Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers. What we have here is the story of a good man. His name was Jehoshaphat.
But he was a good man who tried to do a good thing, but he did it the wrong way. He got himself in league with an ungodly man whose name Well, they have. But rather than telling you all of that, let me just read it from the Word of God, beginning in verse 1. And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. And it came to pass in the third year that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel.
And the king of Israel, and by the way, the king of Israel was a Wicked man, and the king of Israel said unto his servants. Know ye that Ramoth and Gilead is ours? And we be still and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria. That is, the Syrians had taken Ramoth Gilead. But uh The king of Israel said, It doesn't belong to them, it belongs to us.
Why are we just sitting here? Let's go get it back. And he said, verse 4, and he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art. My people is thy people.
My horses as thy horses. No prayer. No seeking the face of God. But here was a good man. that made an unholy alliance.
A political alliance with a wicked man. And he's about to reap. the consequences. And so, like many people today, They plan. They plot.
They agree. And then after they've done it. They carry it to God in prayer and ask God to rubber stamp. Their plans. And so let's look in verse 5.
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord. Today.
Now Jehoshaphat said, you know, we ought to pray about this thing. Remember, he's already made up his mind. He's already given his word. He's already entered into an alliance. And then he tries to get God to rubber stamp it.
And so he says, uh less Pray about it. We need a word from God.
Now the king, the wicked king, whose name was Ahab, he had his court prophets. He had his paid Pussyfooting, pandering. Profits. There were 400 of them. And he called them together.
Notice in verse 6. And the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about 400 men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, go up. for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 400 preachers Speaking with unanimity.
At that time, Jehoshaphat knew something was really wrong when 400 preachers get together about anything. And so he's getting a little nervous now, and he says, I'm a little suspicious of this. Instinctively, he knew that something was wrong. And he said, isn't there someone else that we can get other than these 400? And notice in verse 7, and Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides?
that we may inquire of him.
Now notice verse 8. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man. Miciah, the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire 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. That is, King, give him a chance. Let's hear what this 401st prophet will say.
And so they ask him. To prophesy. Let's go get Miciah. Ahab said, I don't want that preacher around here. He never says anything good to me.
He never says anything good about me. He never prophesies good concerning me. Of course he couldn't. How can you say anything good to or for a bad man? This was God's man, Miciah.
But they send for Miciah. Because Ahab needs Jehoshaphat and he doesn't want to lose that cooperation, so they send for Miciah. Go down to verse 13. And the messenger that was gone to call Miciah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, The words of the prophet 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.
Now they go down to get Miciah. And they send this envoy to pick him up. And he begins to butter him up. And he says, now look, Micaiah, don't mess this thing up. We've got absolute unanimity.
400 prophets have said we ought to go to war against Syria and take Ramoth Gilead. And don't you mess it up. Make it. Unanimous. You vote with the ministerial.
Alliance. I want you to listen to Miciah's glorious answer. And that sets the stage for everything else I have to say. This next verse is the key to everything else I want to say. The answer that this man of God gave, whose name was Miciah, has put steel in my backbone.
And I pray, God, that every man of God will resonate with the words of Miciah. Look, if you will, in verse 14, and Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth. What the LORD saith unto me, That Will I speak. That's underscored in my Bible. As the Lord liveth.
What the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak. It may not be pleasant. But I'll say it. It may not be prudent. But I'll say it.
It may not be pleasing. But I'll say it. It may not be profitable. But I must say it. I may go to jail, and by the way, he did.
They may kill me, but I'll say it. I may not get a promotion. But I will say it, I will not be intimidated by the king. The king can't put strings on me. Do you know the difference between a puppet and a prophet?
A puppet has strings on him. No man of God can have strings on him. And so he said, what God says to me, that I do. Will Say Now, here's the first thing. It is better.
to be divided by truth. than to be united in error. It is better to be divided by truth than united in error.
Now, I must be very careful here. Because I want to say that unity is a wonderful thing. And folks, we must do everything that we can do. to keep the unity of our church. and keep unity.
with all the brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 3 that we're to be endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. in the bond of peace. And the Bible says in the book of Psalms, behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together. in unity.
And we must do everything that we can do. to preserve unity. To bear and forbear, but listen. It must only be the unity that the Holy Spirit can say amen to. Because the Bible says in Amos 3, verse 3.
