THE LIFE OF ELIJAH CHAPTER FIVE

II KI�GS 1 COMME�TARYWritten and edited y Glenn Pease

PREFACE

Many other authors are quoted in this study, and some are not named. Credit will be given ifthe name of the author is sent to me. Some may not want their wisdom shared in this way, and ifthey object and wish it to be removed they can let me know also at my e-mail address which isglenn_p86@yahoo.com

I�TRODUCTIO�

1. Clarke, “The Second Book of Kings contains the history of three hundred and eight years,from the rebellion of Moab, A.M. 3108, to the ruin of the kingdom of Judah, A.M. 3416. Thehistory, on the whole, exhibits little less than a series of crimes, disasters, Divine benefits, andDivine judgments. In the kingdom of Judah we meet with a few kings who feared God, andpromoted the interests of pure religion in the land; but the major part were idolaters andprofligates of the highest order. The kingdom of Israel was still more corrupt: all its kings weredetermined idolaters; profligate, vicious, and cruel tyrants. Elijah and Elisha stood up in thebehalf of God and truth in this fallen, idolatrous kingdom, and bore a strong testimony againstthe corruptions of the princes, and the profligacy of the people: their powerful ministry wasconfined to the ten tribes; Judah had its own prophets, and those in considerable number.”

2. Ray C. Stedman, “In the Hebrew Bible the books of l and 2 Kings are combined into onebook of Kings. They are quite aptly named Kings, as they trace the lives of various rulers ofGod's kingdom, beginning with Saul and David, down through the division of the kingdomunder Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Then these two books trace out for us the variousdynasties in Israel, the northern kingdom, and the single dynasty of the house of David in thesouthern kingdom of Judah. In each case, the spotlight is always on the king; it is what the kingdoes in relationship to God that determines how the nation goes. The character of the kingdomis largely determined by the character of the king. When the king walked with God inobedience and humility, and worshiped and obeyed God in the temple in Jerusalem (or later inSamaria in the northern kingdom), God's blessing in prosperity and victory rested upon thekingdom. There was no such blessing for the northern kingdom because they had no godly

kings. But in the southern kingdom, in the house of David, there was victory and prosperitywhen godly kings appeared from time to time. The rains came at the right times and the cropsgrew. The economy of the land flourished. There was victory over their enemies, even when theenemies came against them in allied forces. There was always victory when the king walkedwith God.

But when the king disobeyed and worshiped other gods, immediately famines broke out,droughts came, and invasions occurred. The land fell into difficult and extremely seriousconditions. When the kings were in obedience, they were always types of Christ -- such asDavid, Solomon, Hezekiah, Joash, and Jehoshaphat. They pictured something of the sovereign,kingly reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. But when they were in disobedience, they were types, orpictures of the antichrist, the man of sin who is yet to appear upon the earth. This was theantichrist of whom Jesus himself said to Israel, "I have come in my Father's name, and you donot receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive." (John 5:43) It is thisman of sin, the quintessence of human evil, that is pictured by the kings of Israel and Judahwhen they walk in disobedience.”

The Lord 's Judgment on Ahaziah

1 After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel.

1. Lets begin with the background of Ahaziah. He did not have a very good home life withparents are who clearly identified as some of the worst people that ever lived. The followingtexts sum up his home life. What was his father like? 1 Ki 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri didevil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 1 Ki 16:33 And Ahab made agrove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings ofIsrael that were before him. So what was Ahaziah like? The bible says in 1 Ki 22:52 thatAhaziah "did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the wayof his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of �ebat, who made Israel to sin:" 1B. The saying is that the good die young, but we do not see this very often in the Bible. It is thewicked that die young. Ahaziah the son of wicked Ahab and Jezebel followed Ahab as king ofIsrael, and he was wicked just like his mom and dad. His family background had a biggerimpact on his faith and actions than all that happened in his immediate history that God did toget his attention. His story reveals just how blind and stubborn a man can be who is raised tobelieve the wrong things. �o amount of light can change his perspective. God had sent a threeand a half years of famine on the land and it did not make a dent in his defiance of God,anymore than it did his father. In spite of the fact that hundreds of the prophets of Baal werekilled because they could not demonstrate that Baal had any power at all compared to Jehovah,he went on worshiping Baal and sought only for the advice and guidance of this meaninglessidol. He chose to ignore all of the evidence of the reality and power of the God of Israel. He was

locked into folly, and the result was that he died young.

1C. Coffman, “David had defeated and subjugated the Moabites, putting to death at least two-thirds of their armed services (2 Samuel 8:2 ); and, of course, they became a part of the greatempire of Solomon. From inscriptions upon the Moabite Stone, we learn that Moab rebelledupon the occasion of the division of Solomon's empire and regained their independence for atime, but that they again lost it to Israel during the reign of Omri. Later in 2 Kings 3:4-27 thereis a fuller report of this rebellion of Moab, but apparently this brief mention of it occurs here asa preliminary to the explanation of why Ahaziah was unable to suppress the rebellion due to hisinjury. The event that precipitated Moab's rebellion was the defeat and death of Ahab in thebattle of Ramoth-gilead. "In Oriental empires the death of a brave and energetic king wasalways the signal for a revolt of the subjected peoples."

2. He had fallen from the grace of God and was blind to all light. He then fell from his windowdue to his poor perception of physical reality. There is a connection with the spiritual and thephysical. When you are blind to spiritual reality you are blind also to what is precious in therealm of the physical. His spiritual imbalance led him to stumble and fall from his upper roomand he was seriously injured. Many accidents happen because people are in a bad state of mind.They are rebelling against God and the right order of life and they are angry and irritable andthey get into accidents. This is the type of thing we read in accident prevention advice: “HavingA �egative Attitude - Being angry or in a bad mood can lead to severe accidents because angernearly always rules over caution. Flying off the handle at work is potentially dangerous. Keepyour bad moods in check, or more than one person may be hurt. Remember to stay cool and incharge of your emotions.” The previous verse just said that Moab rebelled against Israel, andthis means the king was losing money, for they were no longer paying their tribute money. Itwas not money really, but livestock, for they had to pay a hundred thousand lambs and ahundred thousand rams with their wool as seen in II Kings 3:4. This made him angry, I amsure, and he was already mad at life because of all the problems Elijah had caused. His moodmade him an accident just waiting to happen.

3. It is a fact of life that where you live is a dangerous place, for many accidents happen in thehome. People are often careless in their homes, for it seems like a place of safety, but this is notthe case. The sad truth is that 28,000 deaths happen in the home almost every year, and 6.8million injuries. Accidents are the number one killer of children in the U. S. Summary Outline:

4. Pink, “Ahaziah not only failed spiritually but naturally too. What ought to have been hisreaction to this revolt of Moab? Why, to have dealt with it with a firm hand and nipped it in thebud. That was obviously his duty as king. Instead he followed the line of least resistance anddevoted himself to pleasure. Instead of taking his place at the head of his army and puttingdown this rebellion by force, he seems to have luxuriated in the palace. Must we not say in suchcircumstances, that God had given him up to a spirit of madness! He shrank in cowardly fearfrom the camp and the dangers of the field, and leaving Moab to do as she pleased, withoutattempting her re-subjugation, led a life of self-indulgence. Perhaps he recalled the fate whichhad so recently overtaken his father on the battlefield and decided that "discretion is the betterpart of valor." But there is no escaping the hand of God when He is determined to smite: we arejust as liable to meet with an "accident" in the shelter of our home as if we were exposed to the

deadliest weapons on the battlefield.”

5. Jamison, “Then Moab rebelled--Subdued by David (2Sa 8:2), they had, in the partition ofIsrael and Judah, fallen to the share of the former kingdom. But they took advantage of thedeath of Ahab to shake off the yoke (see on 2Ki 3:6). The casualty that befell Ahaziah [2Ki 1:2]prevented his taking active measures for suppressing this revolt, which was accomplished as aprovidential judgment on the house of Ahab for all these crimes.”

6. Ron Daniel has an interesting insight here. He wrote, “But now that Moab sees that Israel'sKing Ahab is dead, they once again rebel. Many ancient cultures would attack their enemiesimmediately upon the death of their leader, for they hoped that the new leader would not be inas strong of a position, and that he would not have the experience to lead his people to victory.There is a principle here that our enemy the devil follows. He attacks when there is no leader, orwhere there is weak leadership. Paul the apostle warned the Ephesian elders, Acts 20:28-29 “Beon guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made youoverseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know thatafter my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock"

The devil will often be victorious when a church's leadership is not on guard for themselves andthe flock. He also attempts to kill the shepherd, knowing that if you "strike down the shepherd,the sheep of the flock shall be scattered" (Zech 13:7; Matt 26:31).And as soon as you scatter thesheep, it is a simple matter of picking them off one by one. This is what the Amalekites did whenIsrael was heading into the wilderness, leaving Egypt. They attacked the stragglers at the rearwhen they were faint and weary (Deut 25:18).The lesson for the leaders in the church is to be onguard. The lesson for all of us in the church is not to stray away, but to stay protected in theflock.”

2 �ow Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of hisupper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sentmessengers, saying to them, "Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover fromthis injury."

1. Bob Deffinbaugh, “As we turn to our text in our English Bibles, we see that we have left1 Kings behind and moved on to 2 Kings. It may be helpful to remind ourselves that in theHebrew Old Testament, these two books were one. Thus, there is no real “break” betweenthe two books. We simply move from the death of Ahab in 1 Kings 22 to the death of hisson, Ahaziah, in 2 Kings 1.

Ahab was an exceedingly wicked king, and we know that he died in a way that fulfilled

divine prophecy. It was not an easy way to die, being struck by an arrow and then having tosit propped up in a chariot all day, bleeding to death. At least there was a certain dignity todying this way, in battle. …...Ahaziah’s death does not appear to be a noble one either. Hedid not die in battle, as his father Ahab had done. He did not die of old age or of somedisease. Somehow this fellow fell out of his upstairs window, and the protective lattice workor netting failed him, causing him to plunge to the ground. What was Ahaziah doing thatwould cause him to fall out of his window? Was he drunk? Did he do something reallyfoolish, like walk along the ledge of his roof? We don’t really know, but it is obvious thatthis is not the way a king would want to die.”

1B. His fall was symbolic of what was about to happen to his kingship as he fell into deathand had to leave his position of power after only a couple of years. It was a short livedkingship and rightly so, for he led people into idolatry. How he fell is not told us, but itseems that he had some fancy lattice work as a sort of window covering by the balcony andhe leaned on it and it gave way and he plummeted into the palace garden or court yardbelow. Some feel it was more like a sky light that he fell through while walking on the roof.Either way he damaged his body severely enough to wonder if he would survive the fall. He was the king of Israel, but he never bothered to seek the wisdom of those who served theGod of Israel. He went after the advice of the pagan god of Baalzebub, the god of the flies.He was seeking to know the future and that was what so much of pagan religion was allabout. There is a record of a disease that was spread by flies that was cured by praying tothis pagan god, and that was probably why Ahaziah sought this god's advice on his owndisease, or sickness caused by his fall.

1C. “The king apparently leaned against the wooden screen and fell through from thesecond-floor balcony to the ground below.” (Dilday) ““This could suggest that Baal-Zebubwas a god who warded off plagues that were brought on by flies. There are numerousreferences to ‘fly gods’ in classical literature.” (Dilday)

1D. F. B. Meyer, “Ahaziah's sickness was caused by a fall through a defective lattice orfence work, which surrounded the upper stories of his house; either around the flat roofwithout, or enclosing one of the galleries which looked down on the open court of the palacewithin. There was a special instruction about this (Deut 22:8). We should be careful of ourbattlements, to see that they are in good repair, and we should build them in all threatenedplaces. The habit of abstinence from strong drink is one piece of lattice work which in thesedays we should very carefully maintain. If we do not fall for want of it, others may. All goodhabits are strong battlements.”

