2 Kings 1:1-18 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 1:1-18. Let’s go!
2 Kings 1:1-4 (NIV)
1 After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel.
2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.”
3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’
4 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!'” So Elijah went.
On verses 1-4: Ahaziah king of Israel falls and injures himself. He wonders whether he will recover from this accident or die from it. He decides to consult Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron on the question. The Lord’s prophet Elijah brings a message to Ahaziah, stating that Ahaziah’s actions have offended the Lord. By seeking another god for help and not consulting the Lord first, Ahaziah showed that he places his hope in other things more than he does in God. Elijah also tells Ahaziah that Ahaziah will not recover but will certainly die.
What can we learn from this? Whomever you consult first for help is a reflection of what you truly trust and worship. If you don’t look to God first, then you may be worshiping an idol.
2 Kings 1:13-15 (NIV)
13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants!
14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!”
15 The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
On verses 5-18: When Ahaziah finds out that it was Elijah who gave this message, he twice sends a captain from his army with 50 men to apprehend Elijah, saying “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!'” (v9, v11 – in the second case, the second captain is even more forceful: “come down at once!”). However, each time fire comes down from heaven and consumes the captain and his men. When the third captain comes with his 50 men, he takes a humbler approach: on his knees he asks Elijah to have mercy on his life (v13). God tells Elijah that he may go with this third captain and that Elijah need not be afraid of him. Elijah goes with the third captain to King Ahaziah and delivers the same message of Ahaziah’s impending death. Just as Elijah predicted, Ahaziah dies (v17) and is succeeded by his brother Joram, since Ahaziah had no children of his own.
What can we learn from this? The first two captains had no respect for Elijah or for the Lord. So they approached Elijah pridefully and God “fired” them. The third captain had respect for Elijah and came humbly before him and received the man of God. It goes to show that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. When we approach God, or the leaders that God has placed over us, with a prideful, demanding, self-centered or condescending attitude, God will oppose us. But when we approach God and our God-given leaders with humility and respect, God shows respect to us and is willing to come down and walk with us. Approach God and the leaders God has placed in your life with a humble, respectful heart.
Heavenly Father, they say, figuratively speaking, that in Your kingdom the doors are small because only the humble who get on their knees can get in. May I always have a humble, respectful attitude toward You and approach my God-given leaders the same way. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
