SPEAKING THE TRUTH TO THOSE IN AUTHORITY
DECEMBER 15, 2024
TEXT: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. (1 Kings 22:8)
One very tricky aspect of being a prophet or a servant of God is speaking the truth to those in positions of authority. Many people shy away from circumstances that require them to speak the truth to those in power, in order to remain in their good books and protect their own selfish interests and desires. Ahab had a battle to prosecute against the Syrians in order to reclaim their land, Ramoth-Gilead. He invited King Jehoshaphat to join him, and the latter demanded to hear the opinion of a prophet before they embarked on the battle. Ahab summoned the prophets of Baal, having determined to go to battle by hook or by crook. As expected, they gave favourable prophecies about the war. Jehoshaphat was not convinced. He demanded specifically to hear from a prophet of the Most High God, and Ahab said the only one available (Micaiah) was a bad man and not someone who gave favourable prophecies about him. Jehoshaphat insisted, and the king sent for him. Someone tried to convince him to tell the king something favourable, but he insisted that he would only speak the truth, which he eventually did, much to the king’s chagrin. He even clarified that the prophets of Baal were prophesying via an evil spirit put into them by God. The above is a summary of how Prophet Micaiah spoke the truth to the fiery Ahab, even though he knew the repercussions of such an act. In fact, he was arrested and imprisoned before the king defiantly went to battle.
LESSONS FROM MICHAIAH
✅ One needs boldness to speak the truth to power. It is not easy to speak the truth, especially in view of threats and possible sanctions, especially when it is not in line with what the concerned parties actually want to hear, as we can see in the case of Ahab and Micaiah.
✅ We must be prepared for whatever consequences may come our way. It is essential to know that once we uphold the truth, God will surely vindicate us.
✅ The truth does not have to be popularly acceptable. That means the truth is mostly not what society desires to hear.
SEARCHLIGHT
The truth must be spoken without dilution, regardless of who is pleased or displeased.
PRAYER
O Lord, empower me to speak the plain truth at all times, in Jesus’ Name.
BIBLE READING
Genesis 43-45, John 2
PST. MICHAEL OMOLE