2. Henry, “ “Royal palaces do not always yield firm footing. The snare is laid for the sinnerin the ground where he thinks least of it, Job_18:9, Job_18:10. The whole creation, whichgroans under the man's sin, will at length sink and break under the weight, like this lattice.He is never safe that has God for his enemy. His inquiry was very foolish: Shall I recover?Even nature itself would rather have asked, “What means may I use that I may recover?”But as one solicitous only to know his fortune, not to know his duty, his question is onlythis, Shall I recover? to which a little time would give an answer. We should be more

thoughtful what will become of us after death than how, or when, or where, we shall die,and more desirous to be told how we may conduct ourselves well in our sickness, and getgood to our souls by it, than whether we shall recover from it. 2. His sending to Baal-zebubwas very wicked; to make a dead and dumb idol, perhaps newly erected (for idolaters werefond of new gods), his oracle, was not less a reproach to his reason than to his religion.Baal-zebub, which signifies the lord of a fly, was one of their Baals that perhaps gave hisanswers either by the power of the demons or the craft of the priests, with a hummingnoise, like that of a great fly, or that had (as they fancied) rid their country of the swarms offlies wherewith it was infested, or of some pestilential disease brought among them by flies.Perhaps this dunghill-deity was as famous then as the oracle of Delphos was, longafterwards, in Greece. In the �ew Testament the prince of the devils is called Beel-zebub

(Mat_12:24), for the gods of the Gentiles were devils, and this perhaps grew to be one of themost famous.”

3. Very strange is the fact that in the ninth chapter we read that his mother Jezebel also fellfrom the balcony window and was eaten by a pack of hungry dogs. This was a royal family,but they lived in a death trap. Both mother and son fell in their home. This was notnecessarily the judgment of God on their wickedness, for many godly and innocent peoplealso fall to their injury and death. A young Christian boy fell out of the window when Paulwas preaching a long sermon, and it took a miracle to save his life. Falling is one of themost common types of accidents, and it demands that we all take precautions in avoidingwhat is a category of suffering that is almost always not God's will. This mother and sonhad already fallen spiritually, and then they fell physically, and there is a connectionbetween living a life with no stability and literal falls. People who drink to excess have alarge number of unnecessary falls, and this could have been a factor in these falls, for theywere godless livers who no doubt abused their wine consumption. It is logical to assumethat both of these falls were judgments of God, but it is terrible to assume that all falls areGod's judgment.

4. Pink has a good note on letting an accident cause you to think of your relationship withGod. God may not have been the agent of the accident, but it can be used by God to changeyour direction if you will let it. He wrote, “And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in hisupper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick." Here was where mercy was mingledwith justice: here was where "space for repentance" was granted the idolatrous king. Ohow long-suffering is God! Ahaziah’s fall did not prove immediately fatal, though it placedhim on a bed of sickness, where he had opportunity to "consider his ways." And how oftenthe Lord deals thus, both with nations and with individuals. The Roman empire was notbuilt in a day, nor was it destroyed in a day. Many a blatant rebel against Heaven has beenpulled up suddenly in his evil career. An "accident" over took him, and though it may havedeprived him of a limb, yet not of his life. Such may have been the experience of someonewho reads these lines. If so, we would say to him with all earnestness, Redeem the time thatis now left you. You might now be in hell, but God has given you a further season (brief atthe most) to think of eternity and prepare for it. O that His goodness may lead you torepentance! Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart. Throw down theweapons of your warfare against Him and be reconciled to Him, for how shall you escapethe everlasting burnings if you neglect His so-great salvation?”

5. His injury was serious enough to make him question if he would live, and so he sendsmessengers to ask a pagan god to give him an answer. It was pure folly, but he had turnedhis back on the God of Israel, and had only idols to turn to for help. It was a common partof the pagan world to inquire about the future from their idols. It was so stupid, however,for Amaziah had already been warned about his folly of looking to pagan gods. We read in2 Chronicles 25:14-15, �IV “When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, hebrought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down tothem and burned sacrifices to them. 15 The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah,and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people's gods, whichcould not save their own people from your hand?”

6. Pink, “This "Baal-zebub" signifies "The lord of a fly or flies," probably because, sincetheir country was infested with flies (as modern travelers still report), they supposed heprotected them from the diseases which they spread. In Matthew 12:24 we find our Lordterming Beelzebub (the Greek form of spelling) "the prince of the demons," whichintimates that under various names and images evil spirits were actually worshiped as godsby the heathen—as is plainly stated in 1 Corinthians 10:20: "the things which the Gentilessacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God." It would appear that at the time ofAhaziah the priests of Baa1 had through their incantations of evil spirits acquired celebrityfor their knowledge of future events, much as the oracle of Delphi was held in high reputein Greece some years later. Believing that the idol at Ekron could foresee and foretell thingsto come, Ahaziah paid him homage. The exceeding sinfulness of such practices is placedbeyond dispute by such passages as Leviticus 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:10; 1 Chronicles10:13. Thus those who consult fortune-tellers, astrologers and "spiritualists" are guilty of afearful sin, and expose themselves unto the powers of evil.”

7. Jamison, “Anxious to learn whether he should recover from the effects of this severe fall,he sent to consult Baalzebub, that is, the god of flies, who was considered the patron deityof medicine. A temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and wide,though it afterward led to the destruction of the place (Zec 9:5; Am 1:8; Zep 2:4). "Aftervisiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no surprise. The flies thereswarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could hardly get any food without thesetroublesome insects getting into it" [VA� DE VELDE].”

8. Coffman, “The word Baal-zebub, as indicated by Ugaritic tablets was spelled Baal-zebul,meaning "lord of the dwelling," but as it stands in the Hebrew it means, "lord of theflies."This change of meaning probably resulted from a Hebrew deliberate misspelling ofthe name of that detestable god. Later in history, "The Rabbis, by making an additionalslight change in the spelling, altered the name to mean, the dung god,"or the "god of thedunghill." Ahaziah's sending messengers to inquire of Baalzebub was designed as a publicinsult to the true God of Israel, a maneuver which required the direct intervention of GodHimself to checkmate it for the sake of the chosen people. God moved at once to destroyAhaziah and to demonstrate before all men the stupid futility of Ahaziah's insultingpreference for the Canaanite Baal over the true God of Israel.”

9. An unknown author gives us some background that leads up to this last opportunity forAhaziah to repent and turn to the God of Israel. “When Ahaziah became king, Moabrebelled against Israel, as we read in 2 Kings 1:1. This meant political trouble for Ahaziah.Since the days of David, Moab had been subject to Israel, but now the people of Moabrealized that Ahaziah was a weak king. So they rebelled against Israel, causing greatpolitical humiliation for King Ahaziah. But who was behind this humiliation? God. Thiswas God’s plan to help Ahaziah humble himself and call upon the name of God to help him.

Did political humiliation cause Ahaziah repent and call upon Jehovah? �o. So God dealtwith Ahaziah in a different way. This time he gave him economic trouble. In 2 Chronicles20 we read that Ahaziah entered into a shipbuilding venture with Jehoshaphat. Both kingswanted to trade and make a lot of money with this great business venture that joined Judahwith Israel. But, as we said before, Ahaziah was not serving God and so God was againsthim. God used this occasion to put economic pressure on Ahaziah. In 2 Chronicles 20:35-36we read: "Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel,who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesiedagainst Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lordwill destroy what you have made.’ The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail totrade." Ahaziah and Jehoshaphat had expended money to build these ships. �o doubt theywere counting on a great return on their investment. But they lost everything.

Have we done this? Like Ahaziah, we may have invested all our money and dreamed of athirty percent return or more for many years. But God touched your investment and madeit to be nothing. If this has happened to you, you may think it is a demonstration of God’sanger against you, but, no, it shows God’s love. Even though you provoked him to anger, heis dealing with you and bringing you down to the dust so that you can call upon him fromthere and say, "God, have mercy upon me! I have sinned and acted arrogantly. I havetreated you with contempt and thrown your word away. I have treated your prophets withcontempt in spite of your supreme demonstration in my life that you are the true God."

Ahaziah lost his investment, his equipment, his profits--everything. This was greateconomic trouble. But did Ahaziah repent? �o. So God dealt with Ahaziah in a third way, apersonal way, by touching his health. In 2 Kings 1:2 we read, "�ow Ahaziah had fallenthrough the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself." �ow, at this pointAhaziah was still alive. He could still call upon the name of the Lord. He could still sendmessengers to find Elijah. If he had done so, God would have responded and helped andhealed him. But did Ahaziah do any of these things? �o. He refused to repent and call onGod.”

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the

Tishbite, "Go up and meet the messengers of the kingof Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is noGod in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?'

1. Here we see God putting his stamp of approval on the use of sarcasm, for it was beingsarcastic to ask if there was no God in Israel to consult that made it necessary to go to apagan god. You guys know, of course, that we have a temple and priests, and that we have ahistory of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who has given us this very land, and yetyou are running off to inquire of a non-god what the future holds for the king. Do you seeanything wrong in this picture?

2. Pink, “The Hebrew is more expressive and emphatic than the English: "Is it becausethere is no God, none in Israel" that you turn for information to the emissaries of Satan?�ot only had the true and living God made Himself known to Israel, but He was incovenant relationship with them. This it is which explains "the angel of the Lord"addressing Himself to Elijah on this occasion, emphasizing as it did that blessedrelationship which the king was repudiating, it was the Angel of the Covenant (Ex. 23:23,etc). As such, Jehovah had given clear demonstration of Himself to Ahaziah in his ownlifetime.

3. Jamison, “the angel of the Lord--not an angel, but the angel, who carried on allcommunications between the invisible God and His chosen people [HE�GSTE�BERG].This angel commissioned Elijah to meet the king's messengers, to stop them peremptorilyon the idolatrous errand, and convey by them to the king information of his approachingdeath. This consultation of an idol, being a breach of the fundamental law of the kingdom(Ex 20:3; De 5:7), was a daring and deliberate rejection of the national religion. The Lord,in making this announcement of his death, designed that he should see in that event ajudgment for his idolatry.”

4. “When we are at our wit’s end, we will reveal in which god we are trusting. Ahaziahrefused to trust in the God of Israel. He would rather trust in the devil, meaning the falsegod Baal-Zebub, the god of the Philistines, and send messengers forty miles south to Ekronto hear from him rather than to seek the God of Israel. What was Ahaziah doing? He was,in essence, saying, "There is no God in Israel. But I understand that in Philistia there aregods, especially one named Baal-Zebub. Messengers, would you please go all the way toEkron and get a revelation from Baal-Zebub as to whether I will recover or not?"

Ahaziah would not consult the true and living God, the infinite, eternal, unchanging God--the God of the covenant, the God of mercy and the God of grace, the God who created theheavens and the earth, and the God who alone is able to redeem us from our sins. Herefused to consult the true God or his prophet Elijah, even though this is the God who

revealed himself and said, "I am Jehovah who healeth you--Jehovah Rophekah ." authorunknown

5. Coffman, “The importance of this event is stressed by the appearance of this MightyAngel to Elijah. Some identify him with the great Christophanies of the O.T., and Dentanwas probably correct in his statement that, The Angel of the Lord who appears in 2 Kings

1:3,15 is actually the Lord himself.F6 Gen. 22:15-16 speaks of the angel of the Lord and theLord as being the same.”

4 Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'You will notleave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!'" So Elijah went.

