Micaiah spoke to Ahab and Jehoshaphat in 1 Kings 22:
The true prophet saw a heavenly event.
Did the Lord approve a spirit to lie to Ahab?
I think "approve" may be too strong a word. The Lord permitted this spirit to lie to Ahab. He kind of approved this act in this case. It does not generalize to all acts of lying. The Lord also approved Michaiah to tell him the truth but he did not want to believe the truth. He wanted to believe in a lie. He died for this wrong belief (verse 35).
Similarly, God announced his wrath on the unrighteousness in Rom 1:
God does not leave anyone with only lies. God tells them the truth but some prefer to believe in lies like Ahab.
1 Kings 22 1-28
[1Ki 22:1-28 KJV] 1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2 And it came to pass in the third year, that
Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the
king of Israel. 3 And the king of
Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead [is] ours, and we [be] still, [and] take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? 4 And he said
unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And
Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I [am] as thou [art], my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 5 And
Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. 6 Then the
king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear?
And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king. 7 And
Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? 8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet
one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten [hither] Micaiah the son of Imlah. 10 And
the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said,
Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the king's hand. 13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, 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. 14 And Micaiah said, [As] the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. 15
So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king. 16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but [that which is] true in the name of the LORD? 17 And he said, 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. 18 And
the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne,
and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20 And the LORD said,
Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth,
and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade [him], and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
24 But Zedekiah the son of
Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? 25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this [fellow] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. 28
And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
Too much confusion to be found in this book if one starts out with a foundation that lying can be OK. But we truly know it is not good to lie. Ever. One also needs to consider the visual make up of these scenes presented.
Blue, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, Micaiah, when Micaiah is prophesying for Jehoshaphat.
Purple is The King, and the false prophets, Not of God, speaking falsehoods and lies.
Red when the Kings are both in attendance on their thrones, speaking and being spoken to by Micaiah and the False Prophets.
Green God in heaven with his
Host. Right hand and Left hand.
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The King has no prophets of God. They are all false lying prophets.
Jehoshaphat wants to hear from a prophet of the Lord.
Micaiah may be speaking to either king, one needs to figure that out.
Even The King knows that Micaiah is always lying to him. So Micaih has some of his own challenges not discussed. Possibly Sin in hate for The King.
Micaiah lies to The King. And tells the truth to the King.
Micaiah speaks truth to Jehoshaphat.
God finds a spirit. Remember, this is the Host of Heaven. Lucifer is still an angel and has access to heaven. And God summons his angels and that can be all angels. Both the righteous and the fallen angels. This spirit of lying is very unlikely to be a righteous angel.
God found a willing unfaithful angel to lead a willing unfaithful man into battle and to his death.
The power of a lie, in someone opposed to truth, speaking for his own ends.
Lying is 100% always wrong and Jesus is never the source of it.
Peace and Blessings
