1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Good morning, friends and faithful listeners, and welcome 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 1: to the Bible Explained podcast. Today we're going to be 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: talking about a really interesting topic how to decipher real 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: prophecy and fake prophecy. Should we listen to profits now 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: or should we completely ignore them? We're going to talk 6 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: about all of these topics today on the podcast. Stay 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: tuned so I hope you all had a great weekend 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: and a fantastic New Year's Day as well. But, faithful listeners, 9 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: before we get into today's episode, do me a solid 10 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: by listening to a quick word from one of our sponsors. 11 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: And now let's get into the episode. Let's go ahead 12 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: and read Second Chronicles eighteen one through seventeen. Grab your 13 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: cup of coffee, and let's go ahead and read this together. Now. 14 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: Johasha Fat had riches and honor and abundance, and he 15 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: allied himself with Ahab. Some years he went down to 16 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him 17 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: in abundance and for the people who are with him, 18 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,559 Speaker 1: and moved him to go up with him to Ramath Gilead. Ahab, 19 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: king of Israel, said to Jehashafat, king of Judah, will 20 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,479 Speaker 1: you go up with me to Ramath Gilead. He answered him, 21 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: I am as you are, and my people as your people. 22 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: We will be with you in the war. Jehoshaphat said 23 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: to the King of Israel, please inquire first for Yahwei's word. 24 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: Then the King of Israel gathered the prophets together four 25 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: hundred men, and said to them, shall we go to 26 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: Ramath Giliad to battle? Or shall I forbear? They said, 27 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: go up, for God will deliver it into the hand 28 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: of the king. But Jehashapat said, isn't there here a 29 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: prophet of Yahweh? Besides that we may inquire of him? 30 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: There is yet to one man by whom we may 31 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: inquire of Yahweh. But I hate him, for he never 32 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Makaiah, 33 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: the son of Imlah. Jehashafat said, don't let the king 34 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: say so. Then the King of Israel called an officer 35 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: and said, get Makaiah, the son of Imla quickly. Now 36 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: the King of Israel and Jehashavat, the King of Judah, 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and 38 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 1: they were sitting in an open place at the entrance 39 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: of the Gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were 40 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: prophesying before them. Zedekiah, the son of Chennanah, made himself 41 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: horns of iron and said, Yahwei says, with these, you 42 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: shall push the Syrians until they are consumed. All the 43 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: prophesied prophesied so, saying, go up to Ramagilead and prosper, 44 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. 45 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: The messenger who went to call Makaiah spoke to him, saying, behold, 46 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: the words of the prophets declare good to the king 47 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: with one mouth, let your word. Therefore, please be like 48 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: theirs and speak good. Makiah said, as Yahweh lives, I 49 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: will say what my God says. When he came to 50 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: the king, the king said to him, Makaiah, shall we 51 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: go up to ramit Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? 52 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: He said, go up and prosper. They shall be delivered 53 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: into your hand. The king said to him, how many 54 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: times shall I adjure you that you speak to me 55 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: nothing but the truth In Yahwei's name. He said, I 56 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that 57 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: have no shepherd Yahways said, these have no master. Let 58 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: them each return to his house in peace. The King 59 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: of Israel said to Jehashifat, didn't I tell you that 60 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. So 61 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: the counterpart to this story we just read is found 62 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: in First Kings twenty two. So we have discussed this 63 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: story in the past before, but it's always good to 64 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: go back over these things because you know, sometimes you forget, 65 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: like even me, I had to refresh myself on who 66 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: Makaiah the prophet was, and you know who Jehoshafat was. 67 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: Because we don't often hear these names in scripture. We 68 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: might hear of King Ahab because he was a really 69 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: nasty king. In fact, First King's Chapter twenty one, twenty five, 70 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: and twenty six says this about Ahab. There was no 71 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: one like Ahab who sold himself to do that which 72 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: was evil in Yahway's sight, whom Jezebel, his wife stirred up. 73 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: He did very abominably in following idle, according to all 74 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the 75 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: children of Israel. So, yeah, Ahab was a nasty guy 76 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: and he was the king of Israel at this time. 77 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: Now Jehashafat was the king of Judah. Don't forget, Israel 78 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: had gone through a civil war and split up into 79 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: two separate nations at this point. So Israel the northern 80 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: part had King Ahab over it, and then Judah the 81 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: southern part, had King Jehashafat over it. And as we 82 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 1: discussed on the podcast last week, jehasha Fat was actually 83 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: a really good king in a lot of different ways. 84 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: He truly did love Yahweh. He took away a lot 85 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: of the high places and a lot of the ashra idols, 86 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: and tried to get rid of the Ashra cult in 87 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: general in Judah. He also sent the Leevites out into 88 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: the land of Judah, which was something that was biblical, 89 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: something that God wanted the Levites to do from the beginning, 90 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: but it was never happening because none of the kings 91 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: had ever commanded the Levites to do it. So Jehashafat, 92 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: in his own way, was deaf a good king for Judah, 93 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: whereas Ahab up north was like the opposite of Jehashapat. 