1. God has Elijah tell them that he will save them a lot of time and trouble, for the God whois always here in Israel has spoken with the answer you are looking for. God's bedsidemanner is radical and aggressive. He does not beat around the bush, but comes straight outand says, “You will certainly die!” This is your death bed king, for you have defied the Godof your people by going to a pagan idol for guidance. That was the last straw, and Godspoke with wrath at this insult.

2. Pink, “Having reproved the awful sin of Ahaziah, the servant of God now pronouncesjudgment on him. Here then was the last and solemn task of Elijah, to pass the capitalsentence upon the apostate king. Unto the widow of Zarephath God had made him "thesavor of life unto life," but unto Ahab and now to his son he became "the savor of deathunto death." Varied indeed are the tasks assigned unto the ministers of the Gospel,according as they are called upon to comfort God’s people and feed His sheep, or warn thewicked and denounce evildoers. Thus it was with their great Exemplar: both benedictionsand maledictions were found on His lips; though most congregations are far more familiarwith the former than the latter. Yet it will be found that His "Blesseds" in Matthew 5 arebalanced by an equal number of "Woes" in Matthew 23.

In 1 Kings 18 we see how God sent his prophet Elijah to Israel during the reign of thewicked king Ahab. God wanted to demonstrate through Elijah that the true God of Israelwas not Baal. In 1 Kings 18:21 Elijah asked the people, "How long will you waver betweentwo opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." In this greatdemonstration Baal was proven to be impotent and a lie. But Jehovah was shown to bepowerful and true when he sent fire from heaven which consumed Elijah’s sacrifice. Thiswas a sign that Israel should abandon Baal worship and serve the true God of the covenant.It was a warning to submit to Jehovah the great king and listen to the words of hisprophets. But Ahab, Jezebel and their children refused to serve God, and God killed themall.”

3. In Acts 20 we read of a young man named Eutychus who fell from the third story anddied. Paul came down and prayed for Eutychus, and the young man revived. But Ahaziahwas an arrogant man. God had already humiliated him politically and economically, andnow God was dealing with him in his health. This was a serious fall and, in truth, Ahaziahwas dying. Someone said only one step stands between us and death. Ahaziah had takenthat one step, fell down, and was seriously injured. Had he sought the face of Jehovah hemay have been granted a healing, but he chose to seek out Baal instead, and this left himwithout hope, for God let nature take its course and that meant he would die.

4. Pink, “And Elijah departed" (2 Kings 1:4). At his Master’s bidding, the prophet hadgone forth to meet the servants of Ahaziah and delivered what the Lord had commissionedhim, and had sent them back with this message to their king, and then took his leave ofthem. His departure was not for the purpose of concealing himself but to return to hiscommunion with God. It was to "the top of a hill" (v. 9), that he retired: typically it spokeof moral separation from, and elevation above, the world. We have to betake ourselves to"the secret place of the Most High"—and this is not to be found near the giddy andbustling crowds, if we are to "abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Ps. 91:1); it isfrom the mercy seat His voice is heard speaking (�um. 7:89). On a previous occasion wehave seen Elijah making for the mountaintop as soon as his public work was completed (1Kings 18:42). What an object lesson is there here for all the servants of Christ: when theyhave delivered their message, to retire from the public eye and get alone with God, as theirSavior before them was wont to do. The "top of the hill" is also the place of observationand vision: O to make spiritual observatories of our private rooms!

There is nothing in the sacred narrative which indicates the nationality of these messengersof Ahaziah. If they were Israelites they could scarcely be ignorant of the prophet’s identitywhen he so suddenly accosted them and so dramatically announced the doom of theirmaster. If they were foreigners, imported from Tyre by Jezebel, they were probablyignorant of the mighty Tishbite, for some years had elapsed since his last publicappearance. Whoever they were, these men were so impressed by that commanding figureand his authoritative tone, so awed by his knowledge of their mission and so terrified by hispronouncement, that they at once abandoned their quest and returned to the king. He whocould tell what Ahaziah thought and said could evidently foretell the outcome of hissickness: they dared not proceed on their journey to Ekron. That illustrated an importantprinciple. When a servant of God is energized by an ungrieved Spirit, his message carriesconviction and strikes terror into the hearts of his hearers: just as Herod "feared" John theBaptist (Mark 6:20), and Felix "trembled" before Paul (Acts 24:25). But it is not talking tothe wicked about the love of God which will produce such effects, nor will such conscience-soothers be owned of Heaven. Rather is it those who declare, as Elijah of Ahaziah, "Thoushalt surely die."

5. David Guzik, “In fact, this was a mercy to Ahaziah. God told him something that fewpeople know - that his death was imminent and that he had time to repent and prepare to

meet God.This prophetic announcement might also explain why Ahaziah did not want toseek an answer from the Lord: he knew what the answer would be. In seeking Baal-Zebubfor an answer, Ahaziah may have wanted to find a god to tell him what he wanted to hear.”

5 When the messengers returned to the king, he askedthem, "Why have you come back?"

1. Pink, “It must have been both a surprise and a shock to the king when his servantsreturned unto him so quickly, for he knew that sufficient time had not elapsed for them tohave journeyed to Ekron in Philistia and back again. His question expresses annoyance, areprimand for their being remiss in discharging his commission. Kings in that day wereaccustomed to receive blind obedience from their subjects, and woe be unto those whocrossed their imperial wills. This only serves to emphasize the effect which the appearanceand words of Elijah made upon them. From the next verse we learn that the prophet hadbidden them, "Go turn again unto the king that sent you" and repeat my message untohim. And though their so doing meant placing their lives in jeopardy, nevertheless theycarried out the prophet’s order. How they put to shame thousands of those professing to bethe servants of Christ who for many years past have studiously withheld that which theirauditors most needed to hear and criminally substituted a message of "Peace, peace" whenthere was no peace for them, and that in days when a faithful proclamation of the truth hadnot endangered their persons. Surely these messengers of Ahaziah will yet rise up injudgment against all such faithless time-servers.

6 "A man came to meet us," they replied. "And hesaid to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you and tellhim, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because thereis no God in Israel that you are sending men to consultBaal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will notleave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!"

1. We see here a direct connection between his idolatry and his premature death. He

rejected the God of Israel, and God returned the favor and rejected him by sending him todeath. This was a capital crime in a theocracy, and the death penalty was demanded.

2. Pink, “From their omission of his name and by referring to Elijah simply as "a man itseems clear that these messengers of the king were ignorant of the prophet’s identity. Butthey had been so overawed by his appearance and the solemnity of his manner, and were soconvinced his announcement would be verified, that they deemed themselves warranted inabandoning their journey and returning to their master. Accordingly they delivered a plainstraightforward account of what had occurred and faithfully reported Elijah’spronouncement. They knew full well that such a message must prove most unwelcome tothe king, yet they made no attempt to alter its tone or soften it down. They shrank not fromtelling Ahaziah to his face that sentence of death had gone out against him.”

3. Gill, “Ekron was one of the principalities of the Philistines, and this idol was the god theyworshiped, which signifies a master fly: which some think was a large metallic fly; madeunder a planet that rules over flies; and the Heathens had deities they called Myiodes,Myagros, and (apomuiov) , which signifies a driver away of flies; as Jupiter and Herculeswere called by the Eleans and Romans, and worshipped and sacrificed to by them on thataccount; and so the Cyreneans, a people of Lybia, worshiped the god Achor, which seems tobe a corruption of the word Ekron, because he freed them from flies, after they had beeninfested with a pestilence through them; and Ekron being a place near the sea, and both hotand moist, might be much infested with those creatures. Within the haven of Ptolemais, orAcco, was formerly a temple of Baalzebub, called in later times "the tower of flies", andused as a Pharus.”

7 The king asked them, "What kind of man was it whocame to meet you and told you this?"

1. Pink, “�o doubt the king was fairly well convinced as to who it was that had dared tocross their path and send him such a message, but to make quite sure he bids his servantsdescribe the mysterious stranger: what was his appearance, how was he clothed, and inwhat manner did he address you? How that illustrates one of the chief traits of theunregenerate: it was not the message which Ahaziah now inquired about, but the man whouttered it, yet surely his own conscience would warn him that no mere man could be theauthor of such a message. And is not this the common tendency of the unconverted: thatinstead of taking to heart what is said, they fix their attention on who says it. Such is poorfallen human nature. When a true servant of God is sent and delivers a searching word,people seek to evade it by occupying themselves with his personality, his style of delivery,his denominational affiliation— anything secondary as long as it serves to crowd out that

which is of supreme moment. Yet when the postman hands them an important businessletter they are not concerned about his appearance.”

8 They replied, "He was a man with a garment of hairand with a leather belt around his waist." The kingsaid, "That was Elijah the Tishbite."

1. Keil, “This does not mean a man with a luxuriant growth of hair, but refers to the hairydress, i.e., the garment made of sheep-skin or goat-skin or coarse camel-hair, which waswrapped round his body, which was worn by the prophets, not as mere ascetics, but aspreachers of repentance, the rough garment denoting the severity of the divine judgmentsupon the effeminate nation, which reveled in luxuriance and worldly lust. And this was alsoin keeping with “the leather girdle,” whereas the ordinary girdle was of cotton or linen, andoften very costly.”

1B. Coffman, “The RSV is doubtless correct in its rendition of this clause as, He wore agarment of hair-cloth. This was the traditional clothing of God's prophets, for Zechariahwrote of false prophets, Who put on a hairy mantle to deceive (Zechariah 13:4). Also Johnthe Baptist's garb of camel's hair and a leather girdle (Matthew 3:4) in imitation of his

forerunner is sufficient commentary on this phrase. It was not intended to be acomfortable garment, because, It was one of professional austerity.”

2. Clarke, “That is, he wore a rough garment, either made of camels' hair, as his successorJohn Baptist's was, or he wore a skin dressed with the hair on. Some think that the meaningis, he had very long hair and a long beard. The ancient prophets all wore rough garments,or upper coats made of the skins of beasts: They wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-

skins, says the apostle, Hebrews 11:37.”

3. Jamison, “an hairy man--This was the description not of his person, as in the case ofEsau, but of his dress, which consisted either of unwrought sheep or goatskins (Heb 11:37),or of camel's haircloth--the coarser manufacture of this material like our rough haircloth.The Dervishes and Bedouins are attired in this wild, uncouth manner, while their hair flowsloose on the head, their shaggy cloak is thrown over their shoulders and tied in front on thebreast, naked, except at the waist, round which is a skin girdle--a broad, rough leathernbelt. Similar to this was the girdle of the prophets, as in keeping with their coarse garmentsand their stern, uncompromising office.”

4. Pink, “And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leatherabout his loins" (v. 8). We do not regard this as a description of his person so much as of his

attire. Concerning John the Baptist, who came "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke1:17), it is recorded that he "had his raiment of camel’s hair and a leathern girdle about hisloins" (Matthew 3:4). Thus we understand that the outward garment of Elijah was made ofskins (cf. Heb. 11:37), girded about by a strip of undressed leather. That the prophets hadsome such distinguishing garb is clear from Zechariah 13:4, by the false prophets assumingthe same in order to beguile the people: "a garment of hair to deceive." In that era wheninstruction was given to the eye as well as the ear, by symbols and shadows, that uncouthdress denoted the prophet’s mortification to the world, and expressed his concern andsorrow for the idolatry and iniquity of his people, just as the putting on of "sackcloth" byothers signified humility and grief. For other references to the symbolic meaning of theprophet’s dress and actions compare 1 Kings 11:28 -31; 22.11; Acts 21: 10, 11.

