2 Chronicles 18:17-21 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’
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What do you all make of this episode? Who or what was the lying spirit?

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Todd

I take this to mean exactly what it is saying. The 400 false prophets spoke deceptive words for the were probably of those like Rehoboam had set in place. These prophecy by the calves and not by the Lord. It is clear that neither Ahab or Jehoshaphat believed the 400 prophets so turned to Michaiah for the final word. Michaiah mocked the king knowing he didn't want to know the truth so chimed in agreeing with the false words of lying men.
Both Kings could tell the true prophet was insincere and wanted a sincere answer. But here is where appearances and reality part company.
Ahab didn't want to know the truth and had a life of avoiding the truth, having such a surplus of false prophets was a mark on him that he wanted the agreement with religion ( though false) because it gave the appearance of seeking the Lord when in fact he was seeking to validate his own ways under a guise of hypocrisy.
To this God chose to answer Ahab according to his ways. Ahab was uneasy, nervous I would say of going to war, he wanted the going to be one of victory and wanted to know it ( as Joshua knew it beforehand) by a promise of God. Yet Ahab was wanted to draw back from the battle and so the scripture shows us the real prophet speaks of what he saw in the heavenlies, and to Ahab and Jehoshaphat revealed the counsel of God against him. Namely, God sent a lying spirit into the prophets so he would believe them and be deluded into trusting in lying words. This God did by the evil spirit who with no qualms at all volunteered to give a common consent to the false prophets in order to bring down to judgment Ahab the King.
God is not backward or unwilling to give those who will not listen to the truth but love the falsehoods of false religion that spirit which is fitting for their rebellion against truth. Instead of the Spirit of truth, the spirit of error, instead of the spirit of life a spirit of death and blindness.
We are made partakers of Michaiah's heavenly vision in order to know that is not mocked, that those who love and make lies may, in the end, be judged with a God-sent lying spirit as the just conclusion to their errors.

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Marvin

Marvin: Welcome to SI. I agree. And I might add this. Those who are not seeking truth are placing themselves in a position to listen to lying spirits by default. This is why obedience and humility are important where our relationship with God is concerned.

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Travis

Is the lying spirit a demon? An angel? A person?

If a demon, why would God make use of a demon? If a demon, why would it want to help God's purposes?

I am not sure we are to take the story literally.

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Todd

Hi Todd: I took it to mean demon. I say this because he was not called an "angel" but a "spirit" and so ever willing to entice to destruction King Ahab. God can and does use demons, in this case I see God bringing judgment on Ahab via trusting his false prophets and God gave those false prophets the anointing that all false prophets have " a false spirit". This spirit came to entice because God's judgment on Ahab and this spirit's intent to destroy were one and the same, what the lying spirit did was of no credit to him ( for we do not read that this spirit was acting in worship and obedience to God) but acting according to his own interests...and every demons ultimate interest is to be worshipped himself at best or deny the worship of God at least.
Now, I do know God used Satan to accomplish his blessing upon Job after his trial. Satan got what appeared to be what he wanted, but in the end, God got what he wanted and Job got the grace God wanted to give to him.

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Marvin

"If a demon, why would God make use of a demon?"

His creatures are created for His purpose!


Job 12:13-25

With God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.

He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.

He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.

He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Romans 9:17-21

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth. So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will be hardeneth.

Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus? Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

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God can and does do whatever He pleases, with whoever He pleases, whenever He pleases!

So are demons walking around in heaven making suggestions to God?

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Todd