Can two walk together except they be agreed? There are some things you just can't put together. And there's no cook. that is skilled enough. to make a good omelet out of bad eggs.
You just can't do it. Unity? Yes. Unification and uniformity. that sacrifice truth.
Now listen to these scriptures. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. Beginning in verse 14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. That's what Jehoshaphat was trying to do.
He was trying to be unequally yoked together. with Ahab. Ahab was an unbeliever. Jehoshaphat was a believer. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord? That means what agreement hath Christ with Belial? Belial was the.
God of worthlessness, and what part hath he that believeth? with an infidel. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Not only is Jesus Christ the great unifier of all those who believe in him, But Jesus Christ is also the great divider.
Jesus Christ. is the most divisive person and his teaching the most divisive force. that ever hit. Planet Earth. There's a lot of sentimental preaching about Jesus being the great unifier.
But Jesus has caused more division. than any other four-sense creation. Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10, verses 34 and following. Jesus said, Now, these are the words of Jesus, they may surprise you. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth.
I came not to send peace. But a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father. and the daughter against her mother. and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. And some of you could say that is true in my house. Ever since I gave my heart to Christ, there's been strife in my house, and there's been a division in my house concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who value unity above truth have missed the Spirit of Jesus. It is better to be divided by truth than united by truth.
in era. Martin Luther. led the Protestant Reformation. He saw the era in Romanism. And he came out against it.
And here's what the mighty reformer said, and I want you to listen to it. I do not want to know anything of peace and concord. when the word of God is thereby lost. And the word and eternal life and everything is forfeited. It is not right for me here to draw back and give way out of love toward you.
or toward any other man. But before the word, everyone must give way. whether he be a friend or an enemy. For the word has not been given to us for the sake of external or worldly concord or peace. but for the sake of eternal life.
Don't talk to me, therefore, of love and friendship. If the word and faith or to be compromised. That's what Martin Luther said. We remember Martin Luther today. He paid a price.
He took a stand. And what you and I call the Protestant Reformation was a great Revival meeting. The Bible does not state, he said, that love brings us everlasting life. God's grace and all of the heavenly treasures, but the word brings them to us. I suppose the greatest preacher historians say that lived outside of the Apostle Paul was.
The great Charles Spurgeon. Here's what Charles Spurgeon had to say. He said, where union and friendship are not cemented by truth. They are an unhallowed Confederacy. Too bad Jehoshaphat didn't know this.
Too bad Jehoshaphat somehow joined himself up. With an unholy man, it is better to be divided by truth. than to be united in error. Our unity is in Christ. and Christ alone.
Now again, I want to say, I am not asking God's people and good people. to divide over incidentals. But when the great eternal values of the word of God are jettisoned and crucified upon the altar of conformity and cooperation, it is a sin against Almighty God. Not only is it better to be divided by truth than united in error, but number two, It is better. to speak the truth.
That hurts. And then heals. than to tell a lie. that comforts. and then kills.
These 400 men told Ahab and Jehoshaphat a lie. It was a lie that Ahab loved to hear. He loved these pandering preachers because they told him what he wanted to hear. rather than what he needed to hear. and as a result fell into great calamity.
Preachers need to stop trying to win popularity contests. I want to say it again. It is better to tell the truth. that hurts and then heals than to tell a lie that comforts. and then kills.
Now Ahab said, I hate the message that this man brings. He saw a man who was his friend as his enemy. Former pastor of this church, Dr. Robert G. Lee.
Used to say when he preached on hell.
Some will call preaching about hell cruel. But Dr. Lee used to say, I'd rather be called cruel for being kind. than to be called kind. for being cruel.
Rough Truth. is better than polished falsehood. Let me give you some verses. Ecclesiastes chapter 7 and verse 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
There are some people today in our churches We're hearing the song of fools. Do you know what is happening in some schools of church growth? Church growth now is being studied in America. And they're saying, don't on Sunday morning. Don't say anything that might offend.
Don't preach on judgment. Don't preach on hell. Don't preach on separation. Don't preach these things because if you do, This generation of people will be turned away. Just talk to them in glittering generalities.
There's a man that typifies that. He's a well-known preacher in California. He's on many television stations. But I want you to hear what he said. This is a quote taken from Christianity today.