There could be no mistake: the king knew now who it was that had sent such a solemnmessage to him. And what effect was produced upon him? Was he awed and humbled? Didhe now bewail his sins and cry unto God for mercy? Far from it. He had learned nothingfrom his father’s awful end. The severe affliction under which he was suffering softenedhim not. Even the near approach of death made no difference. He was incensed against theprophet and determined to destroy him. Had Elijah sent him a lying and flattering word,that had been acceptable, but the truth he could not bear. How like the degenerategeneration in which our lot is cast, who had rather be bombed to death in places ofamusement than be found on their faces before God. Ahaziah was young and arrogant, notat all disposed to receive reproof or endure opposition to his will, no matter from whatquarter it proceeded, no, not even from Jehovah Himself. The message from Elijah, thoughin God’s name and by His express command, enraged the monarch beyond measure, andinstantly he resolves on the death of the prophet, though he had done nothing more than hisduty.

9 Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company offifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who wassitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, "Man ofGod, the king says, 'Come down!' "

1. Ahaziah could not and would not allow some backwoods preacher wearing goatskin whohadn’t even shaved his beard or learned to dress for success to tell him what to do or torebuke him for anything. CALL OUT THE GUARD A�D GO GET ELIJAH A�D BRI�GHIM TO ME. HE MUST A�SWER FOR HIS CRIME.” author unknown

1B. David Guzik, “There were many reasons why Ahaziah wanted to arrest Elijah, eventhough he already heard the prophecy through Elijah. Perhaps he wanted Elijah to reverse

his word of doom and would use force to compel him to do it. Perhaps he just wanted toshow his rage against this prophet who had troubled him and his father Ahab for so long.Perhaps he wanted to dramatically silence Elijah to discourage future prophets fromspeaking boldly against the King of Israel. God assured Elijah that he had nothing to fearfrom Ahaziah.”

1C. McDuff, “"Man of God" - this appellation may have been uttered in profane irony; - asif this godless captain of a godless king, would make stern proof of how bootless was thename, when fifty gleaming swords were ready to leap from their scabbards shouldresistance be attempted. But even had no such arrogant sarcasm been implied, it was crimeand presumption enough to order thus summarily a prophet of Israel, who had donenought but deliver a message on his Master's authority, to surrender himself captive at thebidding of a recreant and apostate monarch. It was not so much contempt of Elijah, asinsult to Him whose messenger and servant he was. Woe betide the earthly power thatwould dare dish on our an ambassador of the Most High!”

2. Bob Deffinbaugh, “The intent of this mission is not stated, but then it hardly needs to be.This was the equivalent of a SWAT team. Does anyone doubt that Elijah was to be placedunder arrest and brought before Ahaziah? And once in custody, is it not quite clear that theking plans to intimidate Elijah, forcing him to change his prophecy, and thus Ahaziah’sfuture? And if Elijah were to refuse, the king would have the satisfaction of taking Elijahwith him, to the grave. Elijah must know how Ahaziah will respond. And yet he does notseek to hide from him (as he had once run from Jezebel—1 Kings 19:1-3). The captain andhis men found Elijah sitting at the top of a hill. With the full authority of a drill sergeant,the captain addressed Elijah, the “man of God,” giving him these orders in the name of theking: “Come down!” The words of the commander are fascinating. Elijah is addressed as a“man of God,” and yet he is given orders from the king, as though this should make it clearthat he must obey man rather than God (contrast Acts 5:29). The king is giving orders, as itwere, to God. The commander, like the wicked, speaks “from on high” (Psalm 73:8). It doesnot put one in good standing to be giving orders to God, or to His prophet. This fellowdidn’t even say “Please.” This fellow is about to be “fired” (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

3. Jamison, “Any appearance of cruelty that there is in the fate of the two captainsand their men will be removed, on a full consideration of the circumstances. Godbeing the King of Israel, Ahaziah was bound to govern the kingdom according to thedivine law; to apprehend the Lord's prophet, for discharging a commanded duty,was that of an impious and notorious rebel. The captains abetted the king in hisrebellion; and they exceeded their military duty by contemptuous insults. Man ofGod--In using this term, they either spoke derisively, believing him to be no trueprophet; or, if they regarded him as a true prophet, the summons to him tosurrender himself bound to the king was a still more flagrant insult; the language ofthe second captain being worse than that of the first.”

4. Keil, “After having executed the divine command, Elijah returned to the summit of themountain, on which he dwelt. Most of the commentators suppose it to have been one of thepeaks of Carmel, from 2Ki_2:25 and 1Ki_18:42, which is no doubt very probable, though itcannot be raised into certainty. Elijah's place of abode was known to the king; he thereforesent a captain with fifty men to fetch the prophet. To the demand of the captain, “Man ofGod, the king has said, Come down,” Elijah replied, “And if I am a man of God, let fire fallfrom heaven and consume thee and thy fifty.” (The expression ואם, and if, shows thatElijah's words followed immediately upon those of the captain.) This judicial miracle wasimmediately fulfilled.”

5. Pink, “Ahaziah was at no loss to find wicked men ready to execute the most desperateand impious orders. This company of soldiers went forth promptly to seize the Lord’sservant. They found him sitting composedly upon an eminence. The spirit of the captainevidenced that his heart was thoroughly in his task, for he insolently addressed Elijah as"thou man of God," which was by way of derision and insult. It was as though he had said,Thou claimest Jehovah as thy Master, we come to thee in the name of a greater than he:King Ahaziah says, Come down! Fearful effrontery and blasphemy was that! It was notonly an insult to Elijah, but to Elijah’s God, an insult which was not suffered to gounchallenged. How often in the past have the wicked made a mock at sacred things andturned the very terms by which God designates His people into epithets of reproach,sneeringly dubbing them "the elect," "saints," etc. That they do so no longer is because thefine gold has become dim; godliness is no more a reality and a rebuke to the impious. Whowould think of designating the average clergyman a "man of God?" Rather does he wish tobe known as "a good mixer," a man of the world.”

10 Elijah answered the captain, "If I am a man ofGod, may fire come down from heaven and consumeyou and your fifty men!" Then fire fell from heavenand consumed the captain and his men.

1. Deffinbaugh, “Elijah takes up the challenge. The captain spoke in the name of the king.Elijah will speak in the name of the King of Kings—the God of Israel. Elijah employs someof the captain’s own words. He had called Elijah a “man of God” (the �ET Bible translatesthis “prophet” and then in a marginal note informs us that the text literally reads “man ofGod.”). Elijah reasons that if he was, in fact, a man of God, and he spoke with God’sauthority, then he should be able to call down fire from heaven to consume the captain andall his men. If Elijah was under divine protection, and the king sought to harm him, thenthe king (and anyone acting on his behalf, such as this captain) would be the ones indanger. Immediately fire did come from heaven, and the 51 soldiers now lay dead before

the prophet.”

2. Clarke, “ Some have blamed the prophet for destroying these men, by bringing down firefrom heaven upon them. But they do not consider that it was no more possible for Elijah tobring down fire from heaven, than for them to do it. God alone could send the fire; and ashe is just and good, he would not have destroyed these men had there not been a sufficientcause to justify the act. It was not to please Elijah, or to gratify any vindictive humor inhim, that God thus acted; but to show his own power and justice. �o entreaty of Elijahcould have induced God to have performed an act that was wrong in itself. Elijah,personally, had no concern in the business. God led him simply to announce on theseoccasions what he himself had determined to do. If I be a man of God, i.e., as surely as I ama man of God, fire Shall come down from heaven, and Shall consume thee and thy fifty.This is the literal meaning of the original; and by it we see that Elijah’s words were onlydeclarative, and not imprecatory.”

3. Barnes, “The charge of cruelty made against Elijah makes it needful to consider thequestion: What was Elijah’s motive? And the answer is: Sharply to make a signal example,to vindicate God’s honor in a striking way. Ahaziah had, as it were, challenged Yahweh to atrial of strength by sending a band of fifty to arrest one man. Elijah was not Jesus Christ,able to reconcile mercy with truth, the vindication of God’s honor with the utmosttenderness for erring men, and awe them merely by His presence (compare Joh_18:6). InElijah the spirit of the Law was embodied in its full severity. His zeal was fierce; he was notshocked by blood; he had no softness and no relenting. He did not permanently profit bythe warning at Horeb (1Ki_19:12 note). He continued the uncompromising avenger of sin,the wielder of the terrors of the Lord, such exactly as he had shown himself at Carmel. Heis, consequently, no pattern for Christian men Luk_9:55; but his character is the perfectionof the purely legal type. �o true Christian after Pentecost would have done what Elijah did.But what he did, when he did it, was not sinful. It was but executing strict, stern justice.Elijah asked that fire should fall - God made it fall; and, by so doing, both vindicated Hisown honor, and justified the prayer of His prophet.”

3B. Gill, “And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, if I be a man of God…As I am,and thou shalt know it by the following token, though thou callest me so jeeringly: then letfire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty; this he said not in a passion,and from a private spirit of revenge, but for the vindication of the honour and glory ofGod, and under the impulse of his spirit, who was abused through the insult on him as hisprophet: and there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty; a flash oflightning, which destroyed them at once; the Lord hearkening to the voice of his prophet, invindication of him in his office, and of his own glory.”

4. Ron Daniels, “If I Am A Man Of God....If you think about it, Elijah took a huge chancesaying, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven..."After all, he wasn't doingthis in his own power. He was trusting that the Lord would validate it. It is really somethingto be so sure that God is speaking to you that you will make a great leap of faith, puttingyour very reputation on the line.” “Elijah had complete confidence that he was a man of

God and that the Lord would follow through. But often times, I don't have that kind offaith. Many times, I am afraid to say, "This is what the Lord is doing," until after it's done.I believe that God wants us to step out in faith - not in presumption, telling Him what to do,but in complete trust that He will provide, that He will supply, that He will do themiraculous.”

5. Damien Spikereit, “And can you imagine what was going through the 3rd captains mindwhen he is asked to go and bring Elijah back. But, the difference with him is he humbledhimself before Elijah and recognized that Elijah was not going to be intimidated. Andbecause of this the Lord tells Elijah that he is to "Go down with him" and "to not be afraidof him." So we read what Elijah told the King of Israel, read vss 16-17

Did you catch the recurring question that runs throughout this story? It’s an importantquestion. It is asked by the Lord initially in verse 3, and then a messenger repeats it toAhaziah in verse 4, and then Elijahs asks in person to Ahaziah in verse 16... "Is it becausethere is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?"

You know I wonder if God asks the same question of us. I wonder if God looks at me andasks me that question, "Damien, is it because there is no God in your life that you have toturn to every thing else before you turn to me?" Does God have reason to ask that questionof you. "Is it because there is no God in your life, that you turn to everything else beforeyou turn to me?"

Husbands, wives... is he asking that question of you. You’re tired of arguing, you’re tired offighting, you’re tired of feeling alone and depressed, you know that something has to bedone if your marriage is going to survive. And so you turn to self-help books, to counselors,to videos and seminars and conferences, retreats and on and on the list goes, and the wholetime, God is saying... "Is there no God in your marriage that you have to turn to all of theseother things before you turn to me in prayer?"

Highschooler, junior high students... is he asking that question of you. You’re having atough time in school, with your grades, with your friends, you work hard on the ball field,in the classroom, in your relationships, but it seems like nothing ever works for you. And soyou turn to your friends for help, you turn to your teachers, your parents, you beginblaming other people for your problems, and on and on, and the whole time, God isasking... "Is there no God in your life that you have to turn to all of these other thingsbefore you turn to me in prayer?"

Leaders, elders, deacons, minister... is he asking us that question. We make importantdecisions as to the direction and vision of this church. We decide how to spend the money,what to allow and disallow, we are called upon to be examples of faith, to shepherd andlead God’s people. And so we turn to our business manuals, our financial reports, our ownexperiences, and the whole time, God is asking us... "Is there no God in your church thatyou have to turn to all of these other things before you turn to me in prayer?"

