God as an Active Agent of Evil?

[ignatius]

How should we interpret this since God is a God of Love?

I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing
round him on his right and on his left. And the Lord said, “Who will
entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?”
One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood
before the Lord and said, “I will entice him.” “By what means?” the Lord
asked. “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,”
he said. “You will succeed in enticing him,” said the Lord. “Go and do it”
(1 Kings 22:19–22).

 

[Opus118]

bump

 

[TheTrisagion]

I'm not by any means going to take an authoritative position on this, but it comes in the form of a prophecy and the prophet of God is actually telling the king that he has been deceived by the false prophets he has surrounded himself with. It isn't like God was being sneaky about anything. He allowed a lying spirit to go to the false prophets, but then He had His prophet go and actually let the king know. The king even knew that he was directly disobeying God because he tries to be clever by dressing up as a common soldier in an odd attempt to outwit God. God gave King Ahab a clear choice to make and Ahab was fully aware that he was going against God when he marched into battle.