I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ. And under the banner of Christianity, that has proven more destructive to human personality and hence counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise. than the often crude Uncouth. An unchristian strategy. of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition.
This same preacher said, My number one role is that I don't want to do anything that would turn somebody off.
So they will not be open to listening to my invitation. to accept Jesus Christ. as their best friend. A friend People need a Savior. They need to know that they're lost.
They need to know that they're sinners under the wrath of a righteous and holy God. That's not a popular message. But it is better. to tell the truth. That hurts.
And then heals. They had to tell a lie that comforts and then kills. I've told you of the sailors who asked the chaplain this question. Chaplain Do you believe in hell? He said, yes, I do.
Why do you ask? And they said for this reason. If there is a hell and you don't believe in it, We don't want you for a chaplain. And if there is no hell, we don't need any chaplain. There he is, friend.
The wrath of God? And Makaiah? refused to be bought. He refused to be intimidated. He knew it's better to be divided by truth than united in error.
He knew it was better to tell the truth. that hurts and then heals than to tell a lie that comforts and then kills. I don't believe that we ought to go out of our way to be rude to people. But primarily It is not my job. To fill the pew, it is my job to fill the pulpit.
To preach the word of God. It is better. It is better to tell the truth. That hurts. and then heals.
than to tell a lie that comforts and then kills. Let me give it to you from the word of God, Proverbs chapter 27. Verses five and six. Open rebuke. is better than secret love.
Fateful. are the wounds of a friend. but the kisses of an enemy. are deceitful. What Ahab was receiving was 400 kisses.
from faithless prophets who had never heard from God. Rather than hearing and wanting to hear the wound of a friend, a man who wanted to tell him the truth. The third thing is this. It is better to be hated for telling the truth. than to be loved.
for telling a lie. Ahab said concerning this man, I hate him. Look, if you will, in verse 8, And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Miciah the son of Imlah. By whom we may inquire of the Lord. But I hate him.
And I say this, that every man of God is not going to be loved. And I want to be loved. I love to be loved. I don't like to be disliked. But it is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie.
Micaiah. We don't have to be elected clergymen of the year. We have to stop running for popularity contests. The Apostle Paul. would not give way when he talked to the Galatians.
And he told the Galatians that they were off in doctrinal era, and then he said to them, he asked them this question. In Galatians chapter 4 and verse 16, Am I therefore your enemy? Because I tell you the truth. I'm not your enemy because I tell you the truth. But sometimes somehow we think that those who Tell us the truth are enemies.
I was in my car in South Florida. supposed to go to an engagement. And I was on a very fine road in a good rental car. It had beautiful music. And it was wonderful.
The sun was shining, the car was running smoothly. I'm praising the Lord driving along there, listening to this music. But I got a suspicion that Something was wrong. I wasn't seeing the right signs that I needed to see to get me to my destination.
So I ask a highway patrolman, is this... The way to thus and such? He said, Mister. You're headed the wrong way. and you're way away from where you ought to be.
I want to ask you a question. Was that man who told me I was on the wrong road, was he an enemy or a friend? I mean, I was enjoying myself on the wrong road. I mean, it was wonderful. He was a friend.
He didn't bring me good news. He brought me bad news, but had he not told me, it would have been worse news. I did make my engagement because a man told a man on the wrong road in a good car listening to beautiful music on a sunny day, you're headed the wrong way. Am I therefore your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Miciah told the truth and they put him in prison on bread and water.
Jesus told the truth. And they crucified him. I had a woman in a former church call me on Monday. She was a friend. She said, Pastor, were you preaching to me Sunday?
I said, Bertha. I was shooting down in a hole. If you were down in it, I can't help it. I loved her, but she was wrong and she knew it. We're not called on to be loved by everybody else, but to bear the reproach of Jesus.
As a matter of fact, if you'll study the Bible, it's almost impossible to find anybody in the Bible who stood for the truth who was. Loved. By everyone. Matter of fact, it was impossible. Abel was killed by his brother.
Noah was so hated that he could not get seven converts in 120 years. Joseph was sold into slavery. Moses was hated and ridiculed by his family. Elijah was chased. He thought he was the only prophet left.