And I could go on and on with all of us. When we struggle to overcome a sin in our life,when we have loved ones who are sick and hurting, when we are sick and hurting. Whenwe have financial hardships, when we have struggles and battles to face at work, at home,in our family. And so often we turn to every one else, and to every thing else before we turnto God in prayer... And God asks all of us, "Is it because there is no God in your life thatyou will not turn to me in prayer first?"

6. Pink, “There was no personal vindictiveness in the terrible reply of Elijah, but aconsuming zeal for the glory of God, which had been so blatantly insulted by this captain.The king’s agent had jibed at his being a "man of God," and now he should be furnishedwith summary proof whether or no the Maker of heaven and earth owned the prophet asHis servant. The insolence and impiety of this man who had insulted Jehovah and Hisambassador should meet with swift judgment. "And there came down fire from heaven andconsumed him and his fifty" (v. 10). Sure sign was this that Elijah had not been actuated byany spirit of revenge, for in such a case God had not responded to his appeal. On an earlieroccasion the "fire of the Lord" had fallen upon and consumed the sacrifice (1 Kings 18:38),but here it falls on sinners who had slighted that sacrifice. So shall it again be when "theLord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire takingvengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord JesusChrist" (2 Thess. 1:7, 8).

Surely so manifest an interposition of God would serve as a deterrent, if not to theabandoned king yet to his servants, so that no further attempt would be made to apprehendElijah. But no: "Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And heanswered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly"(v. 11). It is hard to say which, on this occasion, was the more remarkable, the madness ofthe wounded Ahaziah when the report of the awful event reached him, or the presumptionof this officer and his soldiers. This second captain took no warning from what had befallenthe first and his soldiers. Was the calamity which overtook them attributed to chance, tosome lightning or fireball happening to consume them, or was he recklessly determined tobrave things out? Like his predecessor he addressed the prophet in the language ofinsulting derision, though using more peremptory terms than the former: "Come downquickly." See once more how sin hardens the heart and ripens men for judgment. And whomaketh thee to differ? To what desperate lengths might the writer and the reader havegone if the mercy of God had not interposed and stopped us in our mad career! 0 whatpraise is due unto sovereign grace which snatched me as a brand from the burning!

"And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down fromheaven and consume thee and thy fifty" (v. 12). Proof had already been given that Jehovahwas omniscient (v. 4), now they should know He is omnipotent. What is man in the hands ofhis Maker? One flash of lightning and fifty-one of His enemies become burnt stubble. Andif all the hosts of Israel, yea the entire human race, had been assembled there, it had neededno other force. Then what folly it is for him whose breath is in his nostrils to contend withthe Almighty: "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker" (Isa. 45:9). Some have blamedElijah for destroying those men, overlooking the fact that he could no more bring down fire

from heaven than they can. Elijah simply announced on these occasions what God hadHimself determined to do. �or was it to please the prophet that the Lord acted, or togratify any vindictive passion in Himself, but to show forth His power and justice. It cannotbe said the soldiers were innocent, for they were performing no military duty, but openlyfighting against Heaven as the language of the third captain indicates. This has beenrecorded as a lasting warning for all ages, that those who mock at and persecute God’sfaithful ministers will not escape His punishment. On the other hand, those who havebefriended them shall by no means lose their reward.”

7. Henry, “Doubtless Elijah did this by a divine impulse, and yet our Savior would notallow the disciples to draw it into a precedent, Luk_9:54. They were now not far from theplace where Elias did this act of justice upon provoking Israelites, and would needs, in likemanner, call for fire upon those provoking Samaritans. “�o,” says Christ, “by no means,you know not what manner of spirit you are of,” that is, (1.) “You do not consider what

manner of spirit, as disciples, you are called to, and how different from that of the OldTestament dispensation; it was agreeable enough to that dispensation of terror, and of theletter, for Elias to call for fire, but the dispensation of the Spirit and of grace will by nomeans allow it.” (2.) “You are not aware what manner of spirit you are, upon this occasion,actuated by, and how different from that of Elias: he did it in holy zeal, you in passion; hewas concerned for God's glory, you for your own reputation only.” God judges men'spractices by their principles, and his judgment is according to truth.”

11 At this the king sent to Elijah another captain withhis fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God,this is what the king says, 'Come down at once!' "

1. The king had little respect for life, and just sent fifty more men to their death rather thanadmit that Elijah was a man of God, with power that only God could give. He was a rebelto the core, and refused to acknowledge that there was a God in Israel.

2. “Well, I am sure news of this came to Ahaziah. Fifty-one people were killed instantly by aflash of lightning. But this was not just lightning. God caused this to happen, and it wasreally another opportunity for Ahaziah to repent. He should have humbled himself andsaid, "Oh, God, now I understand. I humble myself before you. Have mercy on me, asinner!"

Did Ahaziah humble himself? �o. He sent another captain with fifty more soldiers toElijah. What did this captain say? "Man of God, this is what the king says, ‘Come down atonce!’" How did Elijah respond? "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven

and consume you and your fifty men," and, again, fire came down and consumed thecaptain and his men. What was the message to Ahaziah? "Ahaziah, you are not winning thewar. There is a sovereign Lord of the universe who has declared war against you and he iswinning. But you haven’t died yet, so you still have opportunity to repent."

There was a later king in Judah named Hezekiah who was told he was going to die. Whatdid Hezekiah do? He repented and prayed, and God showed mercy to him. In the sameway, God was willing to save Ahaziah, had he repented and trusted in the God of Israel.”author unknown

3. McDuff, “The unexpected intervention of Elijah was calculated to fill Ahaziah withdismay. He knew that the words and threatenings of the stern Prophet carried with them aterrible significance. That never-to-be-forgotten day on Carmel - the fire, the slaughter, theblood - must have engraven itself deep in his young memory. He might well have deemed itthe height of madness to trifle with the sayings of one who could unlock the armoury ofHeaven, and inflict summaryvengeance on the adversaries of the GOD he served.Therefore, as a doomed man, we half expect, half hope, to see the tear of penitence trembling inhis eye, and messengers forthwith dispatched along the plain of Esdraelon, to endeavor to avertor modify the awful denunciation. But the blood of his mother Jezebel flows in this sick man'sveins. The message of the Prophet rouses him only to wild and frenzied exasperation. Heresolves that the Tishbite shall forfeit his liberty or his life for his bold presumption.

We might have expected that his sickness would have proved a salutary monitor - a rousingmessenger of rebuke and warning to his soul, humbling him in godly sorrow and tears, andleading him to cry for mercy. But instead of being like oil poured on the troubled waters -calming their fretfulness, - that sickness proved rather like oil thrown into the flames, feedingtheir fury. The dying man presents a picture of what, alas! is not infrequently seen, though thesaddest of all spectacles, - a scorner and spurner of the most solemn providential warnings atthe very last gasp of life, - contending with his Maker - lifting his soul in proud defiance againstGOD.”

4. Deffinbaugh, “One wonders what the second commander and his men were thinking asthey made their way to the place where Elijah was stationed. Had they heard about whathad happened to the first group? Did this fellow think that using the same tactics on Elijahas the first captain had tried would really work? The second captain repeats the samewords, with what seems to be greater emphasis on the king’s authority. He orders Elijah tocome down “at once” (verse 11). Did this captain think that tough talk would frightenElijah? Elijah simply repeats the same words to this captain as he had spoken to the onebefore him. If he was a “man of God,” as this captain had said, then let fire come downfrom heaven and consume this fellow, along with his 50 men. Once again, fire came downfrom heaven, and consumed all 51 soldiers.”

12 "If I am a man of God," Elijah replied, "may firecome down from heaven and consume you and yourfifty men!" Then the fire of God fell from heaven andconsumed him and his fifty men.

1. Henry, “This is repeated a second time; would one think it? 1. Ahaziah sends, a secondtime, to apprehend Elijah (2Ki_1:11), as if he were resolved not to be baffled byomnipotence itself. Obstinate sinners must be convinced and conquered, at last, by the fireof hell, for fire from heaven, it seems, will not subdue them. 2. Another captain is readywith his fifty, who, in his blind rage against the prophet, and his blind obedience to theking, dares engage in that service which had been fatal to the last undertakers. This is asimpudent and imperious as the last, and more in haste; not only, “Come down quietly, anddo not struggle,” but without taking any notice of what had been done, he says, “Come

down quickly, and do not trifle, the king's business requires haste; come down, or I willfetch thee down.” 3. Elijah relents not, but calls for another flash of lightning, whichinstantly lays this captain and his fifty dead upon the spot. Those that will sin like othersmust expect to suffer like them; God is inflexibly just.”

2. Coffman has the most comments on this verse that has caused controversy. “We find noagreement whatever with a great many writers who deplore this act of God's destruction of"innocent men," who it is said, "were only obeying orders." �onsense! William Whistonexplained exactly why these men deserved to die. They knew that Elijah was a true prophetof God, and that they were sent to bring that holy man to Ahab for the sole purpose ofAhab's murdering him, and yet they knew that God was the Supreme King in Israel, andthat Elijah was doing the will of the True King. "They certainly knew that they were underthe theocracy. Therefore, when they sought to capture Elijah and bring him to Ahab, theirdoing so was nothing less than the grossest impiety, rebellion against God, and treason inthe highest degree. It was sin of the worst nature that they had consented to obey the ordersof the apostate reprobate Ahaziah.

"What should they have done? They should have acted after the manner of Saul's guards who,when ordered to slay the priests of �ob, knowing the order to be contrary to the will of God,refused to obey it! "Officers and soldiers alike must learn that the commands of their leadersand rulers cannot justify them in doing that which is wicked and sinful in the eyes of God."Hitler's soldiers who ran the death camps were "obeying orders," of course, but that neverjustified what they did. In addition, these first two captains of fifty with their fifties were grosslydisrespectful of Elijah, ordering him to "get a move on," to "come down quickly," "the kinghas commanded," etc. Even the words, "O man of God," were apparently spoken in contemptand derision, a conclusion supported by Elijah's repeated statement that, "IF I am a man ofGod, etc."

This writer is aware that many scholars take a radically different view. Montgomery called thecommands for fire to come down from heaven and to consume the men, "Preposterous."

Honeycutt wrote that, "Few persons would defend the morality of calling down fire fromheaven upon groups of fifty as in this narrative." Dentan believed that, "When Elijah twicecalled down fire from heaven upon soldiers who were innocent executors of the king's will, wemust sense an inadequate understanding of God's justice and mercy."

We could cite other similar opinions, but there are grave errors in all of them. The executors ofAhab's evil command were not "innocent." Elijah did not destroy the men, God did it! As Keilsaid, "Ahaziah's sin was punished not by the prophet, but by the Lord himself, who fulfilled the

word of his servant." If God had not approved of Elijah's request, he would not have honoredit; and when Elijah, along with Moses, stood with the Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration,we have the Divine endorsement of what was done here.

One other thing about this. Several have pointed out that Jesus refused the suggestion of theapostles to call down fire out of heaven upon the Samaritans (Luke 9:51-55) as their alleged"proof" that what Elijah did here was wrong. The situations were not in any sense parallel.Samaria would soon receive and obey Christ (John 4), but there was utterly no possibilitywhatever that the evil offspring of Ahab and Jezebel would ever be anything except aninveterate enemy of God. Besides that, a great wonder from heaven was particularly needed atthe time of Elijah's action in order to prevent enemies like Ahaziah from stamping out the truereligion altogether. The salvation of all the redeemed of all ages was at stake!

