1 Kings 22:28 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Have you seen that movie scene where the character in the scene puts all they have on the table at the casino? They push the chips forward and announce their bet. It is usually accompanied by some suspenseful music and cheers of victory when it comes through for them.
But there are equally as many scenes where the bet doesn’t come through and all is lost. The same game, the same pushing the chips forward, the same suspenseful music, but then the loss signs follow. And yet, somehow even the loss moves the plot forward in the desired direction.
Have you ever put everything you have on one thing? Sometimes people want to start a business and put their houses and cars and everything they own into the project. And sometimes it pays off, and sometimes it doesn’t. The same risk is presented in each case. All or nothing.
Our text tells us about an all or nothing venture that a prophet in ancient Israel began. His name was Micaiah. He came with a message for the leader of the rebellious tribes of Israel. They wanted to know if they would be successful in a battle against their enemies. He had said, “NO!”
As you can imagine, this did not make the king very happy. So he wanted to lock up Micaiah until he returned from battle. But Micaiah had said that just wouldn’t happen. He would die in the battle.
Micaiah could have just let the events of the battle play out and he would have been freed after the king was killed. People would realize he was a prophet and let him go. This would have been playing is safe.
But that was not enough for Micaiah. He was willing to put it all on the line. Either he had heard from the LORD or he was a false prophet deserving of a stoning death. He could keep quiet and get out of prison, but he didn’t.
He was so dedicated to the Word of the LORD that he was willing to put his life on the line. The punishment for being a false prophet was death by stoning. He is invoking that punishment by our text today. If the LORD has not spoken through him, he is a false prophet deserving death.
That is dedication. That is confidence. Perhaps it is foolishness! How could he be sure he had heard from the LORD in this matter? What if he heard it wrong?
Micaiah had confidence in what he had heard. He was willing to stake his life on it, literally. He calls the people to remember what he said. He wants no loopholes left open. Either he is a prophet deserving of people’s spiritual attentions, or he should be stoned.
And, by the way, there were four hundred ‘prophets’ who had told him to go into the battle and that success would follow. If the king lives, they are the false prophets and deserve death. Talk about confrontation!
Have you ever lived on the edge like this? Have you ever heard from the LORD and stood alone in proclaiming what you heard? Don’t worry, most of us haven’t.
But if the LORD did speak, would you put it all on the line, or would you hedge your bet? Micaiah put it all on the line for the sake of truth.
What are you willing to put on the line for the sake of truth? Is your life on the line for the sake of truth?
The Arnold Journey 