1. A World of Change Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, June 22, 2014 1 Kings 22:1-40

2. Last week Naboth’s Vineyard Spirit of oppression versus Spirit of Truth as seen in Ahab/Jezebel and Elijah Great lesson: even the worst king... Great questions: why does it affect the generations to come? Why didn’t God send Elijah before Jezebel murdered Naboth?

3. This week... more to the story Ahab, king of Israel (northern kingdom) and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (southern kingdom) make an alliance to fight against Syria Jehoshaphat wants to inquire of the Lord before they go to battle 400 prophets, produced by Ahab, say ‘Go for it’ But Jehoshaphat wants to inquire of the Lord

4. Episode with Micaiah One guy who still represents the Lord in the northern kingdom (where they worship the Baals) Ahab hates him because he never prophesies good concerning him... Well!!! Micaiah is encouraged to chime in with others but he refuses to not speak what God shows At first encourages Ahab but they both know he is being sarcastic

5. The Truth “I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd; and the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace’” (1 Kings 22:17) Then it gets weird... Micaiah says that he had a vision in which God in heaven asks who will go and entice Ahab into battle, and a spirit volunteered to be a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets

6. Is God fighting against Himself? He wants to bring justice to Ahab for his murderous activities He wants to show mercy because of Ahab’s (pitiful) remorse He offers the way forward to Ahab himself: choose to listen to 400 prophets of your regime or one truth-teller from mine Ahab tries to have it both ways and dies...

7. More questions! Why does God let a lying spirit lead someone astray? My thought: the quality of the asker determines the amount of truth in the answer Is God really leaving the decision up to Ahab? My thought: yes

8. Isn’t God in control? Yes and no... Some people have taught through the centuries that God has absolute control Yet this doesn’t seem like the message of Jesus Some have even said that God loves some people and hates others and their fate is predetermined

9. Jonathan Edwards “The God that holds you on the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked” (from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, July 8, 1741) Representatives of the current New Reform movement concur

10. Other voices Some neurobiologists have claimed that everything is predetermined in a different way: genetically Example: marshmallow test with 4 year olds predicts with accuracy success in life because of greater ability to delay gratification and this consistently reflects more activity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex

11. So, two ditches One theological, assuming God has so much control that all possibilities are written in stone One scientific, assuming the cards have been dealt In the middle is the invitation of Jesus...

12. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22) Strange how it all leads to self-control, the very thing that predicts how well you will do in life (even more than IQ, according to Matthew Lieberman, in Social: Why Our Brains are Wired to Connect)

13. Key “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom in heaven” (Matthew 5:3)