94 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: He was a terrible king across the board. In fact, 95 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: while Ahab was the king. This terrible famine happened in 96 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: Israel because of Ahab's sin and also the sin of 97 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: his wife Jezebel. And meanwhile, Jehashapat down south isn't being 98 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: touched by this famine at all and is building wealth 99 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 1: in Judah. Here's what it says in our passage for today, 100 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: starting in verse one, Now, Jehashafat had riches and honor 101 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: in abundance. He had riches and honor in abundance. That 102 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: is how good of a king he was. And then 103 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: right after this in the same verse, and he allied 104 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: himself with Ahab. Oh, why did he do that? You know, 105 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: like there was no reason really for Jehashafat to ally 106 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: himself with Ahab. In fact, in the previous chapter we 107 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: actually see that Jehashafat was a initially warring with Ahab. 108 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: In Second Chronicles seventeen, verse one, it says Jehashafat strengthened 109 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: himself against Israel. He placed forces in all the fortified 110 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: cities of Judah and set garrisons in the land of 111 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: Judah and the cities of Ephriam, which Asa his father 112 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: had taken. So yes, initially Ahab and Jehashaphat did not 113 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: get along. Israel and Judah did not get along. But 114 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: for some reason, Jehashaphat, to his detriment, thought it was 115 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: necessary to ally himself to Israel and to King Ahab. 116 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: But this ended up not being a good move for 117 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 1: him for many reasons. And he may have thought it 118 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: was a good move because maybe he was thinking, you know, 119 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: Israel and Judah used to be one nation, were all 120 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters with each other, so why not ally 121 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,599 Speaker 1: Judah and Israel together. Sounds like a good idea, But 122 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: the fact was the reason God split those two nations 123 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: to begin with was because of the sin of Solomon. 124 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: God does not want us to be allied with sin. 125 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: And Ahab was the worst out of all of the 126 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: kings of Israel. It says Ahab was the worst. He 127 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: introduced all of the Idol worship into Israel. He killed people. 128 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: There were prophets and Yahweh worshippers that were being murdered 129 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: for their faith. It said that the prophets had to 130 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: go hide themselves in caves with no food at all. 131 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: That is how bad things were under King Ahab and 132 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: under his wife Jezebel, and jehas allies himself with King 133 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: Ahab for whatever reason, even if it was initially good intentions. 134 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: You know, the old saying goes, the road to Hell 135 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: is paved with good intentions. So anyway, jahasha Fat for 136 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: some reason thought it was necessary to ally with Israel. 137 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: And it says after some years in verse two, he 138 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and 139 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: cattle for him in abundance and for the people who 140 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: are with him, and moved him to go up with 141 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: him to Ramoth Gilead. Okay, So Jehashafat goes to Samaria, 142 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: which was the capital city of Israel, to visit King 143 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: Ahab after several years had passed of this treaty that 144 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: they had together, and it says Ahab prepares this huge 145 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: feast for Jehashaphat and all the people that were with him, 146 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: and during this feast he's like, hey, Jehashafat, you know 147 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: these Syrians are really bugging me, so let's go to 148 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:33,959 Speaker 1: war against them. You know, I kind of want to 149 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: get rid of these guys. Will you help me in 150 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: this war? And so Jehashaphat answered him, I am as 151 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: you are, and my people as your people, we will 152 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: be with you in the war now once again. The 153 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: counterpart to this story is found in First Kings twenty two, 154 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: and it does give a little bit more information about 155 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: the Syrians and how for three years the Syrians and 156 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: the Israelites had peace. And so Jashafat probably thought, you know, 157 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: my father Asa lost his chance to defeat the Syrians, 158 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: and so maybe this is my chance to finally defeat 159 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: this threat that is literally at our doorstep, that is 160 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: right next door. Maybe this is the time for Israel 161 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: and Judah to finally come together as one nation and 162 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: defeat the Syrians once and for all. But he does 163 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: ask aheab Let's inquire of Yahweh first, because Jehoshafat was 164 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: a Yahweh worshiper. So it says in verse five of 165 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: our passage for today, the King of Israel gathered the 166 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: prophets together four hundred men, and said to them, shall 167 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: we go to Ramagiliad to battle? Or shall I forbear? 