Elisha was called a bald head. Isaiah preached to deaf ears. Jeremiah Was a weeping prophet because of the recalcitrance of those that he preached to. Daniel. Was put in the lion's den.
The Hebrew children were put into the fiery furnace. David was chased and hunted by Saul, and John the Baptist lost his head, and Peter was crucified upside down, and Stephen was stoned, and Paul was left for dead outside of Lystra. John the apostle. was exiled on Patmos. James was martyred.
And Jesus. was crucified. Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease While others fought to win the prize And sailed through bloody seas? Sure, I must fight if I would reign. Increase my courage, Lord.
I'll bear the toil. and endure the pain. supported by thy word. Here's a fourth thing I would say to you. It is better.
to stand alone with the truth. Than to be wrong. with a multitude. Look, if you will, in verses 13 and 14 again. And the messenger that was gone to call Miciah spake unto him, saying, Behold, now the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth.
That is, there's unanimity. Let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. And Miciah said, As the Lord liveth, What the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak. That is, I'll not make it unanimous. I don't care what 400 preachers say.
I'm going to say what God says. It was 400 to 1. Do you know what I've learned in life? The majority is almost always wrong. Majority in America.
is generally And almost always wrong. What we're headed for today is where everybody wants this spirit of uniformity. And what the Antichrist is working to build is a world church and a world state. And they're those who want to homogenize society and obliterate conviction. And the religion of America today is get-alongism.
And we're almost un-American if we don't put our arms around everybody else's shoulder and say, your religion is just as good as mine. And to say that Jesus Christ is the only way. To say that the Bible is the Word of God is to brand you as a bigot. Nara uncooperative And horror of horror is a fundamentalist. But men of God have always stood alone.
Noah had to stand alone when he preached. Elijah stood alone on Mount Carmel against the 450 prophets of Baal. Amos stood alone in the courtroom at Bethel. True prophets. must stand alone.
They tried to soften Miciah up. They tried to save Miciah. Get along with a ministerial alliance. 400 preachers have agreed on this. I want to say Gandh.
And we must never, never, never divide over incidentals. But we must stand for conviction if we have to stand alone.
Sometimes denominations have to stand alone.
Sometimes churches have to stand alone. when I came to be the pastor of this church. They asked me about my relationship to the denomination. I said, I am a Southern Baptist. I love Southern Baptists.
I was saved in a Southern Baptist Church. I said, I want you to know this. That I'm a Christian first. A Baptist II.
Southern Baptist Third, But I will not be a Southern Baptist. if it means that I have to compromise the Word of God. And I want you to know that going out ahead of time.
Now, I love this denomination. I believe it's worth struggling for, and I believe it's worth preaching to, and it's worth loving. And I believe that though we're light years from being perfect, we are moving in the right direction. And for that, I praise and thank God. but denominations have to stand alone, and if they won't, churches have to stand alone.
And not only do churches have to stand alone, families have to stand alone.
Sometimes you might be in a church that doesn't take a stand for the Word of God, then you need to get your family in another church. You say, but I've been a member of this church for so long, and besides that, my grandmother is buried in the church cemetery in the backyard.
Well, I'll tell you grandma would leave if she could, I'll guarantee you.
Sometimes individuals have to stand alone. You may be the only one in your family that stands up for the truth. Again, don't divide over incidentals. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you. Live peaceably with all men.
But it is better to stand alone with the truth. than to be wrong. with a multitude. Now here's the Fifth and final thing. It is better.
to ultimately succeed with the truth. than to temporarily succeed. with a lie. Look, if you will, in verse 34 of this same chapter. This concerns Ahab, and a certain man drew a bow at a venture.
and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness. Wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand and carry me out of the host. For I am Wounded. It was a tragic battle for Ahab. He would not listen to the man of God and the word of God.
The preacher was thrown in prison. But give God time. For God's arrow found Ahab. And God's crown has found Miciah. It is better.
my friend, to ultimately succeed with the truth. than to temporarily succeed with a lie.
Now The thing that is desperately needed in today's world is the truth. The Bible contains the precepts of truth. Jesus is the person of truth. and the Holy Spirit. is the power of truth.
And I reminded of what a former President of the United States of America said, Woodrow Wilson. He said, I had rather temporarily fail. with a cause that must ultimately succeed. than to temporarily succeed with a cause. That must ultimately fail.
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