�ot only that! With the monarchy of Israel already a lost cause, it was required absolutely ofGod that his prophets should be respected and honored; and if Ahab had been allowed to killElijah, it would have been the precedent for the evil kings of the apostate people to kill all of theprophets continually, and all would have been lost. As Martin said, "This gruesome incident"served notice on all of the wicked rulers of Israel and also of Judah that, "The person of theprophet was inviolate."

13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men.This third captain went up and fell on his knees beforeElijah. "Man of God," he begged, "please have respectfor my life and the lives of these fifty men, yourservants!

1. All you have to do is ask. �one of the others came with a sense that they were dealingwith a man of God, and one whom God was empowering in unusual ways. They came inpride that they had the authority of the king, as if that intimidated God's servant. Elijahwas defying the word of the king. It was the church versus the state, and God's people areto honor the state and its leaders, but the exception is when they are defy the will of God.

Elijah had both the right and a duty to oppose the state, for it was corrupt and evil. �obeliever has an obligation to obey any authority that defies the authority of God, which wasthe case so often with the kings of Israel. The constant worship of idols made the state anenemy of God, and it was to be fought as an evil force. This third captain was not stupid.He saw the reality of what was going on, and came to Elijah with humility and greatrespect. Elijah had to honor his spirit and let him and his men live. He was honored, and hereturned the honor for this man was acknowledging that Elijah did represent the true Godwith the power to destroy that which is evil and unjust.

2. Damien Spikereit, “And can you imagine what was going through the 3rd captains mindwhen he is asked to go and bring Elijah back. But, the difference with him is he humbledhimself before Elijah and recognized that Elijah was not going to be intimidated. Andbecause of this the Lord tells Elijah that he is to "Go down with him" and "to not be afraidof him." So we read what Elijah told the King of Israel, read vss 16-17 Did you catch therecurring question that runs throughout this story? It’s an important question. It is askedby the Lord initially in verse 3, and then a messenger repeats it to Ahaziah in verse 4, andthen Elijahs asks in person to Ahaziah in verse 16... "Is it because there is no God in Israelfor you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?"You know I wonder if God asks the same question of us. I wonder if God looks at me andasks me that question, "Damien, is it because there is no God in your life that you have toturn to every thing else before you turn to me?" Does God have reason to ask that questionof you. "Is it because there is no God in your life, that you turn to everything else beforeyou turn to me?"

3. Deffinbaugh, “In our text at least, the third time is a charm! This third captain hasreasoned this matter out, and he does not intend to end up like his two predecessors. To putit differently, this captain has grasped the “chain of command” correctly. God is theultimate authority, and because Elijah is a “man of God,” (a prophet), he speaks and actswith God’s authority. �o official of the king had better attempt to harm or intimidateElijah, or even seek to put him under arrest. This captain responds appropriately. He didnot order Elijah to do anything. He knows all too well what has happened to those who hadcome before him, and he is sure that it will happen to him as well if he deals with Elijah in asimilar manner. He kneels down before Elijah and pleads for mercy for himself and hismen. God graciously responds to this humble petition. The Angel of the LORD instructsElijah not to be afraid and to go with this man and his men. �ow, at last, the orders arecoming from the right direction, from the top down.”

4. Pink, “What fearful obstinacy is there here. Deliberately hardening his heart, Ahaziahstrengthened himself against the Almighty and makes one more attempt to do the prophetharm. Though on his death-bed, and knowing the Divine judgment which had befallen twocompanies of his soldiers (as v. 54 intimates), yet he persists in stretching forth his handagainst Jehovah’s anointed, and exposes to destruction another of his captains with hisbody of men. So true are those words of Holy Writ, "Though thou shouldest bray a fool ina mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him" (Prov.

27:22). And why is this? Because "the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness isin their heart while they live" (Eccl. 9:3). In view of such unerring declarations, and withsuch examples as Pharaoh, Ahab and Ahaziah before us, we ought not to be in the leastsurprised or startled by what we see and read of what is taking place in the world today.Saddened and solemnized we should be, but not staggered and nonplussed.

This man was of a different disposition from the two who had preceded him: even in themilitary forces God has a remnant according to the election of grace. Daring not to attemptanything against Elijah, he employed humble submission and fervent entreaties, with everyexpression of respect. It was an affecting appeal, a real prayer. He attributed the death ofthe previous companies to its true cause and appears to have had an awful sense of thejustice of God. He owns that their lives lay at the prophet’s mercy and begs they may bespared. Thus did Jehovah provide not only for the security but also the honor of Elijah, asHe did for Moses when Pharaoh had threatened to put him to death (Ex. 11:8). The appealof this captain was not in vain. Our God is ever ready to forgive the humble suppliant, however rebellious he may have been, and the way to prevail with Him is to bow before Him.”

5. Gill, “And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty,&c.] Which was mostdaring and insolent, and showed him to be dreadfully hardened, to persist in his messagesafter such rebuffs: and the third captain of fifty went up; instead of calling to the prophetat the bottom of the hill as the other did, he went up to the top of it: and came and fell on

his knees before Elijah: in reverence of him as a prophet of the Lord, and under a dread ofthe power he was possessed of, of calling for fire from heaven on him and his men, as theformer instances showed: 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: he owns their liveslay at his mercy; he begs they might be spared, since it was not in contempt of him, andthrough ill will to him as the prophet of the Lord, but in obedience to the king's command,that they were come to him.”

6. Henri Rossier, “The third captain (vv. 13-14) fears God and takes the attitude becomingto a sinful man before Him. He approached beseeching, on his knees, acknowledging Godin Elijah in saying "Man of God" to him in an entirely different spirit from that of the firsttwo captains. He knows that God can exercise grace: "I pray thee, let my life, and the life ofthese fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight." He has not yet received the assurance thatwhat God is able to do, He is willing to do, but he is convinced that the God of judgment isable to be a God of grace to whosoever submits to him, that He does not desire the death ofthe sinner, and that his life may be precious to Him. These thoughts are expressed in thewords of this man: "Behold, there came down fire from the heavens, and consumed the twocaptains of the former fifties with their fifties, but now, let my life be precious in thy sight"Such faith is pleasing to the Lord. This third captain "believed that God is,' as the Epistleto the Hebrews expresses it; he acknowledged His full character of majesty, holiness,righteousness, and goodness, a conviction that is necessary if one is to approach Him; buthe also believed that God is a "rewarder of them who seek him out" (Heb. 11: 6). So hefinds the reward of his faith.”

14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed thefirst two captains and all their men. But now haverespect for my life!"

1. Henry, “The third captain humbled himself and cast himself upon the mercy of God andElijah. It does not appear that Ahaziah ordered him to do so (his stubborn heart is as hardas ever; so regardless is he of the terrors of the Lord, so little affected with themanifestations of his wrath, and withal so prodigal of the lives of his subjects, that he sendsa third with the same provoking message to Elijah), but he took warning by the fate of hispredecessors, who, perhaps, lay dead before his eyes; and, instead of summoning theprophet down, fell down before him, and begged for his life and the lives of his soldiers,acknowledging their own evil deserts and the prophet's power (2Ki_1:13, 2Ki_1:14): Let

my life be precious in thy sight. �ote, There is nothing to be got by contending with God: ifwe would prevail with him, it must be by supplication; if we would not fall before God, wemust bow before him; and those are wise for themselves who learn submission from thefatal consequences of the obstinacy of others.

Elijah does more than grant the request of this third captain. God is not so severe withthose that stand it out against him but he is as ready to show mercy to those that repent andsubmit to him; never any found it in vain to cast themselves upon the mercy of God. Thiscaptain, not only has his life spared, but is permitted to carry his point: Elijah, being socommanded by the angel, goes down with him to the king, 2Ki_1:15. Thus he shows that hebefore refused to come, not because he feared the king or court, but because he would notbe imperiously compelled, which would lessen the honor of his master; he magnifies his

office. He comes boldly to the king, and tells him to his face (let him take it as he may) whathe had before sent to him (2Ki_1:16), that he shall surely and shortly die; he mitigates notthe sentence, either for fear of the king's displeasure or in pity to his misery. The God ofIsrael has condemned him, let him send to see whether the god of Ekron can deliver him.So thunder-struck is Ahaziah with this message, when it comes from the prophet's ownmouth, that neither he nor any of those about him durst offer him any violence, nor somuch as give him an affront; but out of that den of lions he comes unhurt, like Daniel. Whocan harm those whom God will shelter?”

15 The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go downwith him; do not be afraid of him." So Elijah got up

and went down with him to the king.

1. The last group came with reverence to God Almighty and His awesome power. Theycame to ask Elijah rather than to order him to come. They came asking for mercy andgrace knowing that they had little choice but to do what the King had commanded.

2. Pink, “This clearly demonstrates that Elijah waited for the Divine impulse and wasentirely guided by it in the former instances of severity. �either God nor His servant couldhave any pleasure in taking away the lives of those who approached them in a becomingmanner. It was to punish them for their scorn and impiety that the others had been slain.But this captain came with fear and trembling, not with ill-will to the prophet nor contemptfor his Master. Accordingly he found mercy and favor: not only were their lives preserved,but the captain succeeds in his errand. Elijah shall go with him to the king. Those whohumble themselves shall be exalted, whereas those who exalt themselves shall be abased.Let us learn from Elijah’s example to deal kindly toward those who may have beenemployed against us, when they evidence their repentance and entreat our clemency. Markit was "the angel of the Lord" who again addressed the prophet: but what a test of hisobedience and courage! The Tishbite had greatly exasperated Jezebel and her party, andnow her reigning son must have been furious at him. �evertheless he might safely ventureinto the presence of his raging foes seeing that the Lord had bidden him do so, with theassurance, "Be not afraid." They could not move a finger against him without God’spermission. God’s people are quite safe in His hands, and faith may ever appropriate thetriumphant language of Psalm 27:1-3.

"And he arose and went down with him unto the king" (v. 15), readily and boldly, notfearing his wrath. He made no objection and indicated no fear for his safety: though theking was enraged and would be surrounded by numerous attendants, he committed himselfto the Lord and felt safe under His promise and protection. What a striking instance of theprophet’s faith and obedience to God. But Elijah did not go to confront the king untilbidden by the Lord to do so, teaching His servants not to act presumptuously by recklesslyand needlessly exposing themselves unto danger: but as soon as He required it he wentpromptly, encouraging us to follow the leading of Providence, trusting God in the way ofduty and saying, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb.13:6).

3. Clarke, “And he arose, and went down He did not even regard his personal safety or hislife; he goes without the least hesitation to the king, though he had reason to suppose hewould be doubly irritated by his prediction, and the death of one hundred of his men. Butwith all these consequences he had nothing to do; he was the ambassador of the Kingeternal, and his honor and life were in the hands of his Master.”

16 He told the king, "This is what the LORD says: Is itbecause there is no God in Israel for you to consultthat you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub,the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you willnever leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainlydie!"

1. “So Elijah went to see Ahaziah. This was Ahaziah’s final opportunity to hear the messageof the Lord and repent. Ahaziah had not sought the Lord, but the Lord had responded tohis trouble and sent his prophet to Ahaziah. This was an opportunity for Ahaziah to receivemercy, because whenever a man of God comes to you, if you repent and humble yourself,you will receive mercy. But did Ahaziah repent and say to Elijah, "Please, I understand allthis. I am a wicked man. Have mercy upon me"? Oh, no.” author unknown

2. Ahaziah had numerous times to respond to the message of God with repentance, but hedid not give a hint that he regretted ignoring the God of Israel, and instead, turning to thegod of Ekron. He was a complete fool, for God gave him more than just a second chance toplead for mercy, but he would not do so. He died in his bed as a fool who would not humblehimself before God.