168 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: And they said, go up, for God will deliver it 169 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: into the hand of the king. All right, So four 170 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 1: hundred prophets get together, and Jehashafat and Aheb are sitting 171 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: there on their various thrones, in their various robes, listening 172 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: to all of these prophets, and not a single one 173 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: of them says anything bad. And it could also be 174 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: that the majority of these prophets were not prophets of 175 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: Yahweh but prophets of whatever Idol Ahab was worshiping at 176 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 1: the time, whether it was prophets of bail or prophets 177 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: of Astrah, molik kemish, who knows, who knows what these 178 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: these guys were. And not a single one of them 179 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 1: is speaking truth. And Jehoshaphat kind of catches onto this, 180 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: and so he leans over to Ahab and he's like, 181 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: isn't there a prophet of Yahweh here that we may 182 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: inquire of him? And so the King of Israel says, Jehoshaphat, well, 183 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: there is this one guy. His name is Makaiah. But 184 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: I hate him. It's literally verbatim. I hate him for 185 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He 186 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: is Makaiah, the son of Imlah. And Jehashapat's like, don't 187 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: let the king say so. He's like, don't don't say 188 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: you hate a prophet of Yahweh. That's not good. That's 189 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: definitely not healthy. And so Ahab finally calls Makaiah out. 190 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: It says, the King of Israel called an officer and said, 191 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: get Makaiah, the son of Imma, quickly. And if you 192 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,079 Speaker 1: read through First Kings, you actually find out that Ahab 193 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: had imprisoned Makayah. And I really like Makaiah, even though 194 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: he's not mentioned a lot in scripture. I like him 195 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: because he was unafraid to get beat up for the truth. 196 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: And so it says in verse nine, now the King 197 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: of Israel and Jehashafat, the King of Judah, each sat 198 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were 199 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: sitting in an open place at the entrance of the 200 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. Zedekiah, 201 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 1: the son of Chenana, made himself horns of iron and said, 202 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: Yahweh says, with these, you shall push the Syrians until 203 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: they are consumed. So this guy, this Zedekiah, the son 204 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: of Chanana, which I love that scripture mentions his name, 205 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: because that's just like shaming him for the rest of 206 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: his life, Like, oh, yeah, Zedekiah, the false prophet. This 207 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: guy Zedekiah did claim to be a prophet of Yahweh. 208 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: It says that he made himself horns of iron and said, 209 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: Yahweh says, with these, you shall push the Syrians until 210 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: they are consumed. So Zedekiah he was not inspired. Obviously 211 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: his prophecies did not come true, as we're going to 212 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: find out. But yet he sounds a lot like a prophet, 213 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 1: and he's even doing something that feels prophetic, right, you know, 214 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: because whenever we see the stories of the prophets in 215 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,719 Speaker 1: the Old Testament, they often have like imagery that they 216 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: use or some sort of like actual object. For example, Jeremiah, 217 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: the famous prophet, went around wearing a yoke for one 218 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: of his prophecies. So the prophets would use objects to 219 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: get their point across. And so Zedekiah is just copying 220 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: what he heard other prophets do, and he's making himself 221 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: look like a real prophet. But he was a charlatan. 222 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 1: And man, that's the thing. Nowadays, we got to be 223 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: really really careful of these prophets because they can really 224 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 1: make themselves sound like prophets, make themselves look like a prophet, 225 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: imitate real prophets, but they're not inspired. At all. They're 226 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: just really good actors. In some cases they might be 227 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: very charming, but in the end they're nothing but Charlatan's. 228 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: There is only one way to tell if a prophet 229 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: is a true prophet. His prophecy has to come true 230 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: and together he can never deny the name of God 231 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: or what Scripture has to say. If he does those 232 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: two things together, he is a true prophet. If he 233 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: does only one of those things, like say, he gives 234 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: this prophecy and it comes true, but he denies parts 235 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 1: of Scripture, or he denies who God is, that guy 236 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: is not a real prophet. He is a faker, and 237 00:13:54,920 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: it's either coincidence that his prophecy came true or he's 238 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 1: not working with God's power but a different type of power. 