This week, we shall finish the study
of the book of 1 Kings and continue on to study the book of 2 Kings; the two
books existed originally as one volume in the Hebrew Bible.
(1) Can you recall how the last battle between Ahab and Ben-Hadad was won in 1 Kings 20 and how many Aramean soldiers were killed by Israel’s mere 7,000 strong army? (20:29-30)
(2) What caused king Ahab to wage another war against the Arameans? Where did his confidence come from?
(3) While Jehoshaphat was receptive to Ahab’s invitation to join forces against the Arameans, what did he ask Ahab to do and why? What was the difference between the two kings?
(4) Since these four hundred prophets were not prophets of Baal, why was Jehoshaphat not satisfied with their answer and asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire?’ (22:7)
(5) Why was Micaiah not included in the original company of prophets?
(6) Why didn’t Ahab like to hear the truth from Micaiah?
(7) What about you?
(8) Why did the Bible seem to emphasize that the two kings were “dressed in their royal robes” in front of the prophets? Should this be their attitude in seeking the Lord?
(9) How did Zedekiah (who appeared to be the leader of the pack) seek to affirm the certainty of his prophecy?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What kind of pressure did the prophet Micaiah face?
(2) What choices did he have?
(3) What did he choose and why?
(4) “The vision described by Micaiah was not merely a subjective drapery introduced by the prophet, but a simple communication of the real inward vision by which the fact had been revealed to him” (K&D, 196):
a. Do you agree? Why?
b. Why would God agree to send a “deceiving spirit” to the prophets?
c. Without this “deceiving spirit”, what would these prophets say (or had already said)?
d. So what role did the “deceiving spirit” play?
(5) How did Zedekiah respond to the words of Micaiah? Why?
(6) How did the king respond to the words of Micaiah? Why?
(7) What should King Jehoshaphat do under the circumstance?
(8) What did he do? (22:29) Why?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Jehoshaphat was a godly king, why then would he go to war with Ahab, especially given the prophecy by Micaiah?
(2) What price did he have to pay for his action? (see v. 32, and 2 Chr. 19:2; 18:31-32)
(3) Did Ahab have peace going into the battle? How can we tell? (22:30)
(4) Why then would he insist on waging this war, given the prophecy by Micaiah?
(5) Did his disguise work? Why?
(6) In what ways does the Bible show quite sarcastically that his effort to avoid God’s prophecy was futile? (22:34)
(7) How many prophecies did Ahab’s death fulfill? (see 1 Ki. 20:42; 21:19; 22:17)
(8) If you were to write a eulogy for Ahab, what would you say?
(9) What about his epitaph, what might you engrave on his tombstone!
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) How old was Jehoshaphat when he became king?
(2) How long did his father Asa reign and what kind of a king was his father? (15:10-11)
(3) What impact did his father have on him? (22:43)
(4) What did he do that was even better than his father in getting rid of evil in the land? (22:46)
(5) What might be the reason that he could maintain peace with the king of Israel (i.e. Ahab)? Was it necessarily a good thing? (2 Ki. 8:16-18)
(6) Here is an abbreviated account of Jehoshaphat’s attempt to build a fleet
and his failure in this respect. Read 2
Chronicles 20:35-37 and see reasons for the following:
a. Why were the ships wrecked?
b. Why did he refuse to set sail with Ahaziah, king of Israel?
(7) What kind of a king was Ahaziah?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?