A Contrast
The contrast between true and false prophets stands out sharply in the experience of Ahab and Jehoshaphat, kings of Israel and Judah, with Micaiah the prophet. 1 Kings 22. Jehoshaphat, of the southern kingdom, was visiting Ahab, king of Israel, when Ahab proposed that together they do battle with the king of Syria for Ramothgilead. With a sweeping pledge Jehoshaphat agreed. Then, apparently a bit doubtful of the wisdom of his decision, he asked Ahab if there were not a prophet nearby of whom they could inquire the will of God. In response, Israel’s king called in four hundred professed prophets of God, and asked them, “Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle?” As one man they replied, “Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” Under the circumstances this was exactly the message Ahab wanted in order to impress his prospective partner in battle.APAY 112.3
While Jehoshaphat may have been impressed, he was not satisfied with the advice. There must have been something in the manner or the message of the men that caused him to question that their word was from the Lord, for he pressed Ahab, “Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?” Ahab admitted that there was one more who might be consulted, a man named Micaiah, “but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”APAY 113.1
Micaiah was sent for, despite Ahab’s misgivings, and during the messenger’s absence the prophets continued to prophesy. One of the most enlightening episodes in this account is that in which the king’s messenger tried to tell Micaiah what he should say when he came before the two monarchs. It is possible that the messenger had been sent before to gather prophets, and he had found that they greatly desired information as to what others had said to the king so their testimony might harmonize. At least, he seems to have felt that he was doing Micaiah a favor by reporting to him what the four hundred had counseled the king. “Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.” He may have had a distinct memory of some of Micaiah’s former predictions of evil.APAY 113.2
But the prophet of God was not interested in what the other prophets had said. His attention was focused on what the Lord had to say. His revealing reply was, “As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.” No true prophet could have taken any other attitude. We have mentioned previously the basic Bible passage dealing with the call of a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-22) in which these words appear: “And will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.... But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, ... even that prophet shall die.”APAY 113.3
When the question about the battle was put to Micaiah, he responded in a way that at first glance appears strange. “Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” A more careful scrutiny of the passage helps us to catch the irony in Micaiah’s voice. “Go ahead and do what you’ve been counseled to do. This is the message you want.” This time it was Ahab who was dissatisfied even though the word of the prophet appeared to be the same as what had already been said. He detected without difficulty the derisive note in the prophet’s voice, and demanded to know the Lord’s message. Micaiah’s words were solemn and majestic: “I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.” Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat. “Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?” A short time later Micaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled when Ahab lost his life in the battle for Ramothgilead.APAY 114.1
Satan is a liar and a deceiver. If it were possible he will deceive the very elect. This is true in dealing with prophets as well as every other human being. What he cannot do through false prophets, he will attempt to do by discrediting and counteracting the work of true prophets. In either case we need to be aware of the methods of testing prophets. Not only are we to detect and reject the false, but we must be diligent to discover and receive the true.APAY 114.2
No one test is a full and sufficient identification of a prophet. It is frequently easier to detect the false prophet than it is to be certain of the true, for if he obviously violates one of the major tests we have no difficulty in knowing the source of his messages. On the other hand, before it can be finally determined that one is a true prophet, all the tests must be painstakingly applied and sufficient time permitted to make thorough investigation.APAY 115.1
The words of the Master clearly point out that one of the spiritual problems of those who live in the days preceding His second advent is that of dealing with false christs and false prophets. These imposters will have little success among those who have been fortified with the truth and who know how to apply the tests. Every member of the remnant church should be so familiar with these criteria that he will automatically apply them in every instance where they are needed without having to ask, “How can I tell whether this prophet is true or false?”APAY 115.2