Did God use deception against Ahab? Hardly. He revealed the plan—if only he would listen.
At the gates of Samaria the big meeting was held. Or so they thought. Two kings. Four hundred prophets. All very dramatic. One of Ahab’s false prophets even brought along visual aids. “Zedekiah…made horns of iron…and he said, ‘Thus says the Lord: “With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed”’” (2 Chron 18:10). How flippantly we can put words into God’s mouth, saying, “The Lord told me…”! When Micaiah arrived, he first gave a tongue-in-cheek affirmation of the prophets’ prediction: “Go and prosper!” (v 14). To which Ahab retorted, “Tell the truth!” Really? Alright, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd” (v 16). But Micaiah reveals that the real War Counsel had already been held—and Ahab was the battlefield. “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven…And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab…to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’” (vv 18-19). Various ideas were offered, until one spirit said, “I will persuade him…and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets” (v 21). Strange as it seems, approval was granted. But what actually happened? 1. Warning! The prophets were susceptible to a lying spirit, as we will be when eager to flatter. 2. Lying spirits following their master, “a murderer and a liar” (Jn 8:44, CEV), are still subject to the sovereign God who can use even them for His purposes. 3. Because Ahab hated truth, God spoke through the prophets he would heed. 4. Even then, God revealed to Ahab the cosmic plan to entrap him! Thus, by one action, God authenticated Micaiah, warned Jeroboam, exposed the false prophets, neutralized the lying spirit, and exposed Ahab’s stubborn and deadly unbelief. God at work!