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Lying Spirit From the LORD 1Kgs 22
Lying Spirit From The Lord 1 Kings 22
19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be[h] [Judg. 9:23; Ezek. 14:9; 2 Thess. 2:11] a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
This passage has produced lots of thoughts and comments. A lying spirit from the LORD? How can that be?
Things are often stated in a very positive manner (i.e., the Lord did this) when it describes what God allowed to happen. If men refuse to believe the truth, God has at his disposal the power and ability to create the situation wherein will arise false prophets and false words.
Many commentators believe this lying spirit was Satan. When he offered to do his thing, God allowed it. Satan was a liar from the beginning. When he speaks, he lies. Lies are his 'native tongue'. As God allowed Satan to test Job, so it appears that He allows Ahab to be tested.
It is interesting that along with this false word that God allowed, He also revealed the truth. It was possible to know the truth even in this situation -- IF one was inclined to know it.
What we do know is that God will not lie. We read that "…it is impossible for God to lie" (Heb. 6:18). Paul spoke of "God, who never lies" (Titus 1:2).
We are also told that God will allow men to believe a lie if they have no love for truth - 2 Thess. 2:9-11.
In Ezekiel we learn that God answers according to the idols of men's hearts -
4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols. Ezekiel 14:4-5
9 And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. Ezekiel 14:9
Again, such deception of the LORD can be no more than allowing the prophet to believe his own heart. The heart is deceitful above all else. It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. Lean not upon your own understanding, but trust in the LORD. There is a way which seems right unto man but the end is the way of death.
Be careful what you believe! Be honest in your examination of your own heart.