239 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: We do know, based upon biblical stories, that Satan does 240 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 1: have some power to predict the future. There is actually 241 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: a story in the Book of Acts where this young girl, 242 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: a slave girl, had a demon inside of her, and 243 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: this demon gave her the ability to predict fortunes and 244 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: she became a very famous fortune teller in Paul's day 245 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: because of this demon inside her. So Satan does have 246 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: some power, and he can often influence these prophets to 247 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: predict something that may or may not come true. But 248 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: just because it does come true, it does not necessarily 249 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: mean that prophet is always of God. They also have 250 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: to be a Yahweh worshiper and cannot deny what scripture says. 251 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: And the other way to tell if somebody is a 252 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: false prophet or not is if their prophecy doesn't come 253 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: true at all. Like even if they believe in Yahweh 254 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: and they claim Yahweh's name and they say, God, it 255 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: gave me this vision of the future, and here's what's 256 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: going to happen. If that prophecy does not come true, 257 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: that guy is not a real prophet. He is a 258 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: false prophet. So you can always tell a false prophet 259 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: or a true prophet if they meet those two requirements. 260 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: They have to be a true Yahweh follower and they 261 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: have to have their prophecy come true. This guy, Zadekiah 262 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: in verse ten was not a true prophet. He was 263 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: a false prophet. He claimed the name of God, but 264 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: his prophecies did not come true, as we are going 265 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: to find out. But all these other prophets who are 266 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: with Zedekiah said the same thing. They said to the kings, 267 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: go up to ram with Gilead and prosper Verse eleven, 268 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. Now, 269 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: why do you think these prophets were saying all this 270 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: to butter the kings up. They wanted to just give 271 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: King Ahab whatever he wanted to hear. He clearly wanted 272 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: to go out to battle. So they're gonna say, yeah, yeah, 273 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: go out to battle. Everything will be fine. It'll probably 274 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: be fine. In fact, God told me it's gonna be fine, 275 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: so it'll be fine probably. And all the prophets are 276 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: in agreement with this. Not a single one of those 277 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: four hundred men said anything different, except for Machiah, who 278 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: comes into the picture in verse twelve. The messenger who 279 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: went to call Makaiah spoke to him saying, behold, the 280 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: words of the prophets declare good to the king with 281 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: one mouth, let your word. Therefore, please be like one 282 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: of theirs and speak good. And I imagine this messenger 283 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: honestly had Macaiah's best interest in heart when he said this, 284 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: because I'm sure that this messenger knew that Macaiah rarely 285 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: spoke positive things to Ahab and often spoke negatively to 286 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: Ahab because you know, Ahab was a bad king and 287 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: those truly were the prophecies against Ahab, and Makiah would 288 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 1: tell Ahab, you gotta stop, like turn away from your 289 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: wickedness or this will happen. And then you know, Ahab 290 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: ended up just hating Makiah because of that. But this 291 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: messenger is like Makaiah, just say good things, you know, 292 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: get yourself out of trouble for once in your life. 293 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,119 Speaker 1: Don't make the king angry. It's not good for anybody 294 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 1: if the king's angry. And so Machiah says to the messenger, 295 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: as Yahweh lives, I will say what my God says. 296 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: So he gets to the king in verse fourteen, and 297 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: the king asks him, Makiah, shall we go to Ramath 298 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: Gilead to battle or shall I forbear? And he says, 299 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: go up and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand. 300 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: And of course, Makaiah he's definitely speaking very sarcastically here, 301 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: you know he is, because Ahab gets angry. In the 302 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: next verse he says, how many times shall I adjure 303 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: you that you speak to me nothing but the truth? 304 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: In Yahweh's name. So Machia is being very snarky there. 305 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: He was imitating all of these other prophets that Ahab 306 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: wanted to hear. But everybody knew that Machia was being snarky. 307 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: So Ahab yells at him. He's like, just speak to 308 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: me the truth, tell me what you need to say, 309 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: Just get it out. And so Macia says, I saw 310 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that have 311 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: no shepherd. You always said, these have no master. Let 312 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: them each return to his house in peace. Who that's 313 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:42,479 Speaker 1: a bad prophecy for Ahab because Macaiah literally just said, Ahab, 314 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 1: if you go to battle, you're gonna die. These sheep 315 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 1: that are with you are going to be scattered. They 316 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 1: will not have a master anymore if you go out 317 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: to this battle. That's what he says. And so Ahab 318 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: here's how he responds. He turns to Jehoshaphat and he says, 319 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good 320 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: concerning me, but evil. You'd think that if you heard 321 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: somebody prophesy that to you, that you would like take 322 