1 Kings 22:24-29

The Argument of Wickedness.

The Bible is a book of texts because it is a book of types. It does not profess to give full histories, but refers to public records for these (see Joshua 10:13 ; 2 Samuel 1:18 ; 1 Kings 11:41 ; 1 Chronicles 9:1 ). Inspiration selects from histories typical or representative incidents to bring out the principles of the grace and truth of God. In the scene before us we have types of wickedness in Zedekiah and Ahab, the one ecclesiastical, the other civil, which may be profitably studied in the arguments they use contending with Micaiah, the representative of the truth of God. These arguments are—

I. RAGE AGAINST THE TRUTH . The reason is obvious, viz; because the truth is the worst that can be said of the wicked.

1 . It is the worst that can be said of their character .

2 . It is the worst that can be said of their doom .

3 . They are therefore constrained to hypocrisy .

II. THE RESENTMENT OF VIOLENCE .

1 . The logic of the wicked is weak .

2 . The strength of the wicked is tyranny .