3. P G Mathew, “From this passage we learn that God gives us many opportunities torepent. Throughout the Bible we read that the God of Israel is gracious and long-suffering.When God revealed himself to Moses he said this: "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionateand gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love tothousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guiltyunpunished. He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to thethird and fourth generation" (Ex. 34:6-7). And in Psalm 103:10-12 David tells us that God"does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high asthe heavens are above the earth, so great is the love, his love, for those who fear him." OurGod is a compassionate God.”

4. The above fact, however, is of no value to the spiritually blind who will not accept thereality of such a God, and that is how the king died in his stubborn blindness who refusedto see the God of Israel. Other kings did the same thing, and they refused to look to the Godof Israel and repent. The great physician who loves to heal was at their side, but theyrefused to receive his services. In 2 Chronicles 16:12 we read, "In the thirty-ninth year ofhis reign, Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet." �ow, not every disease is correctionfor sin, but this was. And then we read, "Though his disease was severe. . ." God not onlyafflicted Asa, but he made the affliction severe. What was God’s purpose? To bring Asa torepentance that he might call upon the name of the Lord and ask for mercy. But as we read

further we see that "Even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord." This remindsus of Ahaziah’s attitude: "I hate God!" Asa sought help from the pagan physicians, butthey could not help him. And in verse 13 we read, "In the forty-first year of his reign Asadied." Asa had two years to repent, but, amazingly, he would not do so. Like Ahaziah, Asarefused to repent.” unknown author

5. There are also happy stories where men in their illnesses turn to the God of Israel andfind the healing they so strongly desire. “In 2 Kings 5 we read about �aaman the Syrian.He was a great general but he had leprosy. While in Syria he heard about the God of Israel,and came all the way to Samaria to be healed by him. When the man of God said to wash inthe Jordan River, �aaman became very angry and he was not going to humble and repent.But God showed mercy and �aaman repented. He was saved and healed and he went backto Syria as an Israelite. �aaman, the pagan Gentile, went to Israel and found God, foundbalm, and found a physician. He was cured and restored.” author unknown

6. Deffinbaugh, “�otice the tone of our text, as it describes Elijah before the king. �ot oneword of king Ahaziah is recorded in verse 16. In this verse, only Elijah speaks, and we cancertainly say that he “gets in the last word.” The thing that strikes me about Elijah’s wordsto the king is that they are virtually identical with the words the Angel of the Lord gave toElijah, as well as the words that Elijah conveyed to the messengers of the king. In spite ofall of Ahaziah’s efforts to reverse or to reduce his sentence, nothing has changed so far ashis “sentence” is concerned. His death has been foretold. His judgment is sure.”

7. Pink, “Elijah now repeats to the king, without any alteration, what he had said to hisservants. Without fear or mincing the matter, the prophet spoke God’s word plainly andfaithfully to Ahaziah; in the name of Him in whose hands are both life and death, hereproved the monarch for his sin and then pronounced sentence on him. What an awfulmessage for him to receive: that he should go from his bed to hell. Having discharged hiscommission, the Tishbite departed without molestation. Enraged as were Jezebel and herparty, the king and his attendants, they were as meek as lambs and as silent as statues. Theprophet went in and out among them with perfect safety, receiving no more harm thanDaniel when cast into the lions" den, because he trusted in God. Let this cause us to goforth firmly but humbly in the discharge of our duty.”

17 So he died, according to the word of the LORD thatElijah had spoken.

1. Henry, “The prediction is accomplished in a few days. Ahaziah died (v. 17), and, dyingchildless, left his kingdom to his brother Jehoram. His father reigned wickedly twenty-twoyears, he not two. Sometimes the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power; but those

who therefore promise themselves prosperity in impiety may perhaps find themselvesdeceived; for (as bishop Hall observes here), “Some sinners live long, to aggravate theirjudgment, others die soon, to hasten it;” but it is certain that evil pursues sinners, and,sooner or later, it will overtake them; nor will any thing fill the measure sooner than thatcomplicated iniquity of Ahaziah - honoring the devil's oracles and hating God's oracles.”

1B. McDuff, “Alas! how much it takes to humble the proud heart. Apart from divine graceno outward trial can do it. Impending death itself, that hour when, we might suppose, allfalse confidences and illusions might well be shaken, finds the hardened and impenitentimpervious as ever to conviction. Hence the miserable delusion of those who, trust to therelenting and penitential feelings of their last hours. It is too often a vain unrealized dream. "As menlive, so do men die!"

- The Scorner in life, is a Scorner at the last:- The blasphemer in life, is often a wilder blasphemer at the last.- The unjust remain "unjust still," and the filthy remains "filthy still."

Oh, it is the saddest picture of moral apostasy,- the saddest exponent of the [272] enmity of theunregenerate heart, - when even the King of terrors brings no terror to the seared conscienceand indurated soul, - the banner of proud defiance against GOD and His CHRIST waved, evenwhen the awful gloom of mortal darkness is closing in all around! The king's passion is stillroused, - the fever of vengeance burns hot as ever; and the last miserable dregs of his life arespent in the renewed attempt to baffle Omnipotence, but only to squander afresh the blood ofhis innocent soldiers.” “It was the Tishbite's last meeting with the house of Ahab, - his lastmessage of wrath,- his last protest against Baal. The hours of his own earthly existence werenow nearly spent, - already the sentence was framing in the upper sanctuary, "Well done, goodand faithful servant." It is pleasing to think of him in this his closing public act, true as ever tohis great life-work and calling, as the unflinching Reformer of his day, - denouncing thedegradations of the Baal worship, quenching the strange fires on the defiled altars of hiscountry, and rekindling the sacred flames; - the same heroic spirit we found him when firstpresented to us on the sacred page; like Moses, not fearing the wrath of the king, but enduring,as seeing Him who is invisible.”

2. Clarke, “The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Syriac say, Jehoram HIS BROTHER reigned inhis stead, in the second year of Jehoram. There were two Jehorams who werecontemporary: the first, the son of Ahab, brother to Ahaziah, and his successor in thekingdom of Israel; the second, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who succeeded hisfather in Judah. But there is a difficulty here: "How is it that Jehoram the brother ofAhaziah began to reign in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, seeing that,according to 2 Kings 3:1 , he began his reign in the eighteenth year of the reign ofJehoshaphat; and, according to 2 Kings 8:16 , Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began to reignin the fifth year of Jehoram king of Israel?" Calmet and others answer thus: "Jehoramking of Israel began to reign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, whichwas the second year after this same Jehoshaphat had given the viceroyalty to his sonJehoram; and afterwards Jehoshaphat communicated the royalty to Jehoram his successor,two years before his death, and the fifth year of Jehoram, king of Israel." Dr. Lightfoottakes another method:-"Observe," says he, "these texts, 1 Kings 22:51 : Ahaziah the son of

Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king ofJudah, and reigned two years; and 2 Kings 1:17 : And Ahaziah died according to the wordof the Lord which Elijah had spoken, and Jehoram reigned in his stead, in the second gearof Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and 2 Kings 3:1 : �ow Jehoram the son ofAhab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king ofJudah. By these scriptures it is most plain, that both Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, andAhaziah the son of Ahab, began to reign in the seventeenth of Jehoshaphat; for who seesnot in these texts that Jehoshaphat's eighteenth, when Jehoram the son of Ahab began toreign, is called the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat? �ow Jehoshaphat'sreign was not yet expired by eight or nine years, for this was in his seventeenth year, and hereigned twenty-five years, 1 Kings 22:42 ; nor was Ahab's reign expired by two or threeyears, for this was in his twentieth year, and he reigned twenty-two years. 1 Kings 16:29 .But the reason why both their sons came thus into their thrones in their lifetime, and bothin the same year, was because their fathers, Jehoshaphat and Ahab, were both engaged inthe war against the Syrians about Ramoth-gilead: and while they were providing for it, andcarrying it on, they made their sons viceroys, and set them to reign in their stead, whilethey were absent or employed upon that expedition." This is very probable, and seems wellsupported by the above texts, and would solve all the difficulties with which many havebeen puzzled and not a few stumbled, had we sufficient evidence for the vice royalty herementioned.”

3. He refused to repent. God had great patience and gave him plenty of time and evidence,but he would not. Others have repented and out of evil past have been saved for eternity.“Steve McQueen was a top-billing actor who led a life as tough as the ones he portrayed onthe screen. Success filled his life until alcohol and a failed marriage left him empty. In hisdespair he attended a crusade led by one of Billy Graham’s associates. McQueen made aprofession of faith and requested an opportunity to speak with Billy Graham. A connectingflight in Los Angeles allowed Dr. Graham to spend a couple of hours with Mr. McQueen inthe actor’s limousine. The great evangelist shared numerous scriptures in his quest to givespiritual hope and confidence. Steve McQueen struggled with the thought of God givingeternal life to a man who had such a checkered past. In Titus 1:2, Steve McQueen found hishope: "the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago." Herequested something to write down the verse, but Billy Graham gave McQueen his Bibleinstead. Later, Steve McQueen died in Mexico while seeking experimental treatment for histerminal cancer. He passed into eternal life with his Bible opened to Titus 1 and his fingerresting on verse 2. Regardless of our past, we have the hope of God’s eternal promise.”

4. An unknown author gives us this outline: “The high cost of idolatry. But idolatry carriesa high price tag and we need to be aware of how costly this deadly sin really is:

1. Idolatry ignores the presence of God in our lives.

2. Idolatry eliminates the power of God from workingin our lives.

3. Idolatry undermines the purposes of God from beingrealized in our lives.

4. Idolatry opens us up to the judgment of God uponour lives.

5. Timothy Smith has an outline of what was happening in Israel, and he applies it to ourown history as Americans. I am just including one paragraph under each heading.

I. A LEADERSHIP VOID DEVELOPS: 1 Kings 22:51 - 2 Kings 1:1

But it is no surprise that Ahaziah did not do right in the eyes of God. His parents hadsimply passed on their lack of faith in God and their sinful habits on to their son. And oneof the first things you will see when Godly influence dwindles is a leadership void in thefamily. When the values of the parents are Godless, those values are passed onto thechildren. That’s why the Israelites earlier cried out in �um. 14:17-18- "Oh, please, showthe great power of your patience by forgiving our sins and showing us your steadfast love.Forgive us, even though you have said that you don’t let sin go unpunished, and that youpunish the father’s fault in the children to the third and fourth generation."(LB) �ow,don’t misunderstand that passage. It is not saying that the children have to be evil but sooften the sinful traits of parents that are seen by the children are repeated in the child’sadult life. That’s why you see children of alcoholics, alcoholics; children who suffer abuse,abusing their own children, children of divorce not able to hold their marriage together. Soit was with Ahaziah. And I don’t have to go over the demise of the family in this country,that video clip did that powerfully. But I believe a lot of it is because, in our families theleadership role is severely lacking.

II. SUBSTITUTE RELIGIO�S BECOME POPULAR: 1:2-4

The second thing that happens when the light of Godly influence flickers is that substitutereligions become popular. During his reign something happened that gave the King aproblem. Vs:2 tells us that he fell in the palace and he seriously injured himself. So bad washis plight that he didn’t know whether he was going to live or die. He wanted to know thefuture about the outcome of his injury. But rather than going to God for healing and helplook at the King’s solution. Vs:2b- “..he sent messengers, saying to them, `Go and consultBaal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.” Ahaziah wasseeking revelation about the future from an idol, a god (little “g”) that the people sacrificedinfants But the very first commandment says “You shall have no other gods before me.”Ex20:3 (RSV) So, Ahaziah shouldn’t of called Baal-Zebub or Miss Cleo to read her tarot cardsor the Psychic �etwork, he should have consulted the Lord. �ow why would Ahaziahconsult a false god instead of the true God? The answer is very simple, it’s the same reasonthat people reject the God of the Bible today. He wanted a religion that was morallyundemanding. People then and people still want immortality without morality. And formany God is just too strict. A movie out some years ago was entitled, "Children of a LesserGod?" Someone has suggested that what we what want today is to be "Children of a

Looser God." And there are a lot of substitute religions in America today because we aredrifting away from the true God. Let me name just a couple.

