has its consequences…
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, “Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?”
So right off the false prophet attacks the one who was speaking the truth.
Micaiah responds saying, “Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.”
Then the king of Israel said,
“Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; and say, ‘Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.'”
Ahab would rather be lied to and believe a lie than to hear the truth of God’s words, so he holds the truth in unrighteousness by putting Micaiah in prison.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
And Micaiah said, “If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me.” And he said, “Hearken, all ye people.”
2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
So, if 400 hundred prophets agree, does that make it right? No, it just means they all have the same lying spirit.
