1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
Moab paid tribute (money/taxes) to the kings since David's rule. Now they are saying we are tired of giving you our money.
2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
Imagine eating cake where it is evident flies are swarming around the cake. If a king depends on the food that has been infested by flies, then the people he leads will depend on what he depends on (fly food). The king says go to the god of the flies and ask if I will recover from this fall/sickness? 1. He fell, he is sick, he says will I recover from this disease? Usually, a fall causes an injury. He asks will I recover from this disease?
3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
Jesus speaks to Elijah. Go in haste and stop the messengers sent by the king. This was an urgent command to Elijah. God did not want a continuation of the embedded way of life demonstrated by the parents of the king, Ahab, and Jezebel. People must be directed to the living God. Jesus is very protective over his Father and wants desperately to make sure he is absolutely Lord. People die when they disconnect from God. Jesus wants us alive.
4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
God was clear. You will surely die. He gives the message to the people and the people will not only carry the message, but they will remember the words and the manifestation of the word from God to the king. The king went up to THAT bed and the Word of God says you will not come down from THAT bed you build up.
5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
The people did not go very far. The king recognized and said why are you back so quickly? The people are the messengers. And the messengers turned back. If we are led wrong, cast your pride away and turned back, and tell the king the truth.
6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
The people really want to tell the truth. ( the people may have used this to tell the king what they wanted, but used someone else to blame it on) They said exactly what they were told. People know the truth. People have the power. Use your power in the right way.
7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
Who is this man that told you that? He probably knew already. Describe this man.
8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
It is apparent that the people did not recognize him. But the king knew. Many times the king knows God, but they stand in the way of the people seeing God. Jesus broke the petition down. Anyone can seek God and know him.
9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
People with positions feel powerful when they execute a king's demand. 50 men with the king's authority confront the man of God. If you need that much power, you know better. They said you man of God thus and thus. This is the same as saying God in man.
10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Eliah spoke to the leader. The consequence fell on the people that followed the leader too.
Did you not fear? The king has enough power to send 51 more people to send for God? I cannot help but wonder why these people follow people who would put your life in danger. Could it have been that they were the more frightening of the 102? Usually, when the first group can't get the job done, you send the stronger after them.
12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
You break the same rule, you get the exact same consequences. God has no respect of person.
13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
The leader of this group used wisdom. He said I acknowledge what happened to my colleagues, please have mercy on us. Will you please come down?
14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
We know what happened. Don't kill us. This leader saved his life and 50 more. This shows the power of leadership.
15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
Jesus speaks. Elijah obeyed. NO questions asked.
16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
The king is listening to the King. He did not say a word. Elijah said what the first messengers who lived told him and left.
17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
He died and his brother took his place. Israel is still changing kings in comparison to the kings of Judah. When we are on God's side there is steadiness. There is peace.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
When we get to the book of chronicles, we will learn more details about Ahaziah.
FATHER, thank you for giving us your heart. If will do what you said we will have what we want. You are God and you are the truth.
Comments
Post a Comment