III. PEOPLE WA�T TO ELIMI�ATE GOD: VSS: 5-10

He remembered Elijah. His mother hated him, his Dad called him a “troubler.” So in vs:9he sends out 50 men to arrest Elijah. You see Ahaziah didn’t want to hear the words ofGod, they weren’t pleasant, so he tried to silence them. Can’t you see that happening inAmerica today? We don’t want to hear the words of God, they are too demanding. So, inour government, our schools, in nearly every institution we are trying to suppress God."Don’t teach creation, don’t pray at ball games or graduations, don’t read the Bible inpublic, don’t put the nativity on the courthouse lawn.” We do things to ease God even inplaces of history when God was prominent. In 1986 Paul Vitz, wrote a book entitled,Censorship: Evidence of bias in our children’s textbooks. �ow, Paul Vitz is not some Bible-thumper, he is a professor of psychology at �.Y.U. and for his study he systematicallyexamined some 90 widely used school textbooks. He wanted to answer the question: "Arepublic school textbooks bias against Christianity?" His study revealed some startlingfindings. "Religion, family values and certain economic and political positions have beensystematically eliminated from children’s textbooks today. For example in a total of 670stories from elementary readers there was not one reference to represent a positive side ofreligious life. Other religions were mentioned, but not Christianity. �one of the social studybooks dealing with American social life, though they mention the family as a group ofpeople living together, ever mention the word marriage, husband, wife or wedding. �or didany of the books represent a woman being a mother or homemaker as a worthy role forwomen to consider." One of the social study books had 30 pages on the Pilgrims includingthe 1st Thanksgiving. But children were not told to whom the pilgrims gave thanks. I heardof a little first grader standing in front of the class saying, "And when the pilgrims cameseeking freedom of `you-know-what’, and giving thanks to `you-know-who’, and because ofthem we can worship each Sunday `you-know-where.’

17 Continues: Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram [a]succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoramson of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.

1. Constable, “Ahaziah died, as Elijah had announced, as punishment for his failure to

submit to Yahweh's authority over His people (v. 17). Since he had no son to succeed him—note the fertility motif—his brother Jehoram became Israel's next king (v. 18). There wasalso a contemporary king of Judah named Jehoram. The �IV translators have kept thesetwo men distinct by spelling the Israelite king's name "Joram," a variant spelling, and theJudahite king's name "Jehoram."

2. Barnes, “The similarity of names in the two royal houses of Israel and Judah at this time,and at no other, seems to be the consequence of the close ties which united the two reigningfamilies, and is well noted among the “undesigned coincidences” of the Old Testament. Theaccession of the Israelite Jehoram (Ahab’s brother) took place, according to 2Ki_3:1, in theeighteenth year of Jehoshaphat. Jehoram of Judah perhaps received the royal title from hisfather as early as his father’s sixteenth year, when he was about to join Ahab against theSyrians; the same year might then be called either the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat orthe second year of Jehoram.”

3. Clarke, “And Jehoram reigned in his stead - The Vulgate, Septuagint, and Syriac say,Jehoram His Brother reigned in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram. There were twoJehorams who were contemporary: the first, the son of Ahab, brother to Ahaziah, and hissuccessor in the kingdom of Israel; the second, the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, whosucceeded his father in Judah. But there is a difficulty here: “How is it that Jehoram thebrother of Ahaziah began to reign in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, seeingthat, according to 2Ki_3:1, he began his reign in the eighteenth year of the reign ofJehoshaphat; and, according to 2Ki_8:16, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began to reign inthe fifth year of Jehoram king of Israel?” Calmet and others answer thus: “Jehoram kingof Israel began to reign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, which was thesecond year after this same Jehoshaphat had given the viceroyalty to his son Jehoram; andafterwards Jehoshaphat communicated the royalty to Jehoram his successor, two yearsbefore his death, and the fifth year of Jehoram, king of Israel.”

4. Dr. Lightfoot takes another method: - “Observe,” says he, “these texts, 1Ki_22:51 :Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year ofJehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years; and 2Ki_1:17 : And Ahaziah diedaccording to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken, and Jehoram reigned in hisstead, in the second gear of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and 2Ki_3:1 : �owJehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year ofJehoshaphat king of Judah. By these scriptures it is most plain, that both Jehoram the sonof Jehoshaphat, and Ahaziah the son of Ahab, began to reign in the seventeenth ofJehoshaphat; for who sees not in these texts that Jehoshaphat’s eighteenth, when Jehoramthe son of Ahab began to reign, is called the second year of Jehoram the son ofJehoshaphat? �ow Jehoshaphat’s reign was not yet expired by eight or nine years, for thiswas in his seventeenth year, and he reigned twenty-five years, 1Ki_22:42; nor was Ahab’sreign expired by two or three years, for this was in his twentieth year, and he reignedtwenty-two years. 1Ki_16:29. But the reason why both their sons came thus into theirthrones in their lifetime, and both in the same year, was because their fathers, Jehoshaphatand Ahab, were both engaged in the war against the Syrians about Ramoth-gilead: andwhile they were providing for it, and carrying it on, they made their sons viceroys, and set

them to reign in their stead, while they were absent or employed upon that expedition.”This is very probable, and seems well supported by the above texts, and would solve all thedifficulties with which many have been puzzled and not a few stumbled, had we sufficientevidence for the vice royalty here mentioned.”

18 As for all the other events of Ahaziah's reign, andwhat he did, are they not written in the book of theannals of the kings of Israel?

1. “Everything he did was weak, faithless, and miserable; he achieved nothing but ruin andfailure. He let Moab rebel. He hurt himself in a clumsy accident. He foolishly attempted touse military force against Elijah. And worse, he sought help in the wrong place - in Philistiaat the altar of a pagan god.” (Dilday)

2. Keil takes us on a tour of the reasons for a discrepancy in the text. It is long and quiteinvolved, and few will be interested, but I add it for those who love technicalities. “WhenAhaziah died, according to the word of the Lord through Elijah, as he had no son, he wasfollowed upon the throne by his brother Joram, “in the second year of Joram the son ofJehoshaphat, king of Judah.” This statement is at variance both with that in 2Ki_3:1, to theeffect that Joram began to reign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, and with that in1Ki_22:52, viz., that Ahaziah ascended the throne in the seventeenth year of the reign ofJehoshaphat, which lasted twenty-five years, and also with the statement in 2Ki_8:16, thatJoram of Judah became king over Judah in the fifth year of Joram of Israel. If, forexample, Ahaziah of Israel died after a reign of not quite two years, at the most a year anda half, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat; as Jehoshaphat himself reigned twenty-fiveyears, he cannot have died till the seventh year of Joram of Israel, and his son Joramfollowed him upon the throne. The last of these discrepancies may be solved very simply,from the fact that, according to 2Ki_8:16, Jehoshaphat was still king when his son Jorambegan to reign so that Jehoshaphat abdicated in favor of his son about two years before hisdeath. And the first discrepancy (that between 2Ki_1:17 and 1Ki_3:1) is removed by Usher(Annales M. ad a.m. 3106 and 3112), Lightfoot, and others, after the example of the SederOlam, by the assumption of the co-regency. According to this, when Jehoshaphat went withAhab to Ramoth in Gilead to war against the Syrians, in the eighteenth year of his reign,which runs parallel to the twenty-second year of the reign of Ahab, he appointed his sonJoram to the co-regency, and transferred to him the administration of the kingdom. It isfrom this co-regency that the statement in 2Ki_1:17 is dated, to the effect that Joram ofIsrael became king in the second year of Joram of Judah. This second year of the co-regency of Joram corresponds to the eighteenth year of the reign of Jehoshaphat (2Ki_3:1).And in the fifth year of his co-regency Jehoshaphat gave up the reins of governmententirely to him. It is from this point in time, i.e., from the twenty-third year of Jehoshaphat,

that we are to reckon the eight years of the reign of Joram (of Judah), so that he onlyreigned six years more after his father's death.

(�ote: Wolff indeed boldly declares that “the co-regency of Joram is a pure fiction, and thebiblical historians do not furnish the slightest warrant for any such supposition” (see p. 628of the treatise mentioned at p. 187); but he cannot think of any other way of reconciling thedifferences than by making several alterations in the text, and inventing a co-regency in thecase of the Israelitish king Ahaziah. The synchronism of the reigns of the Israelitish kingsnecessarily requires the solution adopted in the text. For if Joram of Israel, who began toreign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat and reigned twelve years (2Ki_3:1), was slainat the same time as Ahaziah of Judah (2Ki_9:24-27), and Ahaziah of Judah reigned aboutone year and his predecessor Joram about eight years, so that the two together certainlyreigned fully eight years; Joram of Judah must have ascended the throne four years afterJoram of Israel, i.e., in the twenty-third year of Jehoshaphat, which runs parallel to thefifty year of Joram of Israel. Consequently the twenty-five years of Jehoshaphat are to bereduced to twenty-three in reckoning the sum-total of the years embraced by the period ofthe kings. It is true that there is no analogy for this combination of the years of the reignsof two kings, since the other reductions of which different chronologists are fond areperfectly arbitrary, and the case before us stands quite alone; but this exception to the ruleis indicated clearly enough in the statement in 2Ki_8:16, that Joram began to reign whileJehoshaphat was (still) king. When, however, Thenius objects to this mode of reconcilingthe differences, which even Winer adopts in the third edition of his bibl. Real-Wörterbuch, i.p. 539, on the ground that the reign of Joram is dated most precisely in 1Ki_22:51 and2Ch_21:1, 2Ch_21:5,2Ch_21:20, from the death of Jehoshaphat, and that an actual co-regency, viz., that of Jotham, is expressly mentioned in 2Ki_15:5, which does not render itat all necessary to carry the years of his reign into those of his father's, this appeal to thecase of Jotham cannot prove anything, for the simple reason that the biblical text knowsnothing of any co-regency of Jotham and Uzziah, but simply states that when Uzziah wassmitten with leprosy, his son Jotham judged the people of the land, but that he did notbecome king till after his father's death (2Ki_15:5, 2Ki_15:7; 2Ch_26:21, 2Ch_26:23). It isindeed stated in 1Ki_22:51 and 2Ch_26:1, 2Ch_26:5,2Ch_26:20, that Jehoshaphat died andhis son Joram became king, which may be understood as meaning that he did not becomeking till after the death of Jehoshaphat; but there is no necessity to understand it so, andtherefore it can be very easily reconciled with the more precise statement in 2Ki_8:16, thatJoram ascended the throne during the reign of Jehoshaphat, whereas the assertion ofThenius, that the circumstantial clause פט ����פ פט מלך יהּודה ויהוש in 2Ki_8:16 is a gloss, is notcritically established by the absence of these words from the lxx, Syr., and Arabic, and toexpunge them from the text is nothing but an act of critical violence.)

We have no information as to the reason which induced Jehoshaphat to abdicate in favor ofhis son two years before his death; for there is very little probability in the conjecture ofLightfoot (Opp. i. p. 85), that Jehoshaphat did this when he commenced the war with theMoabites in alliance with Joram of Israel, for the simple reason that the Moabites revoltedafter the death of Ahab, and Joram made preparations for attacking them immediatelyafter their rebellion (2Ki_3:5-7), so that he must have commenced this expedition beforethe fifth year of his reign.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Kings 1:17 Hebrew Jehoram , a variant of Joram