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,360 Speaker 1: note of that and be like, hmm, maybe I shouldn't 323 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: go out to battle because this guy says I'm going 324 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:24,439 Speaker 1: to die in battle, and that might not be a 325 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 1: good thing. But no, Ahab is so stubborn and so 326 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: fully turned off to Yahwei's real word that he can't 327 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: even believe that Makiah might be saying something true. And 328 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure this was very difficult even for Makia to 329 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: say that Ahab is going to die if he goes 330 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: out to battle. But that was the truth, that was 331 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: Yahweh's word, and so Makiah truly held nothing back. He 332 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: told that messenger, I'm not going to hold anything back. 333 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: What God tells me to say, I'm going to say it. 334 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: And Makaiah certainly did that. But Ahab is so stubborn 335 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: and so staunchly against Yahweh that he can't listen to 336 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: a warning that will protect his own life. Now, to 337 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: end the episode, I'd like to talk some more about prophecy, 338 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,239 Speaker 1: but before I do, please listen to this word from 339 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: one of our sponsors. To close out the episode, I 340 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: want to say one final thing about profits real quick. Yes, 341 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 1: there's a lot of false prophets out there. As we 342 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: just talked about a lot of people claiming to believe 343 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: in God and claiming to be a prophet. But they're 344 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: just making stuff up for clout or fame or whatever, 345 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: or money. But the ones who truly are profits, we 346 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: need to listen to them. First Thessalonians five nineteen through 347 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: twenty one says this, do not quench the spirit, do 348 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: not despise prophecies, but test everything and hold fast to 349 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: what is good. And then if you turn to First 350 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,360 Speaker 1: John four one through three, here's what it says, beloved, 351 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they 352 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: are of God, because many false prophets have gone out 353 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: into the world. By this, you know the spirit of God. 354 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in 355 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: the flesh is of God. And every spirit who doesn't 356 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is 357 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: not of God, and is the spirit of the Antichrist, 358 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,919 Speaker 1: of whom you've heard that it comes now. It is 359 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: in the world already. So that is what we're supposed 360 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: to do with prophecies. We're not supposed to hate every 361 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: single person that claims to be a prophet, because there 362 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 1: are real prophets out there. That is one of the 363 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: spiritual gifts that God gives. But there's probably more fake 364 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 1: prophets out there than real prophets, because prophecy is an 365 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: easy thing to fake. Quite honestly, you can just make 366 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: up a story about something God told you, and nobody 367 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: can really say if it's the truth or not unless 368 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: it doesn't come true in the end. But unt till 369 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 1: that time comes, you can fake a lot and pretend 370 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: a lot, like a lot of things that God has 371 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 1: told you. So that's why First John four and First 372 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: Thessalonians five tells us to test these prophecies and these spirits. 373 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 1: Test them and see which ones are good and which 374 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,479 Speaker 1: ones are evil, which ones are of the Antichrist. So 375 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 1: don't be like Ahab believing false prophecies and ignoring the 376 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: good prophets, even if the good prophets are not telling 377 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: you something you want to hear, because a lot of times, 378 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: that's the reason why prophecy exists in the first place, 379 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,640 Speaker 1: is to warn us of something bad that is going 380 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 1: to happen and to help us turn away from that 381 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: bad thing that will happen. Prophecy is for our benefit, 382 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: even if it doesn't sound good in the moment. Don't 383 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 1: be like Ahab ignoring the true prophets and clinging to 384 00:22:53,160 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: something that sounds good but it's just fake prophecy. Well, 385 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: faithful listeners, I hope you enjoyed today's episode about profits 386 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 1: and about King Ahab and King Jehashafat. We'll finish up 387 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: this passage of scripture on Wednesday and talk more about 388 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: Macaiah's prophecy and how Ahab and King Jehashafat end up 389 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,680 Speaker 1: handling this whole situation. So I hope you guys tune 390 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: in then at six am or whenever you choose to 391 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 1: wake up and listen. Now. Of course, tomorrow we're going 392 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: to be finishing up the Book of First Timothy, which 393 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: is super duper exciting. So I hope to see you 394 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: guys tomorrow as we close out First Timothy and end 395 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: another book in the New Testament. Faithful listeners, as always, 396 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: happy listening and God bless. I just want to take 397 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: a second to thank the team at Life Audio for 398 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: their partnership with me on the Bible Explain podcast. In fact, 399 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: if you go to lifeaudio dot com you'll find dozens 400 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got 401 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: shows about prayer, Bible study parenting, and more.