This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 1 Kings 22, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, there were three kings named Ahab, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Syria. Ahab was the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah, and the king of Syria ruled over Syria.
Ahab was one of the kings of Israel who reigned during a time when the country was divided into two kingdoms – Israel and Judah. Ahab was known for being an evil king who worshiped false gods and did not follow God’s commandments. He married a woman named Jezebel, who was a worshiper of the false god Baal, and she encouraged Ahab to do the same.
Ahab wanted to fight the king of Syria and take a city called Ramoth-gilead. He asked Jehoshaphat to help him in the battle, and Jehoshaphat agreed, but he wanted to make sure they had God’s blessing before going to war.
Ahab gathered four hundred prophets and asked them if they should go to battle. The prophets said yes and that God would give them the victory. But Jehoshaphat wasn’t sure, and he asked if there was another prophet who could ask God. Ahab told him there was one prophet named Micaiah, but he didn’t like him because Micaiah always said bad things about him.
When Micaiah arrived, Ahab asked him if they should go to battle, and Micaiah initially gave a sarcastic response, saying that Ahab should go and be successful. But when Ahab insisted that he tell the truth, Micaiah prophesied that Ahab would be defeated and killed in battle.
Then Micaiah told Ahab that he saw God sitting on His throne, and all the angels standing beside Him. God asked the angels how they could entice Ahab to go to war and be defeated, and one spirit came forward and said he would go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab’s prophets. God said that would work, and the spirit went out and made the prophets lie to Ahab.
A prophet named Zedekiah got angry with Micaiah and hit him. Ahab ordered Micaiah to be put in prison and fed bread and water until he came back from the war. Micaiah warned Ahab that if he came back in peace, then God had not spoken by him.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat went to battle, Ahab disguised himself so that no one would know he was the king. The Syrian army captain mistook Jehoshaphat for Ahab and ordered his soldiers to attack him, but when they realized their mistake, they stopped. During the battle, a random arrow hit Ahab, and he was badly wounded. He died later that day, and his son, Ahaziah, became the new king.
Biblical Lessons
- It is important to seek God’s guidance before making important decisions.
- Disobeying God can lead to disastrous consequences.
- Don’t be swayed by popular opinion or the opinions of those in power.
- Speak the truth, even if it’s unpopular or inconvenient.