Last week I printed the entire chapter of 2 Chronicles 18:1-34 , and it had to be divided due to column space.  The Blanco County News is good about working with me to split lengthy articles.  This is a continuation and perhaps the most important part!  It’s profound how God accomplishes His plans! 

If you missed last week’s article, verses 1 through 27 (of 2 Chronicles chapter 18) relate how King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to war together at Ramothgilead, after asking God how the battle would turn out.  Micaiah, the only prophet out of 401 to tell the truth, first lied to the kings (like the other 400 prophets), and told them they would be victorious in battle.  He later retracted his lie to tell them of the vision he had of God asking who could convince the kings to go to war with Syria and a lying spirit said he would enter into the prophets to convince them to go to war, and God said to the lying spirit “Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.”  Now God’s goal was that King Ahab should be killed in battle at Ramothgilead, as you will see by reading the verses below, describing Micaiah’s vision.

Verses 18-21 from 2 Chronicles chapter 18: “18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19 And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And theLord said unto him, Wherewith? 21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.”

So the kings went to battle together, because they believed the lying spirits and thought they would be victorious.  But King Ahab also had a plan, as you will read below, in the rest of the story.

2 Chronicles 18:28-34 “28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead. 29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and I will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.”

Just a reminder that the king of Israel is King Ahab, the one God wanted to “fall at Ramothgilead” as written above in verse 19. 31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lordhelped him; and God moved them to depart from him.”

My note here: isn’t it great that God answered him?!  Even after he ignored the only prophet who told the truth?  But it was also God’s plan, because He didn’t want Jehoshaphat to die in battle; He wanted King Ahab to die in this battle!

“32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him. 33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.”

How ‘bout that?!  It said a certain man drew his bow “at a venture” meaning just a shot in the air, a venture (by chance), and it made it to King Ahab, right through his armor!  Even though he had disguised himself, it didn’t work.  God is in control.  God’s angels guided that arrow even through his armor.  Thank God for His Word!  It’s so comforting to see how God was in control of kings and even soldiers’ arrows way back then, and so we know he’s in control of kings, presidents, governors, judges, and soldiers (praise God!) even today. 

Daniel 2:21 “21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:”

May we all rest in Him, knowing He is in control!